FULL TIME MAN UNITED 2-0 FULHAM: A comfortable win for United thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's brace which sees Sir Alex Ferguson's men back up to second behind Arsenal. Fulham had the odd chance but were fortunate not to lose by a few more goals.

Simon Davies thinks he should have a corner and makes his feelings known to the referee who then books him for dissent.

A quick free kick sees Michael Carrick pick out Louis Saha but Antti Niemi does well to save his effort and he then gets up to gather Carlos Tevez's follow up shot.

Ryan Giggs produces a great first time volley from the edge of the area but Antti Niemi gets down well to save the effort.

Cristiano Ronaldo is again played through on goal but Antti Niemi gets down well to block his effort from the right side of the area.

Cristiano Ronaldo is close to getting on the end of the resulting corner kick but it just clears him and Fulham survive this time.

Anderson wins a corner as he tries to make a surge towards goal so another chance for United to score again.

Cristiano Ronaldo would have had the chance for a first United hat-trick there and how ironic that the referee is Rob Styles who has awarded them in the past for 'intent' when there has been no contact by keepers on attacking players.

Cristiano Ronaldo goes clean through on goal and goes down under a challenge from Antti Niemi in the area but is shown a yellow card for diving when this actually did look like a spot-kick.

United look like they will be happy to stick with the two but if they get a chance to add more I'm sure they will want to take them.

Rio Ferdinand looks like he is carrying an injury or possibly the illness which accounted for Patrice Evra as he heads off down the tunnel to be replaced by Michael Carrick.

The game is up and running again as David Healy took a knock from a flying arm of Nemanja Vidic with Carlos Tevez's shot from a tight angle deflected out for a corner.

United make a change with former Fulham man Louis Saha replacing Wayne Rooney, who enjoyed a decent return to action after his injury lay-off.

Fulham make a change here as Hameur Bouazza is replaced by Ki-Hyeon Seol.

Wayne Rooney gets on the end of a Ryan Giggs pass but the offside flag denies him. Although he is furious the decision is correct.

Cristiano Ronaldo plays the ball to the edge of the area for Wayne Rooney who sets hismelf up and shoots at goal but Antti Niemi parries his effort away.

Fulham go up the other end and almost get back into the game but Shefki Kuqi cannot stretch enough to convert Hameur Bouazza's cross at the back post..

United break and Wayne Rooney's low ball across is too far in front of Carlos Tevez. He then knocks the ball into the middle and Ryan Giggs plays in Wayne Rooney who drags his shot across the face of goal.

Former United player David Healy, who made three appearances for the club, is now on in place of American international Clint Dempsey.

Paul Konchesky is back on and is quickly smashed out of play in a strong but fair tackle from Wes Brown wide out on the right flank.

Paul Konchesky, who is inujred in he process, lays the ball off to Hameur Bouazza but his effort from the left of the goal flies over the top.

That goal is Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh in five starts against Fulham and arrived at the right time for United after a sluggish start to the half.

MAN UNITED 2-0 FULHAM: CRISTIANO RONALDO gets in front of Dejan Stefanovich in the area to head John O'Shea's left-wing cross past Antti Niemi from close range.

A mis-placed pass and then an over-hit pass from Cristiano Ronaldo sums up the way this second half has started for the hosts.

Elliot Omozusi looks to have bundled over Cristiano Ronaldo in the area as he tried to get on the end of a Wes Brown cross in front of goal but no penalty is given which is just about right.

Fair play to Fulham they have started this half the brighter of the two sides and this is reflected by the subdued atmosphere in the crowd.

Fulham get in the first effort but Simon Davies effort from the right side of the box is poor and drifts harmlessly away from goal.

A bit of a slower start to this half by United as they have yet to really impose themselves on the Fulham defence.

A change has been made at half time for United with John O'Shea now on in place of Patrice Evra.

The second half is up and running at Old Trafford and United will be looking to put this game to bed quickly as Fulham have shown they could get something in this game.

HALF-TIME MAN UNITED 1-0 FULHAM: Cristiano Ronaldo's sweet volley divides the two sides but United must wonder how they are not further in front. However Fulham missed a great chance through Shefki Kuqi before the break.

Carlos Tevez tries a cheeky effort from a tight angle which Antti Niemi parries behind for a corner at his near post.

Simon Davies whips a contentious corner into the centre but Nemanja Vidic climbs up high to head clear for United.

Fulham's best chance of the half as Steven Davis' ball to the back post is headed over by Sheki Kuqi despite being unmarked and six yards out.

Nemanja Vidic gets the first booking of the night after smashing Clint Dempsey in the back of his legs.

Fulham are enjoying a bit more of the ball again now but Clint Dempsey wastes a chance by smashing a shot high into the Stretford End from 25 yards.

Steven Davis tries his luck from the edge of the area but it goes behind off a team-mate and United win a goal kick.

Another slight lull here as United appear to take a breather for a few moments before launching more raids on the Fulham goal.

From the resulting corner Paul Konchesky cannot clear properly and Rio Ferdinand's header across the six-yard area is then headed just wide of the far post by Carlos Tevez.

Rio Ferdinand plays the ball into the area for Wayne Rooney but his cross towards Cristiano Ronaldo is scuffed and Fulham can clear the danger.

United can only clear the ball from the resulting corner to the edge of the area and Danny Murphy curls an effort just wide of the right-hand post.

At last a good flowing move from Fulham ends with Shefki Kuqi laying the ball off to Danny Murphy whose effort from 20 yards is pushed round the post by Edwin Van der Sar.

Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo combine again but Fulham manage to get the ball clear under more pressure.

United look dangerous every time they break on goal and Carlos Tevez is flagged offside. On another night the Argentinian could have already have had four goals in the bag.

What a fortunate reflex save that was from Antti Niemi as he saves a point-blank Carlos Tevez effort with his head from a low hard Ryan Giggs cross from the left by line.

Shefki Kuqi knocks the ball down to Clint Dempsey but his deflected shot lands up in the safe hands of Edwin Van der Sar.

Cristiano Ronaldo takes advantage of a mistake by Paul Konchesky and races into the area but he is blocked a she looks to get a shot on goal when a pass was a better option.

Fulham are seeing a little bit more of the ball now but not really making an impact on the United defence.

Just a slight lull for a moment here as United have let up their constant pressure on the Fulham back line.

Anderson breaks for United but Steven Davis does well to get in and prevent Wayne Rooney latching onto his pass through towards goal.

Wes Brown plays another dangerous ball into the area but this time Steven Davis does head the ball away from goal as opposed to back towards his own.

Fulham are absolutely rattled here and United totally deserve this lead. In fact it could and should be 4-0 already just like last season.

MAN UNITED 1-0 FULHAM: Nemanja Vidic heads a poor attempted clearance from Steven Davis into the path of CRISTIANO RONALDO and he volleys into the top corner.

Back to the other end and it could be three for United but Paul Konchesky blocks Carlos Tevez's shot from the edge of the area after he was teed up by Wayne Rooney.

Hameur Bouazza tries a cheeky effort at the other end from distance but it fails to get any where near the goal.

United have started like a house on fire here and have carved Fulham apart on two occasions already.

More good stuff from United as Wes Brown plays a low ball into the centre of Fulham's area but Carlos Tevez's effort is parried away by Antti Niemi and hacked clear.

United attack again with Luis de Abreu Anderson whipping a fantastic cross to the back post from the right wing and Carlos Tevez's diving header is just wide.

A good flowing move from United as Ryan Giggs and Carlos Tevez almost combine but Fulham's defence manage to snuff that one out.

Rio Ferdinand plays the ball back to Edwin Van der Sar and almost puts Shefki Kuqi in on goal but luckily for him play was brought back as the ball had run out for a throw in.

Danny Murphy lifts a ball over the top of the United defence but Hameur Bouazza fails to time his run and is flagged offside.

The game is underway as United look to put last weekend's disappointing 1-0 defeat at Bolton behind them and secure maximum points against a struggling Fulham side sitting just two points off the relegation zone.

Fulham starting XI: Niemi, Omozusi, Hughes, Stefanovic, Konchesky, Davies, Davis, Murphy, Bouazza, Dempsey, Kuqi.

Former United frontman David Healy can only make the substitutes bench as Lawrie Sanchez’s side who are looking for a first away victory in 23 outings.

Man United starting XI: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Tevez, Rooney.

Rooney returns after missing the last three games with an ankle injury following a freak training ground accident. Anderson partners Owen Hargreaves in central midfield.

Sir Alex Ferguson hands Wayne Rooney a starting place in attack alongside Carlos Tevez against Fulham at Old Trafford as Manchester United bid to reclaim second spot in the Premier League.