Young striker Mirza Muratovic handed the visitors the lead in the 61st minute and an uninspiring United were unable to claw their way back into the game.

"Today was I think a real solid, professional performance," Fowler said.

"I think we were good value for it - I don't think anyone could have complained too much if it was three or four, if I'm being honest.

"We came to a tough place and you look at their home form of late - they've got 10 goals in their last four games - and to come here and keep them quiet and come away with the three points was a real solid, professional performance."

The win gives sixth-placed Brisbane a four-point buffer on United, while they are now just two points and goal difference behind Adelaide and Wellington.

Mark Rudan opted to debut Japanese signing Tomoki Imai on the right side of a back three, while Thiel Iradukunda earned his first A-League start in defensive midfield.

Scott Neville returned from suspension for the Roar and slotted into defence.

United spurned two early chances in a first half where both sides looked off the boil.

Connor Pain blasted a close-range effort over the bar in the opening minute.

Eleven minutes later, Jerry Skotadis whipped in a clever free kick, with Andrew Durante failing to put away his chance at the back post.

Brisbane had a good chance on 33 minutes when Jay O'Shea found Dylan Wenzel-Halls at the far post, but the forward hit a shot straight at Filip Kurto.

O'Shea then put his own chance high and wide in the 49th minute.

The Roar brought the contest to life with just over half an hour to play.

Brad Inman robbed Imai of the ball in defence, charged forward and slid the ball across for Muratovic to smack home, just nine minutes after the 20-year-old entered the fray.

After taking the lead, Brisbane controlled the game and rarely looked troubled.

Kurto denied Aiden O'Neill in the 85th minute, then Muratovic in the dying minutes, with the Roar left to settle for a valuable 1-0 win.

"They played a high line, we worked all week on making forward runs at the right time, who makes the forward runs - whether it be our 10s or our fullbacks who had the higher starting positions," Rudan said.

"We re-confirmed that message to the boys at halftime yet we didn't really see it.

"That's what frustrated me the most is we didn't execute what we spoke about during the week and what we worked on during the week as well."

Australian Associated Press