Barton claimed the ball after Alan Smith went down under Elliot Omozusi's clumsy challenge but he had a quick debate with Milner over who would take the spot-kick before slotting home to claim his first goal for the club - and a vital 1-0 win.

With Sam Allardyce's first-choice regular penalty-taker Obafemi Martins already in the dug-out, Barton's confidence was enough to give United three points.

He told Setanta Sports 1: "James Milner was on it. He wanted to take it but I said to him I wanted it and I was confident I would score.

"I'm glad I did that, I just wanted to get it in and I really, really fancied it."

Barton also insisted the result was an important one for a side who have endured some difficult times in Allardyce's first season at the helm.

"It was ugly but a 'W' is 'W'.

"We kept a clean sheet and that's testament to Claudio (Cacapa) and (David) Rozehnal.

"We're all here together and everyone loves playing together. The team spirit has never been questioned, not for a moment."

mfl

Allardyce was pleased to see his side eke out the win after admitting they had played much better and lost at Blackburn recently.

"It was not the prettiest of games, we were dogged and resilient. We had some opportunities but those that came were few and far between. They were good ones which we didn't convert.

On Barton's late winner, Allardyce told Setanta Sports 1: "I don't think there is any doubt about the penalty. (Referee) Howard Webb made the right decision and it couldn't have happened any better for us, it's three valuable points to get us up the league.

"Oba (Martins) is normally the first man to get (the nod to take penalties), but I've always left it to the man who is most confident and Joey ran up and picked the ball up and thought he could score. He has the nerve to do it and it's a crucial, crucial victory.

"We played probably 50 times better at Blackburn and lost, but we nullified what Fulham had to offer. It shows the lads are going right to the very end, we're very fit now which is very important going into the Christmas period.

"We haven't outplayed Fulham but they certainly haven't outplayed us. I said to the lads at half-time 'the longer you stay in the game it may make them crack', and in the end they did."

(reopens)

Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez had little argument with the penalty decision but believes his side were unfortunate to get nothing from the match.

"He (Omozusi) dived in, made contact (with Smith) and the ball was away when he made contact.

"I've seen them given," he told Setanta Sports 1.

"But the team were excellent in the second half, it's a very cruel game. There was only one team that was going to win it in the second half.

"I think with 20 minutes to go Sam (Allardyce) had accepted a draw. We were creating everything and I was disappointed to be ending up with a point. Of course it got even worse because we ended up with nothing.

"In the second half we controlled the game, we out-crossed them, out-shot them and did everything but out-score them."