LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester United stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to 10 points as Wayne Rooney scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Fulham on Saturday.

United, hoping to exert even more pressure on second-placed Manchester City who host Liverpool on Sunday, laboured at times but Rooney’s 79th-minute strike proved decisive.

Wayne Rooney receives a yellow card during the soccer match against Benfica for the Champions League Group C at the Luz stadium in Lisbon September 14, 2011. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro

Both sides struck the woodwork in the first half, Patrice Evra for United and Brian Ruiz for a lively Fulham side, and Rooney also thumped a shot against the post in the second half before capitalising on an error to make the breakthrough.

Philippe Senderos, whose misjudgement allowed Rooney to race on to a long ball and score, nearly equalised in stoppage time with a header that was cleared off the line by Robin van Persie.

United have 62 points from 25 games with champions City on 52, having played one game less.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman)