Fulham 0-1 Manchester United: Martinez's deflected strike secures crucial win for Red Devils against Cottagers

Manchester United clinched a much-needed 1-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, thanks to a deflected late strike from Lisandro Martinez.

The win marked United’s fourth league triumph under coach Ruben Amorim, who succeeded Erik ten Hag in November. However, the match at Craven Cottage was far from smooth for the visitors, who struggled to create chances in a lackluster first half.

The breakthrough came in the 78th minute when Argentine defender Martinez unleashed a long-range effort that took a significant deflection before finding the back of the net. "I think I was lucky, but an important win," Martinez told TNT Sports. "I am happy with the way we won the game. It doesn't matter who scores -- the most important is the three points."

Martinez also reflected on the significance of the result: "It means a lot. Not only to the fans, but for us because we have suffered a lot. It is a hard win. At this club, the pressure is hard, but we are here. We know how difficult it is. Even a game like today, we have to win and be humble after winning."

United’s victory wasn’t without drama. Substitute Toby Collyer made a critical goal-line clearance late on to deny Joachim Andersen, preserving the lead. Fulham, however, had their opportunities, with Rodrigo Muniz missing two clear chances to equalize in the dying minutes.

Adding to the tension, Amad Diallo thought he had doubled United's advantage in stoppage time, only for VAR to rule the goal offside.

The win lifts United to 12th place in the standings, four points behind 10th-placed Fulham. For Fulham, coach Marco Silva was left frustrated with the result: "One shot on target from Man Utd -- a lucky deflection," Silva said. "We were the team that dominated more. We had two or three good moments to score, but I don't remember one dangerous moment from Man Utd."

Despite their struggles this season, United have now won four of their last five matches in all competitions, including an impressive eighth consecutive league win at Craven Cottage.

SportsLigue