The evening began amid tension off the pitch, with police estimating that between 500 and 600 supporters took part in a pre match protest against the club's ownership. Inside the stadium, United initially appeared to have matters under control. Casemiro opened the scoring shortly after the break, reacting quickest to head home from a Bruno Fernandes delivery following a free kick that had originally been given as a penalty before being overturned by VAR. Eleven minutes later, the Brazilian midfielder turned creator, threading a precise pass through the Fulham back line for Matheus Cunha, who finished powerfully to double the lead.
Fulham, however, refused to fade. The visitors had already seen a goal disallowed after a lengthy VAR review, a decision that angered manager Marco Silva and frustrated both sets of supporters. Their persistence was rewarded five minutes from time when Raul Jimenez won a penalty after being fouled by Harry Maguire. Despite a long, hesitant run up, the striker smashed his effort into the roof of the net to reignite the contest.
With nine minutes of added time announced, largely due to multiple VAR interventions, Fulham sensed an unlikely point. That belief intensified when Kevin unleashed a stunning strike into the top corner to level the match deep into stoppage time. For a brief moment, United looked stunned and Fulham celebrated what appeared to be a dramatic equaliser.
There was still time for one final swing. United pushed forward once more and Fernandes found Sesko with a measured pass inside the area. The striker showed composure beyond his years, controlling the ball, turning away from his marker and drilling a precise shot into the top corner to seal a remarkable victory.
The win lifted United back into the top four and underlined Carrick's immediate impact, needing only three league games to achieve a run that took a previous manager more than a full season to match. Supporters serenaded the former midfielder at full time, enjoying a finish that echoed the club's history of late, decisive goals.
For Fulham, the defeat was a harsh one. They showed quality and resilience, with Jimenez and Kevin producing moments to remember, but Silva may reflect on missed opportunities and ongoing frustrations in the transfer market as his side continue their push for European qualification.
