Fletcher secures United win

Darren Fletcher claimed the goal after Patrice Evra's cross rebounded off Sol Campbell and then the Scot's shins before creeping beyond stranded goalkeeper David James.

It may have crept over the line but Sylvain Distin's frantic attempt to clear put the ball into the roof of the net and earned United only their second win at Fratton Park in the last six meetings.

For Pompey it was another setback after last Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Chelsea. The new partnership up front between Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch again came up empty and looked less lethal than that of Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

As the first half developed United began to swing the ball about with some style, but Pompey forced two chances with Evra needing to get back and put Crouch off his shot after Defoe made the first opening, helped by a miskick from Anderson.

Then when Lassana Diarra's right-wing corner floated over Crouch as he grappled with Rio Ferdinand, a late run by Younes Kaboul found a free header but he glanced it wide.

Moments later though came United's breakthrough when Evra, overlapping on the left, turned the ball across and it hit both Campbell and then Fletcher before trundling towards goal beyond a stranded James.

Distin's frantic attempt to clear on the line only sent the ball rifling in to the roof of the net - although Fletcher, United's scorer against Newcastle last Sunday, tried to claim it.

Pompey felt hard done by and tried to repair the damage but the ever-willing Defoe hooked his shot over from short-range after Campbell went forward to cause mayhem from a Glen Johnson free kick into the area.

Then Crouch, who covered acres of ground, outjumped Wes Brown but saw Edwin van der Sar comfortably field his near-post header, and United held out for the points.