Michael Carrick firmly rejected Matheus Cunha's assertion that his Manchester United players lacked physical fitness during their 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday. Despite the home side outpacing United by 6.6km, Carrick emphasized the resilience shown by his team, especially after Lisandro Martínez's own goal put them behind in the 63rd minute.

Cunha expressed disappointment, stating, "In the beginning of the second half, Fulham put in more energy than us and we cannot accept this." However, Carrick countered this by highlighting the determination his players displayed, especially in the final moments when Cunha's long-range effort deflected off David Affengruber to equalize.

Carrick noted, "I don’t, particularly, agree with Cunha’s comments about energy levels. The way we finished the game didn’t look like that for me. We kept pushing."

He acknowledged the challenges faced this season, particularly after recent losses against Manchester City and Brighton. "It has been pretty fine margins that have flipped it the wrong way. I know we can do better, but I’m not despondent. We’re showing some good signs."

The match saw some controversy, with Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa criticizing the officiating, claiming decisions favored United. He specifically referenced a questionable free-kick awarded to Harry Maguire that preceded Cunha's equalizer. Despite his frustrations, Arbeloa moderated his comments in later interviews.

Overall, while Carrick acknowledged the need for improvement, he remained optimistic about the season ahead, stating, "It’s still a big season ahead. We wanted more points, but deflation is certainly not what we have within the club."