The really unfortunate thing for Fulham was that the piece of football that initially sparked one of the most unfathomable five minutes of the season looked at first sight to have been rather heroic.
Having made a bad judgement call when trying to intercept the ball ten yards inside his own half in the 70th minute, Fulham's Brazilian Willian set off with not particularly characteristic zeal back towards his own goal to try and retrieve the situation.
Willian, 34, got there, too. With his team leading by a goal and on top of a Manchester United side looking tired, flat and largely impotent, his block on the goal line from Jadon Sancho felt and looked inspired.