Wayne Rooney's 28th goal of the season proved enough for the hosts.
Sir Alex Ferguson was clearly not impressed though and his side were nearly made to pay the ultimate price for their profligacy when Michael Carrick bundled Danny Murphy over in the box a minute from time but 27-year-old referee Michael Oliver waved away the penalty claims.
Having witnessed title rivals Manchester City drop points at Stoke on Saturday, Ferguson had gone for the jugular with his team selection.
Five offensive players and two naturally overlapping full-backs was a ploy designed to push Fulham onto the back foot, and so it did as Rooney and Ryan Giggs threatened the visitors' goal.
Fulham eventually emerged from their shells though and started to exploit the gaps being offered.
Mousa Dembele drove one effort wide after being invited to run at the United defence, then Clint Dempsey had a go.
The American is much more dangerous and as he set his curling shot for the corner, Fulham's 320-strong travelling support were ready to celebrate.
It was too good to be true though for a team that had only beaten United once away from home since 1959, and David De Gea made an acrobatic save.
From that moment on, the Red Devils exerted their customary pressure.
Their play was not fluent though. A long-range Danny Welbeck shot and a penalty appeal for handball against Stephen Kelly was the best they could muster until Rooney struck.
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