Report as Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time strike earns Manchester United a 1-0 win at Fulham; pressure relieved on Erik ten Hag as his side bounce back from successive 3-0 defeats; Scott McTominay saw early goal controversially disallowed; Man Utd go sixth, Fulham 14th

Manchester United claimed a vital win to relieve the pressure on Erik ten Hag as Bruno Fernandes struck in stoppage time to secure a 1-0 win at Fulham.

After back-to-back 3-0 defeats against Manchester City and Newcastle, questions were increasingly being asked of the manager, and eyebrows were raised before kick-off when Marcus Rashford was left out of the squad.

Man Utd explained that the forward – who was criticised by Ten Hag on Friday for going out to celebrate his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day in the wake of the defeat to City – was injured.

In Rashford’s place, it was McTominay who found the net for what he thought was his fourth goal in as many Premier League games – only for the officials to decide Harry Maguire was marginally offside in the build-up after a lengthy review.

Man Utd rarely troubled Fulham’s goal again – until Joao Palhinha’s scuffed clearance found Fernandes on the edge of the area, with the captain squeezing a finish inside the near post and providing a much-needed boost to his embattled manager.