Despairing Whites fans at last given relief from relentless run of defeats in home games against Manchester United

Back to the Cottage for another season : Picture by @YTJourno

Premier League

Fulham (0) 1 Smith Rowe 73

Manchester United (0) 1 Muniz og 58

After eight successive home losses at the hands of Manchester United, fans at the Cottage were not holding their breath ahead of this one. But at last the curse is over.

Most fans at the Cottage were probably fearing the worst after the Whites fell behind just before the hour mark, but a spirited response saw them equalise and finish the stronger of the two sides.

Getting anything at all from this fixture in west London has been a long time in coming. You had to go back to 2010 to find the last time they avoided a loss to United - a 2-2 draw salvaged by a late Brede Hangeland goal.

It was 10 matches ago that a win was recorded here - the handsome 3-0 rout when Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff put Alex Ferguson's men to the sword. That was one of only two home victories against them in 25 attempts stretching back to the 60s.

To make matters worse, Fulham also got in the habit of conceding late winners. Last season it was Lisandro Martinez (78 minutes), the year before it was Bruno Fernandes (90) and before that Alejandro Garnacho (90). Just before Christmas in 2011, United inflicted a 5-0 drubbing. It has not been pretty.

The first warnings for Fulham were not long in coming for those seeking ominous signs. A swift exchange of passes between Patrick Dorgu and Mason Mount freed up Matheus Cunha for a low shot which rattled the inside of Bernd Leno's left hand post.

Leno then had to be at his best to deny the Brazilian as the striker hared through the middle to reach a long punt upfield from keeper Altay Bayindir.

But Whites fans had some sources of encouragement. Josh King darted behind the last man to give himself a glimpse of a chance - Sasa Lukic the supplier. Alex Iwobi's volley from outside the area had the United keeper scrambling to save.

There was an even bigger source of hope after 37 minutes when Bruno Fernandes blazed over from the penalty spot - awarded by ref Chris Kavanagh after VAR flagged up a foul by Calvin Bassey on Mason Mount.

The defender's blatant manhandling of the ex-Chelsea midfielder was not really in doubt. But equally, Luke Shaw hauled down Rodrigo Muniz in the very same instant, but that went unpunished.

Would Fulham be able to make the most of their reprieve? The answer appeared to be no. After the break, Leno kept out Amad Diallo's angled effort before Ruben Amorim summoned Benjamin Sesko off the bench and with United starting to gain the ascendancy, it was no surprise when Bryan Mbeumo's inswinging corner was forced home - the goal 'credited' as an own goal from Muniz after an aerial battle with Leny Yoro.

Bassey, who had a stirring match, had a strong claim for being pushed by Yoro in the goalmouth melee.

Fulham would have been forgiven a familiar sinking feeling but they hit back unexpectedly when Emile Smith Rowe, fresh off the bench, managed to get on the end of Iwobi's cross from the left to toe-poke home - fellow sub Raul Jimenez having just failed to make contact with a lunge himself.

The goal had a galvanising effect, with the arrival of Harry Wilson off the bench further increasing belief. Sander Berge and Lukic were suddenly both so prominent during a much-improved spell for the Whites.

There was a late scare when Harry Maguire headed narrowly wide after being brought on for the final knockings, but the way Fulham mostly kept out of danger for such a long spell augers well.

After a fair bit of doom and gloom over the summer with a lack of transfer action, Marco Silva's men have something to build on ahead of next weekend's visit to Chelsea.

Whites: (4-2-3-1) Leno - Tete, Anderson, Bassey, Castagne (Wilson 62) - Lukic, Berge - Sessegnon (Robinson 62), King (Smith Rowe 71), Iwobi - Muniz (Jimenez 71)

United: (3-4-2-1) Bayindir - Yoro (Heaven 87), de Ligt, Shaw (Maguire 87) - Diallo (Dalot 52), Casemiro (Sesko 52), Bruno Fernandes, Dorgu - Mbeumo, Mount (Ugarte 69) - Cunha