A last-gasp goal by Cristiano Ronaldo earned Manchester United a 2-1 smash-and-grab victory at Fulham in Saturday's early kickoff in the Premier League.

Leaders United took their points tally to 69 from 28 games, nine ahead of second-placed Chelsea who take on Arsenal in the League Cup final in Cardiff on Sunday.

Fulham were on top from the start and took a deserved lead when Brian McBride pounced to score his ninth league goal of the season after a mix-up between central defender Nemanja Vidic and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

The visitors equalised 12 minutes later when Ryan Giggs volleyed his third goal in four matches following a far-post cross from Wayne Rooney.

But it was Fulham who looked by far the more threatening side until Ronaldo's 88th-minute goal, the Portugal winger beating two men on the left before cutting in and delivering a right-foot shot that deflected past keeper Jan Lastuvka.

United manager Alex Ferguson showed his relief at the final whistle, jumping for joy on the touchline and hugging his backroom staff.

Asked if it had been a smash-and-grab win, Ferguson replied: "To put it mildly...Fulham will feel very aggrieved at not winning the match.

"I thought it was a very significant result for us. I must say it was the most difficult match we've had all season," the Scot told Sky television.

Fulham had taken the game by the scruff of the neck at the start of the second half but were denied by their former keeper Van der Sar.

The Dutch international went full length to palm away a ferocious volley by Simon Davies before Tomasz Radzinski headed against the crossbar from three metres after a right-wing cross from Michael Brown.

Van der Sar denied Davies again when the former Everton winger was clean through in the 64th minute and also did well to keep out a stinging drive from McBride after another flowing Fulham move five minutes later.

"It was an uphill fight after Fulham's early goal and we just have to thank the two goal scorers for getting us out of a hole," added Ferguson.

"Van der Sar's performance in the second half was one of the main reasons we won the game."