United hammer hapless Fulham; end winless streak

Fulham broke a 50 year old club record with their seventh straight away defeat while United snapped their run of five winless games, their longest such streak for 18 years.

Fulham went into the game with a record of shipping an average 2.5 goals per game. United had only scored the first goal in one of their last seven league games. 

Marcos Rojo, Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini were all back on the bench as was Andreas Pererira who replaced Luke Shaw, injured in the warm up. US international Tim Ream was back in the Fulham starting XI, replacing Maxime Le Marchand.

Their only wins this season had been against Burnley and Southampton, the two other sides in the relegation zone.

Pouring rain greeted the sides, and the visitors were the sprightlier in it. 

In their first attack however, Ashley Young gave United the lead. He tantalised Denis Odoi and as the Cottagers were preparing for a cross curled the ball beyond Sergio Rico to net his first goal in over a year.

Match preview: United seek regulation win against desperate Fulham

Young nearly repeated the feat but this time Alfie Mawson was ready and headed away from a corner. Mawson again was on hand to clear the corner after that, when Smalling headed just wide with the aid of a deflection.

Young was blocked on a third occasion from the same area.

1-0 became 2-0 on 27 minutes when Marcus Rahsford again on the Fulham right crossed for Juan Mata to slot home. It was almost three but Rico saved a Rashford free kick acrobatically.

United’s seventh corner of the first half brought their third goal. Romelu Lukaka was on the end of a a four pass move that led to a tap in, with a question only of Mata being offside, not that a correct decision would have saved Fulham this abject hammering.