Erik ten Hag might have been wondering if ever some luck might just go his way: here at last was his moment and for the embattled Manchester United manager it was just in time.

On the strike of 90 minutes a hit from Bruno Fernandes after Fulham conspired to miss almost half a dozen chances to clear the ball won United the game. Fernandes had been at his recent low-influence, high levels of resentment, setting, and then when the moment came he took it. One touch to send his fellow Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha and substitute Sasa Lukic the wrong way, and another to bury it.

This was a United win dug out from one of the worst games in recent memory. If Ten Hag was looking for some glimmer of light as to the future at Old Trafford then this will have required him to squint, although a winning goal at the very death does at least suggest the patient is responding to treatment.

Before the Fernandes goal, in the final struggle at the end, it was Fulham showing just as much edge in a game largely devoid of it. Ten Hag had changed what he could. The substitutes Facundo Pellistri and Antony Martial were at least involved in the chaos in the Fulham area that led to the goal. As with the home win over Brentford, the result was some respite from a performance that posed many questions.

Ten Hag left Marcus Rashford out of the squad with what the club said was an injury. Although one can only presume it must have been sustained after Ten Hag’s Friday press conference when he reported no problems with the United No 10. Rashford was on the bench and without him, freshly chastised for his post Manchester City birthday party, United struggled in attack.

There was also a question over Harry Maguire who took a blow to his head in the first minute but played the whole game. At one point the referee John Brooks seemed to be ordering him off the pitch. He came back on.

A dismal first half, from both sides but for United – for whom the pressure is the greater – it was more foreboding. The ball went backwards and Rasmus Hojlund looked about as distant from his team-mates as Greenland. No doubt United were trying but they could barely muster a shot on target. Hojlund would come off before the end.

The Var Jarred Gillet had sent referee Brooks to the screen for a Scott McTominay goal on eight minutes. Maguire had been judged offside as he lunged for a Christian Eriksen free-kick that was cut back by Alejandro Garnacho. McTominay finished it off and then came a long and onerous wait for the decision.

Otherwise, United looked flat and Fulham little better. Fernandes’ harmless shot on 34 minutes was their only other effort on goal in the first half. Antony tried and failed to get past Antonee Robinson, although the US international did get booked for one tackle on him. Antony was eventually hauled off in the second half.

Two fine saves from André Onana kept United in it. Alex Iwobi was the game’s best player although he was off by the time Fernandes hit the winner.

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