Manchester United managed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, thanks to a late deflected strike from Lisandro Martinez. The match was far from a spectacle, but it provided a crucial boost for United’s under-pressure manager Ruben Amorim.
The decisive moment came in the 78th minute when Martinez’s long-range effort struck Fulham’s Sasa Lukic and looped over goalkeeper Bernd Leno into the net. The goal ended a frustrating evening for both teams, who struggled to create clear chances in a game that often felt lifeless.
For United, this marked only their fourth Premier League win in 12 matches, lifting them to 12th place in the league standings. Despite the victory, questions remain about the team’s consistency under Amorim. The manager noted earlier that his squad seems more composed during away games, possibly due to the pressure of performing at Old Trafford.
Fulham began the match brightly, with Alex Iwobi forcing two early saves from United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who was under scrutiny after his mistake in last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Brighton. However, Fulham’s inability to capitalize on their early dominance became apparent as the game progressed.
United’s attack lacked spark for much of the game. Bruno Fernandes came close with a clever free-kick in the second half, but the ball slid just wide. Rasmus Hojlund, returning to the starting lineup, extended his goal drought to 11 matches before being substituted for Joshua Zirkzee.
Fulham’s best chance to equalize came from a set-piece late in the game. Joachim Andersen’s header from a corner seemed destined for the net, but Toby Collyer cleared it off the line. United’s Amad Diallo thought he had sealed the win in stoppage time, but his goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.
Fulham, sitting in 10th place, missed an opportunity to close the gap on the top six, leaving their European ambitions in doubt. Meanwhile, United’s narrow win may ease relegation fears and provide some breathing room for Amorim.
