Fulham produced a brave display at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon but an early Damien Duff strike and Nemanja Vidic’s own goal proved in vain as we went down 3-2.

Martin Jol was forced to make one change from the side that beat Norwich City 5-0 a week ago, with Matthew Briggs coming in at left-back after John Arne Riise picked up a knock in training.

The major team change for the home side was the absence of Wayne Rooney. The England striker started the game on the bench, with £24m man Robin van Persie leading the line on his full debut for the club.

Fulham made an absolute dream of a start when we took the lead after just three minutes. Mladen Petric won a free-kick in a wide area just outside the box after being tripped by Rafael and Bryan Ruiz’s clever free-kick was tucked home by Duff.

Good play by Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa minutes later set Antonio Valencia free down the right but his cross was expertly cleared by a diligent Fulham backline.

The lead lasted just seven minutes as Van Persie did what he failed to do against us last season. A whipped ball from the left fell to the Dutchman who finished superbly past Mark Schwarzer to draw United level.

The goal galvanised the home side and they enjoyed the lion's share of possession for the following 20 minutes, although United only troubled Schwarzer once when the Aussie stopper comfortably claimed Kagawa’s effort from range.

They came close, though, on the half-hour mark when Valencia’s bending shot went just over the top of Schwarzer’s bar. United were certainly having the better of the play but Fulham were coping admirably.

Just when it looked as though Fulham had weathered the storm, United took the lead on 35 minutes. Tom Cleverley’s long shot was parried following Van Persie’s corner, leaving Kagawa with the simple task of finishing from close range. There were hints of offside about the goal but replays showed the Japanese midfielder was onside when Cleverley’s shot came in.

United thought they’d doubled their advantage moments later when Rafael slotted into an empty net but the assistant referee made the correct decision once again, this time disallowing the goal.

The home side were in full flow now and it needed a great piece of improvisational goalkeeping from Schwarzer to prevent Van Persie from having a shot from 12 yards after a lofted throughball found the striker in space.

On 41 minutes, however, the 19-time champions made it 3-1 when Rafael headed in at the near post from Ashley’s Young’s lofted cross from the left.

Fulham went excruciatingly close to reducing the deficit minutes later. First, Duff’s shot was parried superbly by David De Gea, who then deflected Petric’s shot onto the crossbar, before Ruiz was hurried into scooping the rebound over.

The second period started at a gentler tempo than the first half and it was Fulham who had the first chance when Michael Carrick headed onto the roof of his own net after Alexander Kacaniklic had beaten Rafael with delightful trickery before delivering a teasing cross.

Rafael had been getting forward to good effect all game and he almost scored his second just before the hour mark when he headed over from close range.

Jol made his first change of the game on 62 minutes when Kacaniklic was replaced by Steve Sidwell. And just two minutes later Fulham made a real contest of things. Briggs’s cross completely bewildered De Gea and the ball found its way into the back of the net via Vidic’s heel.

Sir Alex Ferguson, evidently unhappy at losing his two-goal lead, introduced both Rooney and Danny Welbeck on 68 minutes, with Young and Kagawa the men replaced.

The Whites were refusing to lie down, though, and Mousa Dembele came close to a spectacular equaliser when he let rip from 30 yards only for De Gea to be equal to the effort.

The Belgian was running the show now and came close again from the resulting corner when he poked straight at De Gea from close range. Anywhere else and Fulham would have drawn level.

Jol played his next card on 72 minutes when Hugo Rodallega entered the action in place of the tireless Petric.

Schwarzer had to be alert on 78 minutes when Rafael again fancied his chances. This time, the Brazilian tried his luck from range, only for the veteran keeper to tip the ball to safety.

Both sides made their final changes with 10 minutes of the match remaining. Chris Baird came on for Mahamadou Diarra, while Ryan Giggs replaced Anderson for the hosts.

Fulham continued to press and Rodallega’s shot was goal-bound until it was crucially deflected away for a corner. Following an injury to Rooney, the Whites came desperately close to a dramatic equaliser when Ruiz connected with Dembele’s cross in the seventh minute of injury time. Unfortunately it was too close to De Gea and Fulham were to leave Manchester empty handed, despite a valiant effort.