One of the more damning aspects of Manchester United’s tortured rebuild is their inability to multitask. So much money has been frittered away, pushing United into the ridiculous position of going one position at a time each summer. Last year was all about the attack and the recent window was about central midfield, even though the options at full-back do not look strong enough to cope with a season back in the Champions League.

United remain a listless, drifting operation. The ownership is reviled and the fanbase is becoming increasingly mutinous. It was not just Gary Neville seeing red as he commentated on United’s dismal efforts away to winless Fulham. There was an ominous shift in the mood in the away end at Craven Cottage, summed up by the boos that greeted Michael Carrick substituting Kobbie Mainoo with 10 minutes to go.

Carrick filled in as an emergency centre-back when United last lost this fixture, way back in December 2009. This has been a happy hunting ground since then and there was a sense of inevitability to United saving themselves on Sunday, although that was more to do with Fulham’s nerves at 1-0 up than any great show of defiance from the visitors when a third defeat in the space of a week was on the cards.

The late equaliser was fortunate, Matheus Cunha’s potshot hitting the luckless David Affengruber before going in. Bernd Leno was deceived in the Fulham goal but United did not fool anyone by stirring only after falling behind to Lisandro Martínez’s slapstick own goal. Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville called out the lack of effort during the 15 minutes before Fulham’s goal. Players went through the motions and pulled out of tackles, while the manner of the concession was feeble.

United could not get out of their box and when Cunha melted in a challenge with Calvin Bassey, the Fulham centre-back barrelled forward before testing Senne Lammens, only for Martínez to turn the rebound past his goalkeeper. It was a farcical goal and in keeping with the flow at that stage. United had no control or presence in midfield. Bruno Fernandes was the No 10 and Mainoo was deeper with Youri Tielemans, signed from Aston Villa last summer, but the ease with which Sander Berge and Shea Charles dominated for Fulham was proof that Carrick’s renovation in the engine room remains a work in progress.

It is interesting that United targeted quantity during a summer in which rival clubs were spending so much on midfielders. Andrey Santos, an unused substitute here, joined from Chelsea for £50m but is yet to prove himself in English football. Tielemans was an opportunistic £35m. Manchester City spent £300m on three midfielders, while Arsenal added depth by buying Bruno Guimarães for £75m. Carrick will hope that Carlos Baleba, back from an ankle injury, makes his debut after the international break.

United were outrun by Fulham. They looked unfit and need Baleba to provide oomph. There were times when Fulham ripped through the middle, particularly in transition. Alex Iwobi surged away from Tielemans during the first half. Josh King’s raids down the inside-right channel caught the eye and Fulham repeatedly cut through before half-time, only for poor finishing to let them down.

Carrick raised eyebrows by saying United controlled a lot of the first half. Cunha was close to the mark by saying Fulham “put in more energy than us” at the start of the second half. One worry is that the players are already not following Carrick’s instructions. Another is that the window-by-window rebuild has still left United short of ideas in midfield and attack.

Those areas were meant to have been sorted. Instead, United were ponderous on and off the ball. There were flashes in attack but they did not convince. While allowances have to be made for Benjamin Sesko missing out through injury, leaving United short of an effective target man to introduce, the lack of quality in the final third was stark.

Only a defensive error from Fulham led to Fernandes hitting the post at 0-0. Cunha also clipped the woodwork, albeit via a heavy deflection, and Marcus Rashford wasted two opportunities.

It is odd that the new-look attack still means a start for Rashford, who was up for sale last year. He played on the left and flattered to deceive before being taken off. Yet Rashford is not the only United forward who can look promising before drifting out of games. Bryan Mbeumo almost equalised but had an inconsistent game on the right. Cunha looks uncomfortable playing as the No 9 but Carrick does not appear to trust Sesko.

Carrick is under pressure. United have five points from five games and are already out of the Carabao Cup. The doubts over whether Carrick deserved the job will grow. But he is not the first United manager to struggle because of wider failings and is unlikely to be the last. It was not ideal, after all, that Carrick had to bring Joshua Zirkzee on when United were chasing an equaliser. The Dutch forward has five league goals since joining two years ago. Why has he not been sold? Some rebuild.