Report: Fulham 0 - 3 Man United

Goals from Hargreaves, Park and Davies(og)lead to a comfortable victory against struggling Fulham. This means that United are just a point behind the gunners who only managed a draw against Aston Villa. With one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League match against Lyon, Sir Alex left out Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Nemanja Vidic, although he did field former Fulham favourites Edwin van der Sar and Louis Saha. And the Frenchman had a golden chance to put the Reds in front in the fifth minute, but sliced wide from 18 yards after Paul Scholes had found the Frenchman from inside United’s half.

Carlos Tevez then went close from distance on seven minutes, forcing Fulham stopper Antti Niemi into a smart save down by his left-hand post. Van der Sar was called into action a minute later, flinging himself to his right to keep out Danny Murphy’s rasping volley. The chance buoyed the home support but it wasUnited who carved out the next chance, Scholes’ shot requiring a brave block from Fulham centre-back Brede Hangeland to keep scores level.

But a minute later Hangeland's foul on Carlos Tevez on the edge of the box lead to United's opener. With regular free-kick taker Ronaldo on the bench, up stepped Hargreaves to curl home his first goal for United in front of the Reds’ travelling fans. It came a good time as Fulham were growing increasingly confident.

The goal subdued the home side and Nani almost made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute when his long-range strike whistled past the post. The Reds did hit the target shortly afterwards, Scholes’ header destined for the corner before Finnish stopper Niemi turned the ball around the post at full stretch.

United, by this stage, were in full control. Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown had few worries in defence, while Scholes and Hargreaves were controlling the centre of the park. Nani looked lively on the left wing, his quick feet causing Paul Stalteri all sorts of trouble whenever the Portuguese international reached the goal-line.

Despite United’s dominance, Fulham had the best chance to score the game’s second. Brown's foul near the right touchline gave Jimmy Bullard a chance to swing over a free-kick, which found Murphy unmarked at the back post. Luckily, the former Liverpool midfielder powered his header straight at van der Sar, who saved comfortably on the line.

It was a sharp wake-up call for Sir Alex’s men and the Reds responded by carving out another chance at the other end. This time itwas Patrice Evra providing the cross and although Scholes found himself unmarked in the middle, his first touch – usually so sharp and assured – let him down and the ball trickled into Niemi’s arms.

But the Salford midfielder's measured cross carved the Reds’ second two minutes before half-time. Tevez held the ball up well on the edge of the box before switching play to Nani on the other flank. Scholes, sensing an opportunity to get to the by-line, provided the overlap and Nani duly fed the Reds veteran, who crossed first-time for Ji-sung Park to head into the net via the underside of the bar. Like Hargreaves', Park’s goal was his first of the season and came just before the interval to give United a deserved half-time lead.

Neither manager made changes at the break and although Fulham did put the ball in the net shortly after the restart, Brian McBride was correctly ruled offside. Craven Cottage soon found its voice but it was United who looked most threatening. Nani, jeered by the home crowd for what they believed was a dive early in the second half, cut inside before testing Niemi from the edge of the box after Saha’s effort was blocked.

Moritz Volz saw a shot flash wide after taking a deflection off Evra but it was a sole Fulham spark in an otherwise quiet period for the home side before the hour-mark. Down the other end, Scholes almost unlocked the Fulham defence again with a sweet clipped ball with the outside of the foot, but Niemi reached the pass ahead of Saha to snuff out of the danger.

American Eddie Johnson then pulled a shot wide before Murphy made way for Alexeymertin on 65 minutes as Fulham sought to find a way back into the match. Roy Hodgson won’t have been pleased, then, to see Rooney and Ronaldo introduced four minutes later. They almost had an instant impact, Ronaldo twisting and teasing Hangeland on the right wing before crossing for Park, whose knock down found Rooney on the edge of the box. The England striker swivelled but struggled to dig the ball out from beneath his feet.

United's third finally arrived on 72 minutes when John O’Shea’s low cross was diverted into his own net by the hapless Simon Davies. It was cruel on Fulham but, in truth, no less than the Reds deserved on a bitingly cold London afternoon. Ronaldo almost added a fourth in injury time but, of course, three was enough. And it was three cheers for United at the final whistle as Sir Alex’s men clawed back vital points in the race for the title.

United: Van der Sar; O’Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra; Park, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani (Anderson 75); Tevez (Ronaldo 69), Saha (Rooney 69)
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Pique

Fulham: Niemi; Stalteri, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Murphy (Smertin 65), Volz (Kamara 90), Johnson (Nevland 90), Bullard, Davies, McBride
Subs not used: Keller, Bocanegra

Attendance: 25,314