We’ve just had the team news and Fulham make two  changes from the win over West Ham with Chris Baird and Ashkan Dejagah replacing Steve Sidwell and striker Dimitar Berbatov respectively. The club’s deadline day signing Urby Emanuelson is on the bench.

Manchester United make a massive six changes from the win over Southampton. Defenders Rafael Da Silva, Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans come into the side along with midfielders Tom Cleverley, Nani and Antonio Valencia. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, Anderson, Shinji Kagawa, and Danny Welbeck make way for United.

Fulham: Schwarzer; Riether, Hangeland, Senderos, Riise; Duff, Baird, Karagounis, Dejagh; Ruiz, Rodallega.

Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra; Valencia, Carrick, Cleverley, Nani; Rooney, Van Persie

We’re hearing reports that Robin Van Persie is set to take over spot kick duties today should he be required after Wayne Rooney admitted he didn’t deserve the job after just nine successful penalties in 27 attempts.

There was a great statistic from Ray Stubbs just before kick-off today. Namely, that the team leading the Premier League on February 1 has gone on to win the title for the last 10 seasons.

The other teams may as well give up now if that’s to be believed.

Fulham have started the brighter of the two teams but with no real chances to speak of in the opening five minutes.

Nani has United’s first shot on goal and he wins a corner for the away side.

However, Rooney’s delivery comes to nothing as Schwarzer punches it comfortably clear.

A frantic few seconds in the Fulham goalmouth as the goalkeeper, defender and woodwork all deny United in the space of a few seconds.

First, Schwarzer stops a Hangeland header finding his own goal, then Evra hits the bar but a second effort is cleared off the line.

A fantastic strike from Riise, fully 25-yards out, tests De Gea in the United goal. However, the young Spaniard is more than up to the task.

It’s an open game so far, and Fulham are putting in a much better shift than they did when these two met in the FA Cup recently.

The woodwork denies Fulham this time as Ruiz’ shot, after good work by Riise, it touched by the United ‘keeper before striking the left hand upright.

A United corner down the other end results in another Hangeland effort on his own goal, this time hitting the crossbar.

He could easily have two own goals at this stage.

It really is end-to-end stuff in Craven Cottage so far.

This time it’s Wayne Rooney whose shot from the edge of the area drifts just wide of Fulham’s goal.

This could easily be 3-3 already with just 20 minutes gone. Instead, it’s 0-0.

Things have calmed down a bit now after a frantic open twenty minutes.

United have another corner but Fulham deal with it easily enough this time.

With 30 minutes gone, the pattern of the game seems to be set.

Fulham are having to defend deeper and deeper and inviting United to break them down.

So far, they haven’t been able to manage it but they look the more likely side to score.

The post denies Manchester United again.

This time it’s Wayne Rooney from the edge of the Fulham area.

By my count, that’s four times already the woodwork has been involved.

Early contender for Man of the Match?

Someone forgot to put 50c in the meter I think as the floodlights have suddenly gone out at Craven Cottage, and this in the week Fulham paid off all their debts:

It’ll be interesting to see what happens here.

The referee has taken the players off the field but, with just three minutes to go until half-time.

Some of the lights are coming back on now actually, so hopefully the delay won’t be too long.

The players are back on the field now and there will be three minutes of normal time left in the first half when the game resumes after a delay of about 10 minutes.

Manchester United finally get to take their corner but Schwarzer was able to deal with it comfortably diving low to his left.

And we’ve reached half-time here.

The main talking points so far are inanimate objects.

First, the woodwork played a huge role, denying United three times and Fulham once.

Then, with three minutes to go to half-time, the floodlights went out.

This game has had it all. Well, except a goal, obviously.

The second has half kicked off and Hughes has replaced Hangeland for Fulham.

Not much a surprise really as he was United’s most dangerous weapon in that first half.

The first chance of the second half falls to Manchester United as Nani’s cross finds Van Persie but the prolific United striker can only direct his header straight into the hands of the Fulham goalkeeper.

Fulham have their first chance for some time as Karagounis makes the most of mix up in the United defence but fails to find the target with from the edge of the area.

At the other end, Rafael (who is wearing his brother’s boots as it happens) sees his speculative effort sail wide.

Van Persie beats the Fulham offside trap and pulls the ball back for Nani but Fulham are able to get bodies in the way and the result is another United corner.

Once more, Rooney’s ball doesn’t beat the first man though.

Fulham are growing into this game and if United don’t score soon, the home side could start to believe they could take all three points.

Hernandez has replaced the ineffective Valencia for Manchester United while Fulham’s transfer deadline day signing Emmanuelson has come on for a limping Karagounis.

This game has gotten really dull since the floodlight failure (sorry).

It’s hard to spotlight why the impetus has gone out of the game though (sorry again).

Maybe the introduction of Ryan Giggs will produce the spark the game needs (I’ll stop now).

GOAL – Manchester United, Rooney,  79 Mins

Manchester United, perhaps inspired by my terrible puns, have taken the lead.

It’s not the prettiest goal you’ll ever see as Rooney latches on to the end of a long ball. His control was perfect though and he bends the ball around Schwarzer to score.

United look like settling for one goal here by bringing on Danny Welbeck to replace Nani with six minutes to go.

Impressive season so far from Rooney:

Just two minutes of injury time to go hear and Fulham have a corner.

They deserve at least a draw out of this game and very nearly get it but Van Persie clears the ball off his own goal-line.

Down the other end, Hernandez is one on one with the goalkeeper but can’t put the game away.

We’re into the fifth minute of injury time here and Fulham have a free kick at the edge of the United area.

Rodallega can only hit the wall though and the final whistle goes.

So there we have it. It’s all over in London and Manchester United have played poorly and emerged with three points, not for the first time this season either.

While the opening third of the game was end-to-end stuff, the floodlight failure really took the sting out of this encounter.

It looked for a long time like neither team would find the breakthrough but, in the end though, Wayne Rooney’s strike proved the difference between the two sides.

So that’s all from us. As usual, thanks for joining us.

What do United fans think? Is it results or performance that count most at this time of the season?

And Fulham, they now sit just seven points above the relegation zone but they’re in no danger of slipping into a dogfight are they?

Let us know in the comments below.