Erik ten Hag slams Man Utd for 'mistake' that let Fulham score late winner as he insists Red Devils 'should have won' despite Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw absence

United had cancelled out Calvin Bassey's opener with a strike from Harry Maguire in the 89th minute. But as they pressed for a winner, Fulham had a throw in their defensive half and broke away through Adama Traore, who played in Iwobi to finish and earn the Cottagers all three points in front of a stunned Old Trafford, leaving Ten Hag bemused.

Ten Hag told BBC Sport: "It was a throw-in [for Fulham] in the corner, we had them under pressure and we have one player in the wrong position. As a team we should manage that and make sure everyone is in the right position. We let them escape and it is avoidable. The team showed big character to fight back, we deserved the equaliser and went for the win - we showed big personality and character. It was that mistake. Before that we went for the win and we should have taken our opportunities."

He added: "With the squad we had today we should have won this game. Both halves were slow starts and we should be ready from the first whistle. That's a point of criticism but the team showed big character in both halves."

The result is a bitter blow for United's Champions League hopes. Aston Villa beat Nottingham Forest 4-2 on Saturday and now sit eight points ahead of the Red Devils in fourth. Tottenham have a game in hand on United; if they win it, they will be six clear of ten Hag's men in fifth.

United play Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday. They then return to Premier League action in a huge derby against title-chasing Manchester City.