The Red Devils won a big three points in West London

Manchester United beat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage.

Lisandro Martinez’s deflected shot proved decisive in a game where chances were high.

The first half was far from an attacking spectacle, neither side was able to stamp their authority on the game.

Fulham started brightly, with Alex Iwobi causing problems on the left flank. The Nigerian winger tested Andrea Onana twice, but failed to truly trouble the United keeper.

Fulham’s best chance of the half came at the hands of Emile Smith Rowe, who found himself one-on-one with Onan but failed to hit the target, lifting his effort harmlessly over the bar.

Meanwhile, United had a hard time getting into the game. Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes showed flashes of creativity but the visitors managed just one goal in the opening 45 minutes – their lowest first-half tally in a Premier League game since April 2024.

That’s three away points for the Reds 🔴👊#MUFC || #FULMUN

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 26, 2025

The second half started in the same spirit, both teams struggled to create significant chances.

Fulham introduced Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traore in a bid to inject energy into their attack, while United made several changes, including the introduction of Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee. However, clear-cut chances remained elusive and the match seemed destined for a stalemate.

The turning point came in the 78th minute, and it was a moment of happiness for the guests. Garnach’s pull from the left found Toby Collyer, who failed to tap the ball home.

The ball bounced to Martinez, who shot from outside the penalty area. His ambitious effort deflected off Saša Lukić, crossing Bernd Leno into the far corner. Craven Cottage were stunned and United were in the lead.

Fulham threw everything at United in the final moments. Timothy Castagne and Muniz were close, with Muniz taking a golden opportunity from close range deep in stoppage time

A chaotic sequence saw Andreas Pereira’s corner flicked on by Joachim Andersen, only for Collyer to clear off the line. Fulham appealed for the goal, but replays confirmed that the ball had not gone through.

United thought they had added a second in the dying moments when Mainoo and Amad Diallo combined beautifully and the latter scored. However, VAR intervened, awarding the goal for offside, leaving Fulham with little hope.

Despite late pressure from Fulham, United managed to grab a crucial three points.