Bruno Fernandes' 90th-minute winner earned Manchester United a crucial 1-0 win at Fulham on Saturday to ease some of the pressure on Erik ten Hag.
2023/2024 Premier League
0-1
Match Report
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.
After eight defeats in their opening 15 games this season, the heat on Ten Hag had grown to such a level that Man Utd felt the need this week to deny reports they were contemplating a successor for the Dutchman.
The furore over Rashford’s off-field antics - and his apparent failed fitness test before the game - hardly helped the manager, but McTominay looked to have handed his side a perfect start when he turned in Alejandro Garnacho’s low pass from a free-kick.
However, his celebrations were halted by what turned out to be a lengthy VAR review. Garnacho and McTominay were both onside but referee John Brooks was eventually called to the monitor to determine whether Maguire - who was marginally offside - was interfering with play when he tried and failed to get to the original free-kick.
Brooks quickly decided the goal should be disallowed because of a ‘subjective offside’. However, whether that constituted a clear and obvious error - and whether Maguire even impacted Fulham’s defenders - is up for debate.
That controversial incident was the only one of note from a disappointing first half which saw both sides muster one shot on target between them.
Fulham appeared to belatedly sense an opportunity against their beleaguered hosts and went close to opening the scoring twice in a matter of moments.
Andre Onana firstly denied Harry Wilson’s dipping volley with an unorthodox but ultimately effective save, before then parrying away Palhinha’s powerful close-range effort.
Rasmus Hojlund was removed after another frustrating outing - he received just one pass in the opposition box - and Man Utd looked to be heading for a third game without a win or a goal.
But Fernandes - who faced calls from Roy Keane last week to have the captaincy removed - stepped up in the final moments, pouncing on an error from his Portugal team-mate Palhinha and removing some of the storm clouds that had gathered over he and his manager.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
8' OFFSIDE! McTominay's goal diallowed
16' CHANCE! Wilson's shot denied by Onana
28' CLOSE! Dalot makes timely block
34' CHANCE! Bruno's long shot saved by Leno
61' SAVE! Fine stop from Onana
67' Yellow Card! Alejandro Garnacho booked
91' GOAL! Fulham 0-1 Man Utd (Bruno Fernandes)
Line-ups
Fulham XI: Willian, Leno, Tim Ream, Iwobi, Pereira, João Palhinha, Castagne, Harry Wilson, Antonee Robinson, Calvin Bassey, Rodrigo Muniz
Subs: Tom Cairney, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Jimenez, Lukic, Harrison Reed, Marek Rodak, F.Toure, Carlos Vinícius, Luc De Fougerolles
Man Utd XI: Evans, Eriksen, Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Onana, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund
Subs: Varane, Martial, Amrabat, Reguilon, Mount, Altay Bayındır, Facundo Pellistri, Hannibal, Kobbie Mainoo