Barclays Premier League

FULHAM UNLUCKY IN DEFEAT

Fulham played their part in a superb game at Old Trafford, which the home side should feel lucky to get three points out of. The match had looked over at half-time as United had stormed back from an early Damien Duff goal to lead 3-1 with goals from Robin van Persie, Shinji Kagawa and Rafael. However, Martin Jol's side had other ideas and refused to be overawed as they mounted a strong second half display. The Cottagers got a deserved second in bizarre fashion when David De Gea and Nemanja Vidic panicked at a simple cross, resulting in the defender nudging the ball into his own goal. De Gea then had to save twice from Moussa Dembele and once from Bryan Ruiz to ensure his side won the game.

FULL TIME

Kevin Friend brings the game to an end.

GREAT SAVE

David De Gea rescues United again. Bryan Ruiz steers a header towards goal and David De Gea does well to save.

ROONEY CARRIED OFF

It shouldn`t be too serious for the long term, but that is a nasty gash on Wayne Rooney's thigh and United have to go on with ten men.

OUCH!

Wayne Rooney got caught by a stray boot and has a massive gash on his knee. That looks nasty and the game could be held up a while to stop the bleeding.

ROONEY!

That was more like the old Wayne Rooney - at least, until the shot. The striker gets the ball out of his feet and tries to curl the ball into the far post, but it ends up high and wide.

ADDED TIME

There will be four more minutes added.

AWFUL CROSS

United seem to have weathered the storm. Ryan Giggs has lots of time on the right-hand side of the box, but his cross is over hit and goes out for a throw. That was a school boy error.

BAD MISTAKE

Fulham don`t need that right now as they look to build pressure. Brede Hangeland has time on his own touch line, but takes an awful touch and it goes out for a corner.

GREAT BLOCK

Hugo Rodallega finds some space in the box and turns to shoot, but Michael Carrick throws himself in the way.

UNITED SUBSTITUTION

Anderson comes off for Ryan Giggs. The home team need all his experience.

SCRAPPY

The quality of the game has dropped off in the first few minutes as both sides battle for possession in midfield. United are starting to line up a bit more defensively.

INTO THE WALL

Wayne Rooney lines up a free kick, but fires straight into the wall. From the rebound, Rafael shows Rooney how it should be done with a fizzing shot that Mark Schwarzer turns over.

POOR TACKLE

Brede Hangeland goes straight through the back of Robin van Persie and Kevin Friend gives him a strong talking to. That really should have been a yellow.

FULHAM SUBSTITUTION

Hugo Rodallega replaces Mladen Petric, who hasn`t managed to add to last week's brace.

GREAT SAVE

Fulham pile forward again as Moussa Dembele dribbles through the United defence and forces a fine point blank stop from David De Gea. The home side are wobbling, so I fully expect them to score a fourth any minute.

GOOD SAVE

Moussa Dembele gets a sight of goal from 25-yards out and he unleashes a drive. David De Gea does well to turn it over.

UNITED SUBSTITUTIONS

Alex Fergson has seen enough. Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck are now on for Ashley Young and Shinji Kagawa. Yes, United have Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck on the pitch. Scary.

FULHAM PUSH

This is a bizarre performance from United. They started slowly and then dominated, but since the break they have been muted and now, following that surprise goal, they are struggling.

GGOOAALL!!

Out of nothing Fulham have a glimpse. David De Gea or Nemanja Vidic should deal with a simple cross, but they both make a total mess of it and the ball ends up in the back of the net off the side of a stumbling Nemanja Vidic. Can Fulham get an equaliser?

JUST WIDE

Ashley Young hits an inswinging ball into the box from a free kick on the left. Robin van Persie can`t get on the end of it, but it nearly doesn`t matter as the ball nearly curls inside the near post. A scrmabling Mark Schwarzer looks relieved.

FULHAM SUBSTITUTION

Steven Sidwell replaces Alex Kacaniklic.

GREAT CROSS

Robin van Persie comes deep and wide to get the ball - swapping places with Rafael as the full back continues his run. The former Arsenal man turns and delivers a perfect inswinging cross for Rafael, but this time the defender heads over.

YOUNG!

Robin van Persie does well to spin his marker and pick out the run of Ashley Young. The winger tees up a shot at goal, but Sascha Riether does well to block.

SLOW TEMPO

United have really dropped off at the start of this half. They are more than happy just to keep the ball and walk around the pitch. The emphasis really is on Fulham, but they will run the risk of being caught forward if they are not careful.

PENALTY CLAIMS

Sascha Riether gets a good block on a Ashley Young shot, but then appears to hold the winger and prevent him getting to the rebound. Old Trafford shouts for a penalty, but the referee is not swayed.

GREAT TACKLE

Tom Cleverley may not be known for the defensive part of his game, but he does very well to get back and dispossess Mladen Petric.

SECOND HALF

We are back and United have the ball.

UNITED OVERCOME NERVES

Fulham took a shock early lead through a low Damien Duff shot, but only managed to awaken the slumbering Man United beast. Robin van Persie opened his Old Trafford account with a finish that made is his transfer fee seem cheap, before Shinji Kagawa fired home a rebound from Tom Cleverley's neat shot. Old Trafford was rocking and United started to play some champagne football. Rafael had a goal disallowed, but minutes later he would head home for United's third as Fulham's poor run against the Red Devils continues.

HALF TIME

Fulham will be relieved to hear the half time whistle.

UNITED ATTACK

Great football from the home side as they again open up Fulham. Brede Hangeland manages to stretch and cut out a cross that seemed destined for Robin van Persie.

YOUNG DOWN

Ashley Young looks in trouble. The winger is in some pain following a tackle on Bryan Ruiz.

GREAT SAVES

First Damien Duff forces David De Gea into a save, which is only a parry. Then Mladen Petric looks set to make it 3-2, until De Gea gets up and then down again to save from the striker.

GGOOAALL!!

Ok, so this is definitely a goal. More United pressure sees the Fulham defence panic and Ashley Young whips in a great cross to the far post, which Rafael heads home. No one is taking that away from the right back.

NOOOOO GGOOAALL!!

United are confident and flood forward. Antonio Valencia spins behind the defence well and is unselfish enough to pick out Shinji Kagawa. The midfielder dances past two challenges, but drives against the post. Ashley Young gets to the rebound and forces a Mark Schwarzer save, but the ball pops straight out to Rafael. The right back buries it, but is given offside.

GGOOAALL!!

It has been coming, but there is a strong hint of offside about it. Fulham half clear a corner, but Tom Cleverley drives the ball in towards goal. Mark Schwarzer makes a good save, but Shinji Kagawa follows up to poke home the rebound. Was the midfielder offside?

FULHAM POSSESSION

Moussa Dembele wins a free kick in a decent area, but Bryan Ruiz opts against lobbing the ball foward and plays the ball short to try to get his side on the ball for a few moments.

LUCKY DE GEA

That was too close. David De Gea receives a back pass and takes an extra touch, but just manages to spin away from the incoming Mladen Petric with a neat piece of skill.

OVER THE BAR

Antonio Valencia drifts inside to receive the ball. The winger skips past Brede Hangeland's challenge, but then fires over the bar.

FULHAM CORNER

Finally some relief for away fans as their side break forward to win a corner.

UNITED ON TOP

The home side have now taken control of this match and Fulham just can`t get the ball. You feel it is only a matter of time before United take the lead.

SCHWARZER SAVES

Antonio Valencia wins the ball in midfield and finds Shinji Kagawa. Robin van Persie distracts the defence with a good run, so that his team mate has room for the shot. However, the Japanese international fires straight at the keeper.

BRIGGS STRUGGLING

Fulham's rookie full back Matthew Briggs is not having the best of days as Antonio Valencia is getting far too much room. Now the defender needlessly gives away a corner when he tries to be too smart and chest the ball back to Mark Schwarzer. Martin Jol will need to take action soon.

POOR FREE KICK

Robin Van Persie stands over a free kick in a dangerous position - not unlike the one that Fulham scored from - but his ball in is straight onto the head of a Fulham defender.

OVER THE BAR

Again Antonio Valencia is able to get a cross in, but Rafael can`t control the header and loops it over the bar.

WIDE

Damien Duff plays a short corner and Moussa Dembele works the ball into the path of Alex Kacaniklic, but the midfielder's shot goes wide.

GGOOAALL!!

It takes Robin van Persie ten minutes to open his Man United account on his full debut. It's a stunning finish from a hopeful ball into the box, but the striker waves a foot at it and arcs the ball into the corner.

GOOD DEFENDING

Antonio Valencia again threatens down the right and hits a ball in towards Robin Van Persie. Brede Hangeland manages to head away.

UNITED ATTACK

Fulham are getting everyone back and behind the ball, but they fail to mark Antonio Valencia who has so much time inside the box. However, his side-footed cross evades all the players in the box. Better from the home side.

GGOOAALL!!

Straight off the training ground. Bryan Ruiz plays in a low short free kick into the run of Damien Duff, who squeezes a low shot past David De Gea.

EARLY FREE KICK

Rafael gives the ball away and Fulham break. Mladen Petric does well and wins a free kick in a wide position.

KICK OFF

Fulham, in their usual white tops, get us started.

FULHAM TEAM NEWS

Kerim Frei and Philippe Senderos are not available due to injuries, but Martin Jol is still able to name a strong side. Moussa Dembélé – who was this week linked with a move to United – starts in midfield and Mladen Petrić retains his place in attack after last week's brace.

MAN UNITED TEAM NEWS

An absolutely massive piece of team news for Man United: Wayne Rooney has been dropped. Danny Welbeck also has to make do with a place on the bench as Alex Ferguson gives a full debut to Robin van Persie. Shinji Kagawa will play in behind him with Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia on the wings.

REF WATCH

It's a 100% record for Kevin Friend this season as he has sent off a player in each of the games he has so far refereed – Branislav Ivanovic in the community shield and Dean Whitehead in last weekend's Reading-Stoke match. Can the official resist the lure of showing another red card?

ODDS STACKED AGAINST COTTAGERS

Martin Jol will have taken much joy from the smashing of Norwich last week, but will be only to aware that opening day victories are not always the best indications of the season ahead – just ask Bolton. Today the real hard work begins as Fulham try to get something from Old Trafford, a ground that they have only ever won twice at.

RED DEVILS DILEMA

Alex Ferguson maintains that he will be making no further forays into the transfer market and will no doubt be spending much of his time pondering the new system that he is employed against Everton. Will he go with a similar midfielder shape with two wingers and Shinji Kagawa tucked in behind a lone forward or will the partnership of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie be unleashed?

STAY TUNED

Stay tuned for build-up, team news and live text commentary.

UNITED LOOK FOR WIN

Manchester United will be looking to pick up their first points of the season when they welcome Just what the doctor ordered for Alex Ferguson's men. After the defeat at Goodison Park, the Red Devils need a victory to prevent the knee-jerk drama turning into full-blown crisis, so it is fortunate that they face Fulham, who haven`t won at Old Trafford since 2003. However, this is very confident Fulham following their 5-0 victory against Norwich last week and they man cause Man United a great deal of problems.