Matheus Cunha's deflected 89th-minute strike grabbed Manchester United a 1-1 draw at Fulham to take the edge off what appeared to be turning into a full-blown crisis for Michael Carrick's side going into the international break.

A horror-show own goal from Lisandro Martinez with 23 minutes to play piled the pressure on United to snatch something from this match, following the midweek Carabao Cup collapse at home to Brighton and Manchester derby defeat last weekend.

A wicked flick off David Affengruber got them out of jail. But United are still in the bottom half of the Premier League after five games, 10 points adrift of table-topping neighbours City and looking miles off the level required to challenge the country's best sides this season. This is their joint-worst start to a Premier League campaign.

"A real mess" was how Sky Sports' Gary Neville described the own goal. Cunha was levered off the ball by Fulham centre-back Calvin Bassey, whose stinging shot was parried by Senne Lammens. The 'keeper then saw Martinez stick out a boot and divert the ball back past him. Lammens' clumsy attempt to cut it out summed up United's chaotic defending.

It was their play on the ball before that which most worried Neville, though. He called their passive possession before the opener "the worst 15 minutes I have ever seen Manchester United play".

The narrative could have been very different had Bruno Fernandes found the net rather than the post from Cunha's inviting cutback in the first half, or if the Brazilian's heavily deflected shot had gone in rather than clipped the woodwork. Bernd Leno also made a series of full-stretch saves.

Eventually, the Fulham 'keeper was beaten, with no chance of stopping the leveller. It was heartbreak for the hosts and their new boss Alvaro Arbeloa who is still searching for his first Premier League win. He will take encouragement from this performance after their draw at Anfield, though, as they move off bottom spot by goal difference.

As for United, the accumulation of poor performances already this season will have alarm bells ringing in Manchester. They got away with a point at Fulham but have to find a way to make a major gear change during the upcoming three-week break to get back on track and realise their ambitions of kicking on this season.