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Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez, centre, is congratulated after scoring. Alamy Stock Photo

Man United grind out much-needed win at Fulham

A deflected Lisandro Martinez effort late on broke the deadlock.

LISANDRO MARTINEZ’S deflected winner offered some respite to under-pressure Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim as the Red Devils won 1-0 at Fulham on Sunday.

A dreary encounter looked set to end goalless until Martinez’s shot 12 minutes from time hit Sasa Lukic and looped over Bernd Leno.

Just a fourth Premier League win in 12 games for Amorim lifts United to 12th in the table.

Amorim suggested that United’s best performances during his opening two months had come away from home due to nerves about performing in front of an expectant home crowd at Old Trafford.

But this display was in keeping with many others from the English giants this season, under two different managers, against sides with a fraction of their budget.

There was little to get United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe excited as he watched on in west London, but victory does dispel any remaining notion that United could be dragged into a relegation battle.

Fulham made the brighter start but were also guilty of a lack of penetration in a pedestrian 90 minutes.

Andre Onana returned in goal for the visitors despite his error for Brighton’s third goal in the Seagulls 3-1 win at Old Trafford last weekend.

The Cameroonian was forced into two early saves from the lively Alex Iwobi.

It took just before the hour mark for United to seriously threaten when Bruno Fernandes’ clever free-kick slid under the Fulham wall but just the wrong side of the post.

Rasmus Hojlund’s return had been one of five changes made by Amorim from a dramatic 2-1 Europa League win over Rangers on Thursday.

But the Dane’s goal drought extended to 11 games as he barely posed a threat before being replaced by Joshua Zirkzee.

Adama Traore flashed a shot just over for Fulham in a rare dangerous moment for either side.

And it was little surprise that it was a moment of fortune rather than inspiration that broke the deadlock.

Martinez took aim from long range but in his desperation to block, Lukic’s deflection saw the ball fly over Leno and dip into the top corner.

Fulham should still have snatched a point as United’s frailty from set-pieces was exposed.

Joachim Andersen was afforded a free header from a corner but Toby Collyer got back to head off the line.

The visitors could also have extended their advantage deep into stoppage time when Amad Diallo’s strike was ruled out for offside by a VAR review.

But, just as in the meeting between the sides on the opening night of the season, one goal was enough for all three points for United.

Defeat dampens Fulham’s European ambitions as they remain in 10th, seven points off the top six.

– © AFP 2025

Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.

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    Mute Frank Buffets
    Favourite Frank Buffets
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:13 AM

    How about they post details of how much money donated actually reaches the victims before they go blaming the donors. Food supplies entering black Market, stealing, local corruption, lack of accountability? Don’t blame me if you want to get another donation, you are a professional charity, it’s your failure to communicate and react to the situation.

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    Mute 1 Human Being
    Favourite 1 Human Being
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:11 AM

    Economic issues matter more than human life. It is a shame that famine gets ignored because there is an over abundance of food in this world and yet we can’t share it. The idea that governments running these country’s that are famine hit are keeping funding and food supplies is also sickening. Something needs to be done but if governments stop aid from getting to the people that need it, then UN should be the ones policing this yet they seem to be unresponsive as they do not want conflict even though it means saving lives.

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    Mute Adrian De Cleir
    Favourite Adrian De Cleir
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:04 AM

    “I want proof”, in another words “I know well its happening, I just want to relieve myself of the guilt of it by pretending I think its not happening”

    14
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    Mute Dave McCarthy
    Favourite Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 18th 2012, 11:31 AM

    Foreign aid is killing Africa, a number of African economists have written about it. The West is failing to grasp that the intuitive thing to do doesn’t always solve a problem.

    13
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    Mute Mensah Mensah
    Favourite Mensah Mensah
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:13 AM

    2012…and this is still happening,all the charities are doing thier best but still not enough…were do we go from here…is heartbreaking to see a human like this…

    13
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    Mute Damhsa Dmf
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    Jan 18th 2012, 11:35 AM

    A lot of this is due in no small part to the IMF, this is the style their help comes in. Too many of the African countries that received or were put in a position to accept such loans had to face severe austerity or hand over rights to mineral or other national resources to the IMF and global corporations. Slowly stripping these countries with even the means to finance the ability to repay its loans.
    Sounds familiar today doesn’t it?

    11
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    Mute Carlin Ite
    Favourite Carlin Ite
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:46 AM

    The value of human life is shocking. They shipped my cousin with an automatic weapon on his back to Afghanistan in a heart beat (unfortunately he was happy to go) but mobilize to help starving children. use a super power to cut out the corruption, the back handers and get the food directly to those who need it and help them actually build their country properly…………not today pal. John Pilger made a great documentary in which he stated that in the 85-86 after live aid Africa gave more cash to the west than we gave them. I think bono would have more success for his cause if he organised mass protests in front of world bank and IMF head quarters instead of throwing a gig.

    10
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    Mute Harry Coffey
    Favourite Harry Coffey
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    Jan 18th 2012, 1:18 PM

    incredible that the wikipedia story gets more views than this

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    Mute SharonC
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    Jan 18th 2012, 1:49 PM

    @ Harry I agree but I think people bury their head in the sand when it comes to these types of stories and particularly with that heart wrenching picture of the (probably now deceased) child. Its just mind boggling how one half of the world is up to its eyeballs in an obesity epidemic but these poor people are left to waste and die.

    4
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    Mute man in the cat
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    Jan 18th 2012, 12:44 PM

    The western governments, huge private companies (is there a difference?) and the animals the west uses to control and rape these countries of there natural resources are completely responsible.

    6
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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:14 AM

    I am so sorry but I can not read this or look at the pictures .Too horrific . I can donate to charities …. Was it lways so bad through the decades and centuries in these places ?? Or is this an historically recent phenonomon ? I am sorry if I am displaying ignorance,I do not want to offend anyone.

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    Mute Aranthos Faroth
    Favourite Aranthos Faroth
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    Jan 18th 2012, 1:33 PM

    Charities really just don’t cut it when it comes to issues on this scale, yet the members of the government don’t need to worry about someone dying if it’s not in their family.

    It also doesn’t help that there are 10 different charities with the same goal. Can’t see why they don’t just amalgamate into one, would save costs on admin and other stuff too.

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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
    Favourite Sean O'Keeffe
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    Jan 18th 2012, 10:36 AM

    How the western nations attempts at a painfree solution to the crisis of their own making is crippling developing nations.
    http://economichorizon.blogspot.com/2010/11/sound-dollar.html

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