Confident Manchester United moved into the Premier League’s top four with a dominant 3-0 win over struggling Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Anthony Martial was in sensational form, making the first for Paul Pogba and scoring a wonderful second as United secured their 10th victory in 11 games under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Pogba wrapped up the points in the second half when he stroked home from the penalty spot after Juan Mata was fouled in the area.
Despite fielding a much-changed defence, they were rarely troubled by a Fulham team who have now conceded 58 goals this season and remain firmly entrenched in the relegation zone.
United on the other hand have moved above Chelsea on 51 points with their recent stunning form pushing them firmly into the hunt for an end-of-season Champions League spot.
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Pogba’s brilliance defines United
Pogba’s resurgence under Solskjaer has been well documented and his performance at Craven Cottage epitomised the way he has played under the Norwegian.
Two more goals took his season’s tally to 13 – seven of them have been scored in nine Premier League games under Solskjaer – and he completely ran the game for Manchester United.
With just 13 minutes on the clock, he latched onto Martial’s through ball and from a tight angle smashed the ball high into the top corner of Sergio Rico’s net.
He continued to stroll around the pitch with the swagger and skill expected of a £89m World Cup winner, dovetailing neatly with Martial to strengthen the case that he is the best midfielder in the Premier League at the moment.
And after Mata was clumsily pulled down by Maxime Le Marchand on 64 minutes, Pogba picked up the ball and coolly slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner.
With the game won, Solskjaer withdrew his star man to protect him for big tests coming up, not least Paris St-Germain in the Champions League last 16 at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
Feeble Fulham continue to struggle
Claudio Ranieri’s side have now lost five of their last six games and a return to the Championship looks all the more likely after this display.
It could all have been very different if the Cottagers had scored in the opening minute. From a Manchester United attack, the Cottagers broke quickly and Andre Schurrle picked out Luciano Vietto at the back post. The Italian though could only carelessly screw his shot wide.
Schurrle himself could have scored moments later but he too was off target when well placed.
That was as good as it got for Fulham who showed no signs of repeating their incredible comeback from two goals down to beat Brighton in their previous home match.
Indeed, Mitrovic’s twisting header on 72 minutes was the only time they tested United keeper David de Gea in the second half.
Ryan Babel summed up their afternoon when he could only hit the post from a yard out, to the great joy of the United fans situated behind the goal.
On this evidence, Ranieri has a lot of work to do to salvage their season as they sit seven points from safety with just 12 games left.
Shouts of ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ from his own fans when he withdrew Schurrle early in the second half will not help their cause.
Games against West Ham and Southampton will be vital before an intimidating March run of fixtures against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
