Manchester United have continued their recent strong form with a 3-0 victory over Fulham in Saturday's Premier League clash at Craven Cottage.
Paul Pogba put United into an early lead, and that advantage was doubled by the 23rd minute thanks to a brilliant individual goal from Anthony Martial.
Pogba wrapped up the points from the penalty spot midway through the second half as United moved into fourth place in the top-flight standings.
Find out how all of the action unfolded in West London courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Fulham and Manchester United. The visitors are looking to move into fourth place in the league standings, but Fulham need a positive result with Claudio Ranieri's men sitting seven points adrift of safety. The two teams are making their way out at Craven Cottage, so let's take a look at the two starting lineups...
FULHAM XI: Rico; Odoi, Le Marchand, Ream, Bryan; Chambers, Seri; Schurrle, Vietto, Babel; Mitrovic
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: De Dea; Dalot, Smalling, Jones, Shaw; Herrera, Matic; Mata, Pogba, Martial; Lukaku
KICKOFF: Fulham get us underway!
CHANCE! What a chance for Fulham. United had a free kick, but the home side broke forward through Schurrle who delivered the perfect cross for Vietto at the back post. However, the loanee scuffed his volley wide from inside the six-yard box!
CHANCE! Wow, another opportunity for the home side. Vietto's cross from the left causes all kind of problems and the ball eventually falls to Schurrle, who sees his effort from by the penalty spot deflected over the crossbar. Solskjaer is perhaps starting to regret making so many alterations...
Fulham remain on the front foot - this time down the right - but Shaw does well to earn a goal kick for the visitors.
Just like that, United find themselves in a position where they have men over in the final third, but Martial fails to link up with Pogba when entering the penalty area.
Things have finally started to calm down at both ends, but I'd be really surprised if this remains goalless. Both sides seem intent on pushing forward at every given opportunity.
Fulham have not really threatened for about five minutes, but Ranieri will be delighted with this start. The Italian probably accepts that keeping a clean sheet will be a tough ask, so he has instead decided to try to out-score United.
GOAL! Fulham 0-1 Manchester United (Paul Pogba)
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Ranieri is going to be less happy now. Martial threads a ball through to Pogba and it appears likely that the midfielder will pull the ball back for a teammate. Rico thinks so, too, but Pogba instead opts to drive the ball inside the near post from an acute angle.
It is going to be interesting to see how Fulham react to going behind. They cannot afford to sit deep, but they will also not push forward like they have been doing. Ranieri needs to find a balance.
We have had a stoppage in play while De Gea receives some treatment after a late challenge from Mitrovic, but the goalkeeper appears fine to continue.
It is difficult to fault the performance of Fulham's front four so far. United's defence has looked all over the place from time to time, but you have to wonder whether the home side have missed their opening in this match.
We have seen less of Lukaku, however. The replacement for Marcus Rashford has barely had a kick, although that is mainly due to United's attacks coming down either flank rather than down the middle.
GOAL! Fulham 0-2 Manchester United (Anthony Martial)
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This could be any score. United are on fire right now and Martial has just scored a wonder goal. The Frenchman received the ball on the halfway line and after moving past a weak challenge from a defender and holding off the attention of Odoi, the winger advanced into the penalty area before slotting the ball into the far corner.
YELLOW CARD! Bryan picks up a yellow card for a late, needless challenge on Smalling in the corner.
I mentioned earlier that Solskjaer may regret making six changes to his side, but that will not be the case now. United are in full control of this match, and you simply can't see Fulham not conceding again before half time, never mind full time.
United have just had five players in and around the penalty area immediately after a long ball into Lukaku. There are no signs that United are going to take a backward step.
Fulham win a free kick around 35 yards form goal. It is too far out for a shot, but it is a chance to get their taller players into the penalty area.
SHOT! A Fulham man won the first header but after the ball went to the edge of the area, Seri saw a shot deflected well off target. Nothing came from the resulting corner.
The home side are seeing a bit more of the ball, but it is a result of United having a breather rather than the Cottagers getting on top.
Mata hasn't really been involved during the opening 37 minutes, but the Spaniard links up well with Pogba down the right. However, the latter's pass towards the byline is over-hit and Fulham have a goal kick.
YELLOW CARD! A second yellow card for Fulham and it is Chambers who has received it for a late, studs-up challenge on Smalling. The defender is fine, but Chambers is perhaps fortunate to avoid a red.
Odoi looks petrified every time that Martial gets on the ball and who can blame him. The defender manages to deflect the United attacker's shot over the bar on this occasion.
SHOT! If this goes in, football may as well end because we would have witnessed it all. The ball fell invitingly for Jones on the edge of the area, and the United centre-back sent a sweetly-struck left-footed effort marginally over Rico's crossbar.
YELLOW CARD! Matic becomes the third player to be booked in this match for breaking up a Fulham attack.
SHOT! A ball into the penalty area should be easily claimed by De Gea, but Smalling gets in his way and heads clear. The ball arrives at the feet of Chambers, who sees a 20-yard volley comfortably saved by the Spanish goalkeeper.
There will be two minutes of added-on time.
HALF TIME: Fulham 0-2 Manchester United
The half-time whistle goes at Craven Cottage and United hold a deserved lead thanks to goals from Pogba and Martial. The home side had their chances at the start of the game, but the visitors survived and now look in total control.
The first goal arrived just before the quarter-of-an-hour mark. Pogba looked likely to pull the ball back for a teammate but instead, the midfielder fired the ball inside the near post from an acute angle with Rico having committed himself to trying to deal with a cross.
The second was all down to Martial. The left-winger ran from the halfway line, holding off the challenges of two Fulham defenders before placing the ball into the far corner of the net from around 15 yards out. Martial has probably been United's best player so far.
KICKOFF: United get us back underway.
It has been a relatively quiet start to the second half. United had one burst forward and Fulham struggled to clear their lines, but that is about it so far.
United certainly aren't looking to play with the same intensity as in the first half. Maybe they are under instruction from Solskjaer to manage the game in an effective way with the Paris Saint-Germain clash on Tuesday night in mind.
SHOT! Better from Fulham as Vietto and Mitrovic link up on the edge of the area, but Chambers sends a volley from distance harmlessly over the crossbar.
SUBSTITUTION! Ranieri has opted for a change in formation by introducing Christie for Schurrle. It's fair to say that it has not gone down well with the Fulham supporters...
Fulham are now playing with three in defence and two wing-backs. It has worked in the past, but Schurrle had offered a threat in the final third so it is a strange substitution.
There's a feeling that some of the Fulham supporters have emotionally checked out of this match. It's very quiet at Craven Cottage with only the visiting fans making a noise.
Pogba stretches his legs down the right wing and eases past Ream, who makes a shambolic attempt at a tackle. However, the midfielder's cross-field pass to Martial lacks pace, and his teammate can't get a shot away from the edge of the area.
United are already exploiting the space in behind the wing-backs. They are yet to take full advantage, but it feels like a third goal will arrive sooner rather than later.
We have not had a shot of any significance since the restart, but United are going through the motions. Fulham are not offering anything.
SHOT! Nearly a third for United. A spell of pressure ended with the ball falling invitingly for Herrera around 15 yards out, but the midfielder's volley was straight at Rico.
PENALTY! United win a penalty. Lukaku does well before playing the ball to Mata, whose turn deceives Le Marchand and the defender clatters into the United man.
GOAL! Fulham 0-3 Manchester United (Paul Pogba)
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Pogba does his usual stuttered run-up, but sends a well-struck penalty into the bottom corner. Rico went the right way, but the spot kick was simply too good. Game over.
Solskjaer will inevitably rest some of his players during the final quarter of the match. Pogba will surely be one who is sacrificed. He has been outstanding.
SHOT! Chambers has not been shy in getting shots away this afternoon. He is presented with another chance from 30 yards out, but a low effort is easily saved by De Gea.
SUBSTITUTION! United's first alteration sees Sanchez replace the excellent Martial.
Lukaku and Sanchez combine in the penalty area and the latter thinks he is about to get a shot away from close range, but Fulham just about do enough to survive.
CHANCE! Better from Fulham who manage to get a cross into the middle, but Mitrovic's well-directed header is dealt with by De Gea down to his left.
SUBSTITUTION! A second change for United sees McTominay come on for Pogba.
CHANCE! United have two chances in the space of a minute. Firstly, Sanchez went through one-on-one with Rico only for the goalkeeper to divert his effort wide of the post. Shortly afterwards, an inswinging cross was headed marginally over the bar by McTominay.
CHANCE! Newcastle United's Matt Ritchie has a contender for miss of the season. Babel should convert at the back post from as little as a yard out, but he scuffs what should be a tap-in against the outside of the post.
SUBSTITUTION! Before play can continue, Babel is withdrawn with Cairney being introduced into the action.
SUBSTITUTION! Sessegnon is going to be brought on for the final nine minutes, with Bryan being brought off by Ranieri.
United are continuing to play at a leisurely pace as they look to see out this game with minimal fuss. This has been the perfect game and performance from Solskjaer's side.
SUBSTITUTION! United's third switch sees Bailly introduced for Herrera.
SHOT! Cairney is the next Fulham player to try his luck from distance, but the substitute's left-footed volley goes just wide of De Gea's left-hand post.
YELLOW CARD! Has Mitrovic ever got through a game without getting involved in a disagreement? The Serbian and De Gea butt heads and the pair are both deservedly booked.
There will be three minutes of added-on time.
FULL TIME: Fulham 0-3 Manchester United
The full-time whistle goes at Craven Cottage and United have breezed to the easiest of wins over struggling Fulham. Pogba and Martial were the stars of the show, but this was a collective effort from a team who look full of confidence. The same cannot be said of Fulham, who remain seven points adrift of safety at a time when United move into the top four.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this afternoon, and we hope that you can return for our coverage of games involving Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid later in just under 30 minutes.
If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
