London, Oct 26: Manchester United slumped to a 3-1 loss against Fulham at Old Trafford with Steed Malbranque and Junichi Inamoto scoring second-half goals to upset the defending premier league champions. It was the first home loss for Man United in 13 months and Fulham's first victory over Man United in 39 years.

The loss left man united on 22 points with Arsenal and Chelsea both on 23 - and tied on goal difference atop the league. Chelsea won 1-0 over Manchester city yesterday at Stamford Bridge as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored the first-half winner.

Arsenal, which has a game in hand on both Chelsea and Man U, can move three points ahead with a victory today at London rival Charlton. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who watched from the stands as he served the first of a two-game Touchline Ban, tried to get away with resting Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Quinton Fortune.

Lee Clark gave Fulham a 1-0 lead after only three minutes.

Despite dominating the half, Fulham had to settle for 1-1 at halftime after Diego Forlan scored late in the first half. Malbranque, who signed a one-year contract extension this week, scored in the 66th and Japan's Inamoto clinched it in the 79th.

Bureau Report