January 27, (THEWILL) – Manchester United claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Fulham in an English Premier League clash at Craven Cottage, with Lisandro Martinez’s deflected effort proving decisive in a match lacking in quality. The Argentine’s 30-yard strike took a significant deflection off Fulham’s Sasa Lukic, looping over goalkeeper Bernd Leno and into the net. The goal, which came in the second half, was United’s only shot on target in a game that struggled to deliver moments of excitement.
The first half was particularly uneventful, with neither side managing to create clear-cut chances. Fulham’s Alex Iwobi tested United’s defence with a couple of long-range efforts, but the visitors failed to register a single shot on target before the break. Bruno Fernandes came closest for United, curling a low free-kick into the side-netting, but the match remained goalless at half-time.
The second half followed a similar pattern until Martinez’s speculative effort from distance changed the game. The deflection off Lukic left Leno stranded, handing United an unexpected lead. Fulham responded by pushing for an equaliser, with Joachim Andersen coming close in the closing stages. The defender’s powerful header from a corner was brilliantly cleared off the line by United substitute Toby Collyer, preserving the visitors’ slender advantage.
United thought they had doubled their lead deep into injury time when Amad Diallo found the bottom corner, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review for offside. That late attempt apart, United held on to claim all three points, moving them closer to their objectives for the season. Fulham, meanwhile, were left to rue their lack of attacking impetus, failing to capitalise on home advantage.
The result leaves Ruben Amorim’s side in 13th position in the league table, four points 10th-placed Fulham. Yet, both teams will hope for improved performances in their upcoming matches, with United aiming to build momentum and Fulham seeking to address their struggles in front of goal.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
