Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim stressed the need for significant improvement despite securing a 1-0 win against Fulham on Sunday. Lisandro Martinez’s deflected strike sealed a rare clean sheet and three points for United, lifting them to 12th in the Premier League and 13 points clear of the relegation zone.
While the victory provided relief, Amorim acknowledged the lacklustre performance. “It wasn’t a great game, and you could feel it—no real chances,” Amorim admitted. “We tried to play our game, but there’s a lot to improve, especially with the ball. Still, it’s important to keep a clean sheet; it builds confidence.”
Fulham began brightly but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities during a slow-paced match. Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, returning to the starting XI despite recent criticism, made early saves to deny Alex Iwobi. However, United’s attack failed to spark, with Rasmus Højlund’s goal drought stretching to 11 games before he was substituted.
The breakthrough came through Martinez’s long-range effort, which took a deflection off Sasa Lukic, looping over Bernd Leno into the net. Post-match, Martinez admitted, “It was a bit lucky, but this win means a lot for us after everything we’ve endured.”
Fulham came close to equalising late on, with Joachim Andersen’s header cleared off the line by Toby Collyer. Amad Diallo thought he’d doubled United’s lead in stoppage time, but his effort was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Despite the win, the performance mirrored United’s struggles throughout the season under two different managers. United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, watching from the stands, saw little to inspire confidence for the team’s future.
Fulham’s loss dealt a blow to their European aspirations, leaving them 10th in the table, seven points adrift of the top six.
