Bruno Fernandes scored a 91st-minute winner against Fulham to alleviate the pressure on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
United looked to be heading for another game without a win or a goal when Fernandes drilled low past Bernd Leno.
In a poor game of few chances, Scott McTominay thought he had given the visitors an eighth-minute lead but it was ruled out for offside after referee John Brooks viewed it on the pitchside monitor.
Fernandes, before his winner, forced Bernd Leno into an acrobatic save while Andre Onana made two saves to deny Harry Wilson and Joao Palhinha.
Up until the dramatic finish, United struggled to make an impact, while their injury problems continued when Marcus Rashford failed a fitness test before the match on a leg injury.
Rashford had been criticised by Ten Hag on the eve of the match, with the United boss describing the England forward’s birthday celebrations after last week’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City as “unacceptable”.
Harry Maguire played the full match despite suffering a head injury early on, while the game was stopped on a couple of further occasions so the defender could be checked.