MANCHESTER: A goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time at Old Trafford rescued a point for bottom of the table Fulham after two dramatic goals from Robin Van Persie and Michael Carrick appeared to have lightened the clouds hanging over Manchester United.

Midfielder Steve Sidwell had put Fulham ahead after 19 minutes, on one of the few occasions when the Cottagers had crossed the halfway line.

For all the rest of the match Fulham were defending desperately under an all-out United onslaught. Then resistance appeared to have failed when United snatched the lead with two goals in three minutes. But, in the 94th minute, a mistake by Carrick led to substitute Darren Bent heading Fulham back on terms for a 2-2 draw.

“This was as bad as it gets,” said United manager David Moyes while reiterating faith in his players for the remainder of the season.

Both teams had needed to win, Fulham in the fight against relegation and United because their challenge is not to retain the league title – this is beyond them – but to guarantee their continuance in the UEFA Champions League.

United had lost five of their previous eight games in all competitions and a signal of the rebuilding problems had come in midweek with confirmation that captain Nemanja Vidic will be leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season.

That raised, among other issues, the possibility that Wayne Rooney will be offered the captaincy as part of the ‘package’ to persuade him to extend his contract which expires next year.

The statistics were all in favour of United. They had won 11 of the previous 12 matches between the clubs in the Premier League and Fulham had lost 13 of their last 16 league games, including the last four. Manager Rene Meulensteen, head coach at United until Moyes’s arrival, could not have wished for a more awkward return to Old Trafford.

Transfer deadline

With his job and Fulham’s fate both on the line Meulensteen brought in former United youth midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe who had switched clubs on transfer deadline. Swedish teenager Muamer Tankovic played up front. Such a selection was a major gamble against a United side at full attacking strength with Rooney, Van Persie and Juan Mata.

If United needed any inspiration then it was in evidence from a huge banner depicting the Busby Babes side wrecked in the Munich air crash, 56 years ago last Thursday. United wore black armbands, a minute’s silence was observed – and then this season’s reality cut back in.

United dominated from the start. Van Persie might have given them the lead after 10 minutes but was foiled by a superbly-timed challenge from Sascha Riether. The significance of that gesture of defiance was underscored in the 19th minute when midfielder Steve Sidwell ran beyond Mata and Darren Fletcher to steer home a perfect chip from Lewis Holtby.

Some 18 minutes later it should have been two-nil. Fulham broke out of defence, Holtby and then Tankovic sent Kieran Richardson free on the left but, with only keeper David De Gea to beat, he ballooned the ball high over the bar.

Social media

The prospect of a fifth home defeat – which would be United’s worst run since six in 2001-02 – prompted instant demands on social media for Moyes’s departure.

United stepped up the pressure and Fulham packed their penalty box. They created one half-chance after another but Maarten Stekelenburg & Co held firm. The half-time statistics told their tale: United had delivered 46 crosses, Fulham had delivered only the decisive one. United had an overwhelming 73pc possession, Fuham 27pc.

The second half continued in the same fashion, with United swarming in and around the Fulham penalty box. Dan Burn was a rock at the heart of defence, Riether quick to cover and tackle and Kvist working hard to smother Ashley Young.

Stekelenburg was the most heroic, however, making a string of sharp saves and then one brilliant one from Rooney.

Fulham also needed a little good fortune, as in the 58th minute when referee Kevin Friend ignored United claims for a penalty for hands against Burn.

The half-time statistics told their tale: United had delivered 46 crosses, Fulham had delivered only the decisive one. United had an overwhelming 73pc possession, Fuham 27pc.

The second half continued in the same fashion, with United swarming in and around the Fulham penalty box. Dan Burn was a rock at the heart of defence, Riether quick to cover and tackle while Kvist worked selflessly in midfield.

Stekelenburg was the most heroic, however, making a string of sharp saves and then one brilliant one from Rooney.

Moyes, having to gamble, threw on three attacking players in Adnan Januzaj, Antonio Valencia and Chicharito Hernandez. His reward was gto see two dramatic goals in three minutes from Van Persie – his third goal in three games – and Carrick.

United appeared to have escaped to victory – until Bent dived forward to head home from close range in the 94th minute.

Earlier Tottenham beat Everton 1-0 at White Hart Lane with Emmanuel Adebayor’s sixth goal in nine league games. Spurs thus overtook Everton to regain fifth place.

Adebayor was recalled to the attack by Tim Sherwood after being ignored – obviously mistakenly – by predecessor Andre Villas-Boas.

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