Ruben Amorim can enjoy his birthday knowing the Man United fans are behind him, writes CHRIS WHEELER… unlike Sir Jim Ratcliffe who has a new X-rated chant

Ruben Amorim will wake up on his 40th birthday on Monday feeling closer to 50. The 77 days since he stepped off a private jet from Portugal looking sun-kissed and full of optimism have taken their toll on Manchester United’s new head coach.

‘Of course there is a lot of pressure. You can see in my face, you can compare it to the way when I arrive and now,’ he remarked at the start of this month, and that was before United put him through the wringer in games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Southampton, Brighton and Rangers.

Encouragingly, only one of those games ended in defeat – albeit the one against Brighton that sent Amorim into an emotional meltdown in which he damaged a TV in the dressing-room.

And here on a soggy night at Craven Cottage was another win to lift his spirits and celebrate his birthday with a smile on his face.

It wasn’t pretty. United never are these days, even when they win. Amorim was made to ‘suffer’ again, to borrow one of his favourite words. But it was another small step in the right direction.

Although the Brighton defeat was Amorim’s sixth in the Premier League – as many as he has suffered in a whole season at his three previous clubs – the boos at the final whistle were never meant for him. The Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe were the target for their anger and again here on Monday.

His United side managed to grind out a late win over Fulham courtesy of a Lisandro Martinez goal

The Portuguese was given a resounding ovation from the travelling supporters on the eve of his 40th birthday

Here, United’s travelling fans were showing their love long before Lisandro Martinez’s shot was deflected over Bernd Leno in the 78th minute for the decisive goal of the game.

‘Amorim’s red and white army,’ they sang from the Putney End, then chanted his name to the tune of Give it Up by KC and The Sunshine Band.

He was too absorbed in the game to acknowledge them. As usual Amorim barely left the technical area, pacing up and down, he and Portuguese compatriot Marco Silva visible from the other side of the pitch in their bright white trainers.

If any team was going to win, it felt like Silva’s. Fulham had the better chances and Andre Onana was the busier of the two goalkeepers.

But after winning with late goals on both of their last two visits to Craven Cottage, there was always a danger United would do it again. Martinez was the unlikely hero three days after laying on a late winner for Bruno Fernandes against Rangers.

Did it prove they any closer to adapting to his 3-4-3 system? On nights like this it’s hard to say. 

But United move up to 12th place in the Premier League and go to Bucharest in midweek where a point against Steaua is likely to guarantee a place in the Europa League round of 16.

The improvements are there, however small. It would be easier if Amorim could buy is way out of trouble, but there is little chance of that before next week’s transfer deadline.

However it remains to be seen whether United can successfully adapt to his 3-4-3 system

That must rankle somewhat given that his predecessor Erik ten Hag spent £600million and his most expensive signing, £82m Antony, has just disappeared on loan to Real Betis for the rest of the season. Offer Amorim a fraction of that cash and he would snap your hand off.

Still, he knew the score when he touched down from Lisbon and in November and it has been bit as hard as he expected.

Ahead of this game, Amorim admitted that he would like a pre-season with his players so they could see him ‘not always preparing the matches with stress’. Unfortunately, that will have to wait until the summer.

For now, he has three points and another reason to celebrate his birthday at Carrington.