Source: Telegraph
Paul Scholes fires Manchester United to imperious victory against Fulham
Paul Scholes and his title-winning company have clearly not realised that Old Trafford is a no-smoking stadium. Scholes and co had the cigars out here, playing with such control against unambitious Fulham, winning with almost embarrassing ease and moving five points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table. [LNB]During the half-time interval, two security men carried the Premier League trophy along a corridor near the directors' box and it was tempting to direct them towards the pitch, rustling up a fat lady to do some singing. The title race is threatening to become a procession. Liverpool will fight hard to haul Sir Alex Ferguson's fabulous side back in but it is difficult to see United surrendering a goal at the moment, let alone a point. [LNB]Scholes was imperious, never wasting a pass, and certainly never squandering his chance to score after 10 minutes, a sublime volley. [LNB]United's command was confirmed by further goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney, who was making a welcome return after five weeks out with a hamstring injury. [LNB]To little surprise, Edwin van der Sar collected a 14th clean sheet; the keeper has now not been beaten for 1302 minutes, although he was assisted by Fulham's complete lack of adventure. [LNB]Lasting scarcely 10 minutes before Scholes struck so sweetly, Fulham's vainful attempt at damage limitation had involved Chris Baird stationing himself in front of his back-four, seeking to cut out all the passes Scholes and Michael Carrick sought to slide through to Carlos Tevez and Berbatov. Or that was the idea. The champions destroyed Fulham with a mixture of industry, slick passing and devastating football. [LNB]Such was Baird's workload that his forehead soon glistened with sweat and his white shirt became mottled with grass stains as he threw himself about to intercept passes and block shots. Clint Dempsey patrolled the left flank, attempting unsuccessfully to tame Cristiano Ronaldo, and occasionally support the frontrunning Bobby Zamora, a lone, distant figure. [LNB]Hodgson's cautious game-plan, partly dictated by Andrew Johnson's injury, was always doomed. Even with Wayne Rooney on the bench for an hour and Ryan Giggs in the stands, United's arsenal is particularly well-stocked. When Carrick addressed a corner after 10 minutes, Fulham's attention focused on Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea, Ronaldo and Berbatov, real threats in the air. [LNB]Mistake. They ignored Scholes, lurking unnoticed 25 yards out. Carrick, such a vibrant influence in United's midfield this season, clipped the ball calmly and deliberately to a familiar, ginger-topped figure. Scholes delivered a master-class in volleying technique: the head still, the right foot striking slightly across the ball to make it deviate as it powered goalwards. [LNB]Schwarzer seemed to have it covered but the ball swerved slightly, bounced awkwardly in front of the Fulham keeper, who could still have prevented it spinning across the line. It was an embarrassing moment for Schwarzer, a rare error by one of the Premier League's more reliable keepers. [LNB]As the ball nestled in the back of the net, looking almost accusingly at Schwarzer, the camaraderie in the United squad was unmistakable. All the subs leapt from their seats in delight, Rooney the first in orbit, punching the air in delight. Fulham's negativity had been vanquished by United's collective commitment to adventure and a celebration of individual technique. Entertainment 1 Containment 0. [LNB]Fulham briefly raised their sights, John Pantsil lifting in a cross that Zamora headed just wide before normal service resumed. Berbatov was getting closer, denied by Aaron Hughes on the line. No matter. On the half-hour, the hard-working Bulgarian had his reward, although the moment will not feature on Schwarzer's DVD of career highlights. [LNB]The build-up was superb, the ball dancing down the right between O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes and then O'Shea again, the Irishman slipping the ball across. As Schwarzer hesitated, wondering whether Brede Hangeland would intervene, Berbatov pounced, steering the ball home from five yards. [LNB]Keeping the foot firmly on the accelerator, United drove all over Fulham again. Another magical move, the ball moving like an ice-puck between Ronaldo, O'Shea and Tevez climaxed with Scholes letting fly. This time, Schwarzer was equal to the challenge. [LNB]So superior, United could have declared at the break but easing up is not their style. Hunger beat within every red shirt. Such is the depth of Ferguson's options that each player knows he cannot afford a below-par performance. [LNB]So they went for Fulham time and again. Ronaldo was on a step-over spree. When Toni Kallio, the visitors' Finnish left-back, managed to nick the ball off the European Footballer of the Year, Fulham supporters cheered as if they had scored. [LNB]United were a class apart, and should have been three clear after 55 minutes. Another fine attack, the ball caressed between Park and Scholes, ended when Berbatov's effort was pushed over by Schwarzer. [LNB]The third duly arrived shortly after the hour, shortly after Rooney had charged on to a thunderous reception following his hamstring injury. When Hangeland failed to cut out Patrice Evra's left-wing cross, Park seized possession, directing a shot across goal. Rooney, timing his run to avoid offside, stuck out his left boot and diverted the ball into the roof of Fulham's net. [LNB]The only real remaining issue seemed to be could Edwin van der Sar keep another clean sheet. Zamora momentarily worried the Dutchman with a shot that snaked just wide. Then Simon Davies clipped the ball into the box and it brushed Vidic's arm. Fulham players screamed for a penalty, more in hope than expectation, but Andre Marriner would not be moved, the excellent referee indicating that the United defender was trying to pull his arm away from the ball. [LNB]The points won, the game proved a useful run-out for Rooney, rebuilding his fitness. Jonny Evans came on, giving him some more experience in preparation for understudying for the suspended Vidic against Inter Milan next week. Surprisingly, Evans played at right-back here, replacing O'Shea.[LNB]
