Barthez spoils Fayed's fiesta

Manchester United were in town after six successive victories, and the posh seats were packed: Nigel Havers, Countess Raine Spencer and Bryan Robson, among other notables. Whatever the allegiances, smiles were ubiquitous after a game that started slowly but in the end proved typically eventful of United's visits to the capital, and produced the right result.

It might all have finished in mayhem, had Steed Malbranque been ruthless enough to tap a penalty kick into an empty net, left gaping as Fabien Barthez indulged in shameless time-wasting by a post. As the referee, not looking at the goalkeeper, had clearly blown his whistle, Malbranque was entitled to shoot, and Fulham's assistant manager Christian Damiano felt he should have done – Sir Alex Ferguson's comments would have been interesting. Instead, Malbranque sportingly waited, Barthez saved, and United left London with the point that moved them to third place in the Premiership.

Most teams would have settled for a draw on a ground that, while inadequate for football at this level, is becoming a fortress for Fulham. Loftus Road was full for once but the average attendance is still almost 10,000 fewer than any other Premiership club, making the enforced absence from a proper home ground even more costly than expected. Yesterday's crowd was kept waiting a surprisingly long time for the anticipated goalmouth incident, though, as Ferguson said: "It picked up in the second half and became a fantastic game." An enjoyable one, anyway, in the best tradition of both clubs.

The United manager deserves some credit for that, after switching Ryan Giggs at half-time to play alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Giggs, in his 500th club match and buoyed by leading Wales to midweek victory over Italy, became its outstanding figure, shading Fulham's Sean Davis, after a first half in which he had been as subdued as most of his United colleagues. The home side doubled up on him by using Steve Finnan, the usual right-back, in front of Abdeslam Ouaddou and restricted Ferguson's team to a single threatening moment before the interval: Paul Scholes' shot, characteristically fierce, was splendidly saved by Edwin van der Sar.

United, with neither height nor beef in attack in the absence of Ruud van Nistelrooy, needed to be precise in their approach, and too often were just the opposite. Juan Sebastian Veron was again a weak link and Phil Neville, solid in front of the back four, appeared to be telling him something of the sort midway through the first half as another pass went astray.

Fulham were rewarded for keeping faith with Facundo Sava, the Argentinian who has added a new dimension to goal celebrations with the use of props – masks, in his case, normally concealed in his stocking. He had waited a long time for the opportunity to use one, in the game against Charlton last weekend, but that success has clearly led to a revival of confidence for a player who had looked such a poor purchase in his early Intertoto Cup appearances during the summer.

Sava was heavily involved as Fulham took the lead in the 36th minute. He began the move with a deft swivel in midfield and a pass out to Rufus Brevett on the left, then made ground and dummied the cross, allowing Steve Marlet to meet it at the far post and nudge the ball in. Before the interval, Sava, set up by Finnan, must have been reaching into his sock before Barthez denied him.

Ferguson felt obliged to change things, initially pushing Giggs through the middle, with Scholes moving wide, then replacing Phil Neville with Quinton Fortune and giving Scholes his third role in an hour, this time in the centre of midfield.

It was Giggs who made the difference, encouraging the travelling support with a purposeful run early in the second half, then latching onto Gary Neville's long throw, which Alain Goma negligently allowed to bounce in the penalty area. Edwin van der Sar saved that one, but was beaten from the same position just after the hour following similar hesitation in front him; Goma and Zat Knight, under pressure from Giggs, were equally at fault in failing to deal with Neville's long pass, and Solskjaer whipped the shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net.

Fulham's response was spirited, forcing Barthez to save with his legs as Sava went clear, and then winning a generous penalty as Laurent Blanc leaned into Marlet. Barthez was booked for blatant time-wasting and got away with it, as he had in a similar incident with Leicester's Muzzy Izzet last season, by falling to his left to push away Malbranque's kick.

United finished the stronger, with Diego Forlan adding to their attacking resources, and there was fury in their ranks, on the field and off, that they did not earn a penalty too. Twice crosses from the right struck Goma's hand, but the referee's assistant adjacent to the screaming United supporters remained resolute.

Fulham 1
Marlet 35

Manchester United 1
Solskjaer 62

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 18,103