Darren bent struck late in a dramatic back and forth battle at Old Trafford that ended up with a 2-2 draw and another disappointment for David Moyes and his team.

Fulham went ahead on 19 minutes with a well worked goal. Lewis Holtby played a perfectly weighted chip into space – and plenty of it – between the United defence and into the path of Steve Sidwell. Sidwell finished with a controlled side foot past David De Gea.

United then laid siege to the Fulham goal. Cross after cross rained into the Cottagers box but a mix of desperate defending, luck and haphazard obstructions managed to repel the home side’s onslaught. There was the constant threat of the counter attack from Fulham and United almost fell prey to it on a couple of occasions in the first half.

Kieran Richardson was one on one with David De Gea towards the end of the half and would most likely have finished the game before the interval had he been able to muster more composure for his finish.

The second half was a resumption of onslaught from United but this time there was a reward for the work.

On 78 minutes Juan Mata was the last man in a scramble to touch the ball and sent it across the Fulham goal to Robin Van Persie. The Dutch striker had the simplest of finishes.

It was just 90 seconds more before Michael Carrick shot from 20 yards out and, thanks to a generous deflection from Steve Sidwell, put United ahead. Suddenly, all looked alright for Moyes and Old Trafford.

Fulham broke in stoppage time, as they had done in the first half, and with the clock ticking down a rebounded Richardson shot fell to Bent who tapped the ball home into the empty net.