- Scholes (12), Berbatov (30), Rooney (63)
- Date:2009-02-18
- Kick-off:20:00
- Venue:Old Trafford
- Attendance:75437
- Referee:Marriner, A
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: MAN UTD 3-0 FULHAM. The final whistle goes and a easy win for United sends them five points clear at the top.
90mins
Three minutes of added time shown by the fourth official.
85mins
Wayne Brown comes on for Zoltan Gera.
83mins
The game is almost at walking pace now as both teams wait for the final whistle.
80mins
Robert Milsom comes on for Fulham in place of Danny Murphy.
76mins
The game has slowed down a bit now as United seem content to pass the ball around midfield.
72mins
Ronaldo twists and turns and fires in a low cross-shot that is cleared by Aaron Hughes.
70mins
Olivier Dacourt hits a shot from 30 yards that goes well well over.
68mins
United make their final change bringing on Darron Gibson for Michael Carrick.
65mins
Olivier Dacourt comes on for John Paintsil
62mins
MAN UTD 3-0 FULHAM. He has only been on the pitch a matter of minutes but that is all ROONEY needs to tap home Ji-Sung Park 's cross-shot.
61mins
Another subsitution for United as Jonny Evans comes on for John O'Shea.
60mins
Wayne Rooney comes on for Dimitar Berbatov.
57mins
John Paintsil is booked for a foul on Roanldo.
54mins
A great move by United sets up Berbatov who sees his shot pushed over by Mark Schwarzer, good save.
52mins
Cristiano Ronaldo whips in a great free kick which is only just dealt with by Mark Schwarzer, he has looked at bit nervy this eveing the Fulham goalkeeper.
50mins
John Paintsil shows a bit of attacking intent and wins a corner for Fulham. Simon Davies' ball in is easily dealt with though by Rio Ferdinand.
47mins
Wayne Rooney is warming up on the touchline, he will surely come on at some stage this evening.
46mins
We are underway again at Old Trafford.
45mins
Half-Time: MAN UTD 2-0 FULHAM. The referee blows the half-time whistle, United have been fantastic and it is surely just a matter of how many they will score in the second half.
44mins
Berbatov heads home a free-kick but the offside flag goes up to deny the Bulgarian.
42mins
Another lovely United move ends in Scholes firing in a shot that is well saved by Mark Schwarzer.
40mins
The appears to be won now, Fulham already look beaten and it is just a question of how many United will score.
35mins
Clint Dempsey gets in space but he is quickly crowded out by United defenders and his shot is easily saved by Edwin van der Sar .
31mins
United are all over Fulham at the moment, more goals must surely follow if they keep playing like this.
29mins
MAN UTD 2-0 FULHAM. A great passing move by United ends in John O'Shea crossing to BERBATOV who calmly finishes past Schwarzer.
26mins
Ji-Sung Park is booked for a silly foul on Zoltan Gera.
25mins
United are dominant now, Berbatiov has a chance this time but Schwarzer tips over.
23mins
The balls is put in the net by Tevez but the flag goes up for offisde, looks like a good decision on replay.
21mins
Mark Schwarzer isn't having the best of games. He spills another shot, this time from Ronaldo, and it goes out for a corner.
17mins
Its all happening here! Cristiano Ronaldo's early cross is spilled by Schwarzer, Dimitar Berbatov seizes on the rebound but his shot is cleared off the line by Aaron Hughes.
17mins
Chance for Fulham! John Paintsil whips in a great cross and Clint Dempsey gets his head to it but it goes just wide.
15mins
United have their tails up now following that early goal, it could be a long night for Fulham.
11mins
MAN UTD 1-0 FULHAM. Michael Carrick takes a quick corner to SCHOLES whose first-time volley squirms Mark Schwarzer.
9mins
Man United are dominating the early possession, Fulham seem content to sit back and invite United on to them.
7mins
Ji-Sung Park ball finds John O'Shea but his cross shot goes over.
3mins
Decent move involving Michael Carrick and Carlos Tevez but the linesman's flag halts the move, decent start by United.
1mins
Referee Andre Marriner gets the game underway at Old Trafford.
0mins
Fulham are without Andy Johnson who failed a late fitness test so Bobby Zamora will play on his own up front, Toni Kallio also comes in for the injured Paul Konchesky.
0mins
Man United welcome back Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Carlos Tevez to the starting eleven, Wayne Rooney is on the bench while Ryan Giggs is rested.
Match Preview
Manchester United have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points when they play host to Fulham at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils go into the game in superlative form, having thrashed Derby County 4-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Sir Alex Ferguson rested the likes of Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez for that match, but they are all likely to start against the Cottagers.
Wayne Rooney is finally close to a return to action after a hamstring injury, although this game may come just too soon for the England striker.
In the league United have been even more formidable, having not conceded a goal since their 2-1 defeat at Arsenal in early November last year.
Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, formerly of Fulham, has kept 13 clean sheets in a row in the league, going a total of 1,212 minutes since he was beaten by Gunners forward Samir Nasri.
However, United may find Fulham a tough nut to crack, despite Roy Hodgson's side having yet to register a league win on their travels this season.
The Cottagers have drawn six and lost six away matches so far this term, scoring just three times, but only conceding ten goals.
Hodgson's men were also in FA Cup action at the weekend and were somewhat fortunate to escape with a 1-1 draw from their trip to Championship outfit Swansea City.
The winners of that replay will also face United in the sixth round of the competition.
Hodgson has the luxury of a nearly fully-fit squad to choose from with only midfielder Dickson Etuhu (ankle) and Diomansy Kamara (knee) definite absentees.
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Match Report
One of Manchester United's golden oldies was again to the fore as they saw off Fulham 3-0 at Old Trafford to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
After Ryan Giggs' virtuoso performances at West Ham and Derby, it was the turn of Paul Scholes to sparkle as the brightest of United's stars in their comfortable win.
The 34-year-old midfielder put neither a foot nor a pass wrong all night in his orchestration of a United performance which took them five points clear of Liverpool.
There was also the bonus of a goal from the flame-haired artful dodger - his 97th in the league for the Red Devils. At the other end, United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar had a largely worry-free night on his 250th Premier League appearance.
The Dutch goalkeeper's 14th consecutive clean sheet in the league took his tally without conceding a goal to 1,302 minutes putting him sixth on the all-time record list.
But the night belonged to the magnificent Scholes, who broke the deadlock in the 12th minute.
Michael Carrick drove his corner to Scholes, standing just outside the penalty area and the former England man hit a ferocious right-foot volley which squirmed out of the reach of Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and over the line.
Scholes also played his part in United's second goal on the half hour.
His perfectly judged pass found John O'Shea marauding forward on the right side of the Fulham box.
The versatile Republic of Ireland international, making his 150th Premier League start for United, prodded the ball across the area and Fulham's defenders went to sleep as Dimitar Berbatov touched his shot home from close range at the far post.
Carlos Tevez and Berbatov had further efforts disallowed for offside in the first half, but United's third goal went according to the script in the 63rd minute.
Enter stage right Wayne Rooney, returning after five weeks out with a hamstring injury to replace Berbatov after 61 minutes.
Patrice Evra's cross from the left found Ji-Sung Park on the far side of the Fulham penalty area. Park's attempted shot proved the perfect cross for Rooney, who with his first touch lifted the ball left-footed into the net from four yards at the far post.
Fulham failed to get an effort on target, although Bobby Zamora twice went close to ending van der Sar's record bid.
Manchester United Team
Fulham Team
Manchester United | Fulham |
Corners
| 11 | 2 |
Fouls
| 7 | 13 |
Goal attempts
| 17 | 5 |
Shots off target
| 8 | 5 |
Offsides
| 6 | 2 |
90mins
Gibson fires in a shot just over.