Late Drama: Martinez's Deflected Goal Secures United's Vital Win at Fulham

A deflected late strike from Lisandro Martinez secured Manchester United a crucial 1-0 victory against Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

In search of just their fourth league win since Ruben Amorim took over from Erik ten Hag in November, United struggled to create chances during a lackluster first half at Craven Cottage.

However, they improved after halftime and got the luck they needed for the win, as Martinez's long-range effort took a significant deflection before finding the back of the net in the 78th minute.

A vital goal-line clearance by young substitute Toby Collyer in the closing moments helped ensure the victory, lifting Amorim's side to 12th in the standings, just four points behind 10th-placed Fulham.

"I think I was lucky, but it's an important win," Martinez told TNT Sports. "I’m happy with how we won. It doesn’t matter who scores; the most important thing is the three points.

"This means a lot—not just to the fans, but for us as well because we’ve endured a lot. It’s a tough win; the pressure at this club is intense, but we’re here. We know how challenging it is, and even in a game like today, we have to win and remain humble afterward."

Amorim's tenure in England has been rocky so far, with United losing six of their previous nine league matches before Sunday.

In a disappointing first half, the visitors appeared short on ideas, with Emile Smith Rowe having the best opportunity for Fulham but failing to get a shot off.

United captain Bruno Fernandes nearly gave his side the lead early in the second half with a clever free-kick, but they needed that stroke of luck to convert their first and only shot on target.

Collyer's crucial intervention to deny Joachim Andersen's header proved pivotal, as Fulham substitute Rodrigo Muniz squandered two excellent chances to equalize late in the match.

Amad Diallo thought he had sealed the victory in stoppage time when he scored, but a VAR review ruled him offside.

With this win, United extended their unbeaten run at Fulham to eight consecutive league victories and have now secured four wins in their last five matches across all competitions.