Fulham 0-1 Manchester United: Lisandro Martinez delivers fortunate winner in forgettable encounter | OneFootball

Visitors had not managed a shot on target before the goal

Lisandro Martinez’s deflected strike was enough to give Manchester United a 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

For 77 minutes, United had failed to register a single shot on target in a forgettable encounter, one in which Fulham were on top without really threatening to open the scoring.

Fulham were inches away from snatching a late equaliser, when Joachim Andersen flicked on a header at the near post from a corner, but Toby Collyer was back on the line to clear.

Amad Diallo thought he had sealed victory deep into stoppage-time as he found the bottom corner, only for VAR to rule it out for offside, but United still ensured they left west London with all three points.

Fulham were willing to be patient in their press early on but showed their threat when countering with pace.

In the sixth minute, an interception allowed Alex Iwobi to surge into space and let fly with a drilled left-footed strike from the edge of the area but Andre Onana showed quick reflexes to get down and palm the ball away from danger.

Antonee Robinson was deployed higher than usual to exploit large amounts of space left unoccupied behind United wing-back Diogo Dalot.

Robinson's deliveries did not quite meet his usual standard and his cross to Raul Jimenez in the 39th minute was not accurate enough for the Mexican forward to get a shot on target, forcing him to take a heavy touch and shoot wide.

United forward Rasmus Hojlund endured another ineffective match and was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee after 58 minutes, with Amorim's side appearing to require more inspiration from skipper Fernandes to find a breakthrough.

The Portugal international's free-kick after the break was aimed under the wall and wrong-footed Fulham keeper Bernd Leno but it went narrowly wide as United's only chance of note to that point went begging.

That chance was part of an improved second-half showing from the visitors and their raucous away support was given something to cheer by Argentina defender Martinez, who charged forward and took a shot from distance which deflected off Sasa Lukic and looped over the stretching Leno.

United, who were stunned by a late Rangers goal in midweek, remained vulnerable and Andersen's header was bound for the back of Onana's net - only for youngster Collyer to brilliantly move across and head off the line.

Amad thought he had put the game beyond doubt, only to be denied by an offside call from VAR, before Rodrigo Muniz wasted another huge chance for Fulham as he blasted over and United held on.