Fulham 0-3 Man United

Mar 2 2008 Jamie Hewitt Reports

ALEX FERGUSON proved he has one eye on Lyon - but there was no chance of his fringe men lying down to Fulham.

Manchester United's boss rested superstar trio Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs but the result was never in doubt.

Fulham tried to turn the match into a carnival occasion but by half-time the fun had been taken out of it for home fans after seeing Owen Hargreaves and South Korean Park Ji-Sung hit the net.

United eased off the gas after the break but were gifted a third by Simon Davies who toe-poked a cross into his own net.

The Champions League return with Lyon is one Fergie is desperate to win but he must have been delighted at how easy this was against a Fulham side in serious relegation trouble. He was thrilled to see Arsenal draw so United could close the gap at the top to one point - but he'd have preferred to see his rivals lose.

Ferguson said: "I see Arsenal's goal was in the 95th minute of their usual seven minutes' injury time.

"It has been a bit of a see-saw battle and now it is down to one point but Chelsea are still right on our coat-tails. It looks as if it is going to be a fantastic run-in.

"I didn't think it was a great game today. It was windy on a lively pitch but I think we did the job professionally.

"We switched the team around and gave Rooney and Ronaldo a break so it is a good day. You've got to have faith in your squad. You've got to trust players.

"That's why we've brought them here. Look at the ones we've left out - they would get a game for any team and are all top players. Fulham played well but were not a threat in the box."

United dominated from the start and Antti Niemi had to look lively to chest away a Nani effort.

Two minutes later Louis Saha, facing his old club, raced on to a Paul Scholes free-kick but screwed wide.

Niemi saved well from Carlos Tevez before Danny Murphy called Edwin van der Sar into action for the first time with the former Fulham keeper juggling the ball around his right-hand post.

But after 14 minutes Tevez was fouled by Brede Hangeland and Hargreaves hit it perfectly over the wall to claim his first goal since moving from Bayern Munich.

Fulham conceded again in first-half stoppage time when Park was left in acres of space to head in a Scholes cross.

With 20 minutes left Ferguson sent on Ronaldo and Rooney but it was a Fulham player who scored United's third as Davies jabbed John O'Shea's cross between the legs of Niemi.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson said: "It sounds as though we've been totally outplayed but that was not the case. We were not outclassed. It's back to work but not back to the drawing board because a lot of our football shows promise."