Paul Pogba produced another moment of magic as Manchester United came from behind to move top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Fulham.
Pogba’s spectacular left-footed drive midway through the second half claimed a vital three points that saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side reclaim top spot from rivals Manchester City – but they were pushed all the way at Craven Cottage.
United, notorious slow starters on the road, were behind inside five minutes when Ademola Lookman ruthlessly exploited a chasm in the visiting defence to hand Scott Parker’s side the lead, before Edinson Cavani restored parity with his fourth away goal of the season.
Fulham threw everything at United in search of an equaliser but fell agonisingly short as Ruben Loftus-Cheek squandered two second-half chances before substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic saw a last-gasp header deflect inches wide off Eric Bailly.
The victory sees United equal the club-record 17-game unbeaten away run set by the 1999 Treble-winning side and restores their two-point lead at the top of the table ahead of City and Leicester. Fulham remain third from bottom, four points from safety, after a 10th defeat of the season.
Fulham got off to the perfect start inside five minutes as Lookman capitalised on non-existent United defending to latch onto Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s lofted pass before clinically rifling the opener past David de Gea.
United were aggrieved not to be handed the chance to respond swiftly, with Loftus-Cheek’s challenge on Fred in the area going unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson and VAR.
