There were three minutes of normal time in Craven Cottage when the fourth official Rob Jones held up the board to tell us that Harry Maguire was again as a late replacement for Manchester United.
After spending more than £ 200 million on Forward's Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer, Ruben Amorim was used to the big center-back looking for a goal for the second game in a row.
Maguire almost also came up with one and met Mbeumo's corner with a header and a matter of a matter of seconds later.
There is no doubt that the 32-year-old defender is a threat in the opponent's box, and Amorim is by no means the first United Manager who uses him to go one route in times of emergency.
It was not so much what Rolling the Dice said about Maguire – who was also sent a week earlier as a late replacement in the defeat against Arsenal in Old Trafford – than Amorim's three summer signs and the other options that were available to him.
Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo, an attacking midfielder who devised a few late goals in his time at United, were both kicked on the couch again. It would have been fascinating to listen while the two unused substitutes talked during the last whistle of their teammates.
Then there is Rasmus Hojlund, banned from the team since United Sesko signed, who would have come here to make an point to his manager here.
Instead, Amorim started again with Mason Mount as a false nine with Cunha and Mbeumo both sides of him. Mount at least won a penalty that was missed by Bruno Fernandes before he fell into midfield when Sesko Casemiro replaced in the second half.
Cunha had the best of the other chances of United, and hit the pole with one, and Mbeumo looked lively again. But the simple fact is that when the goal of United arrived, this from the head of defender Leny Yoro and the back of Fulham No. 9 Rodrigo Muniz did. Sesko hardly had a pinch.
“I think he needs time,” said Amorim. “It's not easy. He understands that the game is even faster than the Bundesliga, but he is fighting. I felt that when he was on the field, we were not at our best time and that can change the way you see a player.
'I felt that during these latest games with Mason Mount we are sometimes more robust in the way we play. So we are going to change according to the result and the opponent and try to win games.
“We are going to score goals because we create so many opportunities and that is the most important thing.”
Hojlund is expected to disappear by the time that the transfer window closes in the midst of interest from Napoli. It would be surprising if Zirkzee and Mainoo were not seriously considered their future at Old Trafford.
Amorim admitted on Friday that there is no update about the Mainoo contract impasse that continued for a year, and playing in one of the opening two games will hardly help the situation.
Amorim hinted that the signing of Mbeumo and Cunha for the two nr. 10 positions in his system only made it harder for the young person born in stockport because Captain Fernandes has now fallen into midfield.
“He is now fighting for the position with Bruno, as it should be at Manchester United,” Amorim said.
It doesn't feel like a fight that Mainoo will probably win soon.