Late Man Utd equaliser denies Fulham first league win under Arbeloa

An 89th-minute Manchester United equaliser at Craven Cottage left Fulham still waiting for their first Premier League win under boss Alvaro Arbeloa.

Lisandro Martínez’s comical own goal looked like giving the Whites three much-needed points.

But when defender David Affengruber stretched to try to block Matheus Cunha’s low shot from the edge of the penalty area, he deflected the ball past a wrong-footed Bernd Leno.

The breakthrough came on 63 minutes, when Calvin Bassey won possession off Cunha and fired a shot that was parried by keeper Senne Lammens, who then failed to react quickly enough to keep the ball out of his net after it had rebounded off Martinez.

In a lively spell during the first half, United almost went ahead when Cunha beat Affengruber on the right and pulled the ball back for Bruno Fernandes, who fired against the post.

Fulham responded with three chances in quick succession. Josh King side-footed an effort straight at Lammens after being found by Alex Iwobi’s cross, and Lammens then saved a low strike from Sander Berge, before Oscar Bobb dragged a shot wide.

The second half was subdued in comparison before Fulham went ahead, and their lead was kept intact by keeper Leno producing a fine save to deny former Brentford man Bryan Mbeumo.

But the cruel deflection off Affengruber left Leno with no chance – and left Fulham second from bottom of the table going into the international break.

Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Charles, King (Andersen 80), Bobb (Kevin 71), Garcia (Muniz 80), Iwobi (Palacios 71).
Subs not used: Lecomte, Sessegnon, Larsson, Angel, Smith Rowe.