Manchester United Brush Aside Fulham To Enter Top Four

By Max Wise

Manchester United moved into the Premier League top four for the first time since the opening day of the season with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Frenchmen Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial were the goalscorers on the day as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men made it ten wins from eleven games under the caretaker manager.

The Red Devils thus move above Chelsea, who play away to champions Manchester City on Sunday, into the fourth position whiles Fulham remain in 19th position, seven points from safety

Fulham should have gone ahead inside the opening 60 seconds as Andre Schurrle galloped down the right wing and crossed for Luciano Vietto at the far post, but the Argentine made a mess of his shot and dragged it wide

On 14 minutes, Manchester United took the lead through Paul Pogba after the Frenchman unleashed a powerful strike from a narrow-angle to beat Sergio Rico at his near post, following a pass from Martial.

United made it two soon after in the 23rd minute through Anthony Martial, who picked the ball just inside his own half, ran past two Fulham defenders and calmly slotted past the goalkeeper.

Phil Jones has not scored in four years for Manchester United but the English defender who recently signed a new contract nearly broke his duck but for the timely intervention of Sergio Rico in the Fulham goal who tipped his left-footed strike over the top in the 41st minute.

After the break, Maxime Le Marchand crowned a miserable afternoon at the back for Fulham with a foul on Mata which referee Paul Tierney saw as enough to merit a penalty to the Red Devils.

Pogba, as usual, this season, stepped up to bury the spot kick close to the corner for his second of the day despite Sergio Rico going the right way.