Lisandro Martinez. Photo: Photosport
A deflected late strike from Lisandro Martinez earned Manchester United a much-needed 1-0 victory at Fulham in the English Premier League.
Looking for just their fourth league win since coach Ruben Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag in November, United created very few openings in a poor first half at Craven Cottage.
The visitors did improve after the break and got the bit of good fortune they needed to grab victory, with Argentine defender Martinez's long-range winner taking a huge deflection before finding the net in the 78th minute.
A timely goal-line clearance from young United substitute Toby Collyer late on helped see the visitors home, with the victory moving Amorim's side up to 12th in the standings, four points behind 10th-placed Fulham.
"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.
"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."
It has not gone well for Amorim in England thus far. Coming into Sunday's contest, United had lost six of their previous nine league matches.
In such poor form, the visitors looked short of ideas in a disappointing first half. Emile Smith Rowe has the best opportunity of the opening period for the hosts, but he could not get his shot away.
United skipper Bruno Fernandes' clever free-kick almost handed the visitors a lead early in the second half, but they needed that slice of fortune to see their first and only shot on target in the match find the net.
Collyer's intervention to prevent Joachim Andersen's header finding the net was pivotal, with Fulham substitute Rodrigo Muniz wasting two golden chances to equalise in the final stages.
Amad Diallo did have the ball in the net in stoppage time as the Ivorian thought he had sealed the three points, but he was adjudged to be offside following a VAR review.
An eighth successive league victory at Fulham meant United have now won four of their last five matches in all competitions.
"One shot on target from Man Utd -- a lucky deflection," Fulham coach Marco 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."
Spurs slump continues
Leicester City snapped a seven-match losing streak in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur that continued the home side's abysmal form.
Tottenham have now managed only one win in 11 league games after goals by Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss early in the second half piled more pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou.
Jamie Vardy. Photo: photosport
Leicester's second away win of the season took them out of the bottom three, above Wolverhampton Wanderers, into 17th place with 17 points from 23 games.
Tottenham, who deservedly led at halftime with a 33rd-minute header by Richarlison, remain 15th with 24 points after a fourth successive league loss, eight points off the drop zone.
As the rain hammered down from a slate-grey north London sky, the mood darkened considerably over the home side whose league season is in tatters.
Angry fans chanted "We want Levy out" at chairman Daniel Levy who sat stony-faced in the directors' box as a 13th league defeat of the season loomed after a poor second-half display.
It is Postecoglou who looks most vulnerable though as his injury-ravaged side once again appeared fragile, gifting Leicester a way back into a game that they had appeared to have under control at halftime.
"Yeah, it hurts. It hurts a lot. The players gave everything again. We are going to look at a lot of things but in terms of effort I can't ask any more of this group, things just didn't go our way today," said Postecoglou, who was again without a host of injured first-team players.
"You can analyse the goals, they were disappointing goals for us to concede, but I thought we had enough chances in the game to come out on top."
Villa-West Ham stalemate
Aston Villa missed a chance to close in on the Premier League's top four in a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United, whose Brazilian left back Emerson rescued a point after Jacob Ramsey had got the hosts off to a dream start.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. Photo: Photosport
Villa, who want to earn a second year in the Champions League, opened the scoring when Ramsey played a neat one-two with Ollie Watkins in the eighth minute before placing an angled shot past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Villa should have scored again, with Youri Tielemans shooting just wide and Watkins narrowly missing a header. But the visitors grew into the game and deservedly equalised when Emerson headed home an Edson Alvarez cross in the 70th minute.
The Londoners were the better side in the second half, with Carlos Soler seeing a shot cleared off the line by Ezri Konsa and Danny Ings driving just wide. In a frantic end, their manager Graham Potter was jumping for joy when Lucas Paqueta squeezed the ball home in added time - but he was ruled offside.
The result left Villa eighth on 37 points after 23 games - four points behind the fourth position that would grant them another spot in Europe's elite competition. West Ham are 13th on 27 points, a comfortable 11 points above the relegation zone.
[h[ Brentford win at Palace
Bryan Mbeumo's retaken penalty and Kevin Schade's headed goal gave Brentford a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace as the hosts ended their five-game unbeaten run despite Romain Esse's late strike to reduce the deficit.
Bryan Mbeumo. Photo: Photosport
Palace remained 12th in the table, four points behind 11th-placed Brentford, after their first loss in over a month.
Brentford host Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday, the same day Palace visit Manchester United.
- Reuters
