Lisandro Martinez’s wickedly deflected shot and Toby Collyer’s 89th-minute header off the line took Manchester United to a rare Premier League win under Ruben Amorim, with the 1-0 victory at Fulham edging them up to 12th in the table.
The game was heading towards a dull stalemate, with United getting bodies behind the ball and unadventurous with it. They did not have a shot until the 42nd minute. The 13 in the entire game from both teams was the lowest total for a Premier League match this season.
But, with 12 minutes to play, Martinez’s strike from the edge of the box looped up off Sasa Lukic and dropped in under the bar, brushing Bernd Leno’s fingertips on the way through. It was United’s first effort on target. There was an element of controversy about the goalscorer, too, with Martinez having escaped punishment for a two-footed challenge on Adama Traore earlier in that half.
United’s win was equally as reliant on 21-year-old Collyer dropping back to head away Joachim Andersen’s attempt from a corner as the clock ticked down. The young substitute was mobbed by his team-mates who rushed to celebrate with him.
Rodrigo Muniz blasted over from six yards in stoppage time for another let-off for United – although Amad Diallo was then also denied, with his celebrations curtailed by a VAR offside call.
Amorim had stated before the game the result was more important than the performance, and he would have been relieved to celebrate Premier League win number four from 12 attempts, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe watching on at Craven Cottage. As for the performance, there was still a lot left to be desired.
‘Attack, attack, attack’ chanted the travelling fans as United dawdled on the ball at the back in the opening 45, seemingly happy to take time out of the game. Their confidence looked fragile – understandable considering they had lost six of their last nine in the league. But these three points will lift the mood for now.
As for Fulham, they will feel hard done by – but their first-half impetus through Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez had dried up by the time United broke the deadlock and, despite scoring twice in each of their last five league games, they could not force a late response. Marco Silva’s side stay 10th.
More to follow.
