Manchester United secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, thanks to Lisandro Martinez’s deflected strike.
The win was a welcome boost for United, who moved up to 12th in the table, four points behind Fulham, who remain in 10th place.
The match was a cagey affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances in the first half. Alex Iwobi had two early shots on goal, but they were comfortably dealt with by United goalkeeper André Onana.
The second half was more of the same, with neither team able to muster much in the way of an attacking threat. United’s Bruno Fernandes sent a low free-kick into the side netting.
Ruben Amorim’s men finally broke the deadlock in the 78th minute thanks to a heavily deflected shot from Lisandro Martínez.
United secured the win but had to dig deep, and will be grateful for a heroic clearance from substitute Toby Collyer, who headed Joachim Andersen’s effort off the line.
A late disallowed goal from Amad Diallo was the final twist in a game that won’t be remembered for its excitement.
Despite the lack of drama, the win was a welcome one for United boss Amorim, who celebrated his birthday with three valuable points.
