Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
Manchester United shrugged of their recent poor record at Craven Cottage by hitting Martin Jol’s mid-table side for five to ensure Manchester City’s lead at the top of the table wasn’t extended going into what will be a vital period over Christmas.
With the festive period producing games faster than the average 6 year old can open a present, United came out of the blocks well and were ahead after five minutes when Danny Welbeck unmarked inside the area swept home a Nani cross. It was the youngster’s fifth goal of the season which David Stockdale in goal stood no chance of saving.
Fulham were looking shaky at the back, but it was United who were forced into an early substitution with Jones going off to be replaced by Ashley Young with Antonio Valenica dropping in at right-back to replace the stricken England defender who had struggled after going down after an accidental elbow to the face by Clint Dempsey.
Young moved onto the left with Nani moving to the right-flank and two minutes before the half-hour, the Portugese winger had doubled the lead heading home a Giggs cross past Stockdale and into the far corner of the net. It was a bittersweet moment for Nani who missed penalty to clinch a win for United in this fixture last season.
United sealed the victory two minutes before half-time. Good play by Nani on the break caught Fulham out and the winger played the ball into the area for the unmarked Welsh to fire home past Stockdale via a lucky deflection of Phillip Senderos to keep up the remarkable record Giggs has of scoring in every Premier League season to date.
Despite the second-half merely being a case of damage-limitation for Martin Jol’s side, they came out the break the better team as Dickson Ethuhu and Danny Murphy began to seize control of the game. Anders Lindegaard was called into action making a good stop to deny Dempsey creeping in a header shortly after the restart before both Moussa Dembele and John Arne Riise fired efforts wide.
The hosts were still prone to United attacking on the break and with the lightning-quick Young and Nani down the flanks, it only looked a matter of time before a fourth arrived for the reigning champions as Rooney and Welbeck both saw efforts deflected wide before the later fired over when put clean through.
Fulham kept pressing for a consolation but Lindegaard was on top-form denying Andy Johnson on two occasions with the forward firing an easy shot on the turn wide. United made it a night in London to remember as Rooney blasted in a 30-yard strike past Stockdale before Dimitar Berbatov scored his 50th goal for the club, back-heeling in Antonio Valencia’s cross a minute before time.
United: Lindegaard, Evra, Jones (Young (Park)), Evans, Smalling, Nani, Giggs, Carrick, Valencia, Rooney, Welbeck (Berbatov).
Star Man
It’s been three good games on the trot for Nani who is now looks to be on the verge of returning to his sparkly best. He was dangerous on both flanks, had a hand in three goals and scored one himself. He is the club’s most important winger and Sir Alex Ferguson and the fans will be hoping this is the second coming of Nani this season who on his day can be a match-winner.
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87
