As absurd it sounds so early in the season, it felt like a six-pointer at Craven Cottage this afternoon. Sheffield United would have felt Fulham away merited a good chance of recording their first Premier League win or adding to their solitary point since promotion, especially following the Whites’ leisurely SW6 derby display on Monday night. Marco Silva was just as displeased with the capitulation to Chelsea, making three changes, but as has been the cause this term, his side took an awfully long time to break down stubborn opposition.

Unlike earlier in the week when local bragging rights were at stake, Fulham – enlivened by the presence of Alex Iwobi in midfield and Bobby Decordova-Reid’s tireless running along the right flank – made all of the early running. It took six minutes for the home side to threaten the goal guarded by their former academy goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. Antonee Robinson, not fit enough for international duty but able to play for his club after two years of constant football, linked up well with Willian and found the clever run of Decordova-Reid at the near post but the Jamaican international’s side-footed shot was bravely blocked by Auston Trusty.

Foderingham then saved smartly from Willian after the veteran winger had taken advantage of excellent hold-up play from the recalled Carlos Vinicius and Robinson dragged the follow up past the far post. Fulham’s head of steam was disrupted when Chris Basham sustained a horrific foot injury as he tried to wrap his foot round a cross from the right wing. The Sheffield United stalwart was comforted by Tim Ream before stretchered into a waiting ambulance – and after a lengthy stoppage – the game restarted. Towards the end of fourteen minutes added time, Andreas Pereira blazed over from six yards having been picked out by Willian.

The same pattern continued after the interval. Pereira looked odds on to break the deadlock when he sauntered clear of the Sheffield United rearguard having won possession back himself but he shot disappointingly wide having carried the ball into the box. Iwobi then saw a shot deflected wide after Willian had ventured infield, but Paul Heckingbottom’s side failed to heed the warning. They were punished for committing too many men forward eight minutes into the second period when Vincius spun and spread play out to the left before Pereira pierced the Blades defence, producing an inch-perfect ball to put Decordova-Reid clear and the former Bristol City forward found the bottom corner beautifully.

The Blades had threatened sporadically on the break, but their best openings came from set pieces. With the game goalless, Ollie McBurnie had squandered a free header from Ollie Norwood’s corner by heading into the grateful arms of Bernd Leno. But the German was utterly helpless midway through the second half when a comedy of errors in the Fulham defence gifted the visitors an equaliser. Issa Diop did well to intercept a hopeful ball forward from Gus Hamer but he collapsed to the turf in agony after suffering a serious foot injury. James McAtee found fellow substitute Yasser Larouci, whose low cross was sliced into his own net by a jittery Robinson.

The equaliser survived a lengthy VAR check for offside and forced Silva to send on Tom Cairney. The Scottish midfielder immediately received the captain’s armband from Tim Ream, who made his 300th appearance for Fulham this afternoon, and then restored Fulham’s lead – although there was more than a bit of good fortune about the goal. Cairney won the ball back in a central area, strode forward and lined up a 30-yarder on his favoured left peg. The ball deflected off his standing foot and looped over Foderingham to hit the crossbar and bounced back off the unlucky goalkeeper into the net. They’ve always said Cairney’s right foot is for standing on – and perhaps we now know why.

Harry Wilson almost extended the hosts’ lead after being introduced from the bench, with the Welsh winger’s curler leaving Foderingham motionless as it struck the far post, but the Whites could breath a sigh of relief when they made sure of all three points in the second minute of added time. Willian darted infield again and, when the ball broke back to him inside the area, he drove a powerful shot through Foderingham and to clinch a crucial victory.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop (Bassey 71), Ream; Palhinha, Iwobi (Reed 79); Decordova-Reid (Wilson 78), Willian, Pereira (Cairney 71); Vinicius (Muniz 78). Subs (not used): Rodak, Ballo-Toure, Lukic, Jimenez.

BOOKED: Palhinha.

GOALS: Decordova-Reid (53), Foderingham (o.g. 76), Willian (90+2).

SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Foderingham; Basham (J. Robinson 35), Ahmedhozic, Trusty; Bogle, Thomas (Larouci 66), Hamer (McAtee 66), Souza, Norwood; McBurnie, Archer (Brewster 79).

BOOKED: McBurnie, Norwood.

GOAL: A. Robinson (o.g. 68).

REFEREE: Sam Barrott (Halifax).

ATTENDANCE: 24,361