Fulham 0-1 Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes scores stoppage-time winner

Captain Bruno Fernandes scored a stoppage-time winner against Fulham to alleviate the pressure on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

In a disappointing game of few chances, Scott McTominay thought he had given the visitors an eighth-minute lead, but it was ruled out for offside after referee John Brooks viewed it on the pitchside monitor.

Fernandes, before his winner, forced Leno into an acrobatic save while Andre Onana made two saves to deny Harry Wilson and Joao Palhinha.

Up until the dramatic finish, United struggled to make an impact, while their injury problems continued when Marcus Rashford failed a fitness test before the match on a leg injury.

Rashford had been criticised by Ten Hag on the eve of the match, with the United boss describing the England forward’s birthday celebrations after last week’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City as “unacceptable”.

Harry Maguire played the full match despite suffering a head injury early on, while the game was stopped on a couple of further occasions so the defender could be checked.

‘Play like you mean it’

United’s travelling fans made it clear they wanted to see more heart and effort from their team when they unfurled a banner that read ‘Play like you mean it’ before kick-off.

After a wretched season, Ten Hag will take any positives he can at the moment and will hope this result will be a springboard for a better run of form.

Prior to Fernandes’ third club goal of the season, which came in the first added minute at the end of the game, United were flat and unconvincing as they struggled to make an impact against opponents in the bottom half of the table.

Ten Hag has forked out more than £400m on new signings since being unveiled 18 months ago, including £72m for Rasmus Hojlund, who remains without a Premier League goal.

Yet for all their problems, United have now won three consecutive away games in the Premier League for the first time since 2020.

Fulham’s long wait goes on

Fulham have not defeated United since 2009 and their long wait goes on after conceding a late winner at home to the Red Devils for the second successive season.

Boss Marco Silva had challenged his players to “write a different story” after they lost to a 93rd-minute Alejandro Garnacho goal last November.

But they managed just two attempts on target and remain anchored in the bottom half of the table after one win in six league games.

Willian went close with a curling attempt before Onana made saves to keep out Wilson and Palhinha during the home team’s best spell of the game.

Fulham fans used the match to make their feelings clear over the affordability of match tickets at the ground.

Before the game, fans marched outside Craven Cottage with a banner that read ‘W£ Can’t Afford To Pric£ Out Fans’ while there was a yellow card ticket protest during the game.