Manchester United 4-1 Fulham: Jose Mourinho's side earn first win in five Premier League games

Report and highlights as Ashley Young, Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford all score

Michael Hincks

@MichaelHincks

Saturday 8 December 2018 18:47, UK

Manchester United ended their four-game winless run in the Premier League with a comfortable 4-1 victory over bottom-club Fulham.

Ashley Young's terrific opener sent United on their way (13), with Juan Mata then slotting in for his 50th Premier League goal (28).

Romelu Lukaku ended his near 17-hour wait for a goal at Old Trafford (42), and though Aboubakar Kamara got one back from the penalty spot (67), Fulham's hopes diminished a minute later when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Marcus Rashford rounded off the comprehensive victory late on (82), and the win lifts United up to sixth in the table, while Fulham's seventh successive away defeat sees them remain bottom - three points from safety.

Only Fulham had kept fewer clean sheets than United going into the match, and it took just 13 minutes for the hosts to go ahead, with Young nutmegging Denis Odoi before firing in a superb effort into the far top corner from a narrow angle.

United continued to dominate and pepper the Fulham box with crosses, and they were soon two in front when Rashford rolled it across for Mata, whose first-time effort nestled into the bottom corner.

After Sergio Rico parried Rashford's free-kick away, United scored their third thanks to a superb corner routine. Young played it short to Mata, whose one-two with Lingard then led to a low cross for Lukaku to tap in from inside the six-yard area - the Belgian's first goal at the ground in 997 minutes.

The second half saw United drop down the gears, and after Chris Smalling hobbled off to be replaced by Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera brought down Kamara in the box, with the substitute going on to slot in the penalty.

A minute later, Fulham were reduced to 10 men, with Anguissa shown a second yellow for a challenge on Rashford.

A goal looked to be evading Rashford - who recorded two assists - but after forcing a save from Rico, the England international got his name on scoresheet when squeezing a shot in at the near post when the Fulham goalkeeper should perhaps have done better.

Opta stats

Jose Mourinho recorded his 50th Premier League victory as Manchester United manager in what was his 92nd game in the competition at the Red Devils.
Fulham have now conceded in 20 consecutive top-flight games - their longest ever run without a clean sheet in the top tier of English football.
Fulham have now conceded 40 goals in their opening 16 Premier League games this season; only Barnsley in 1997-98 (43) have conceded more at this stage of a top-flight campaign since the start of the 1965-66 season.
Fulham have lost 22 of their last 24 away matches against Manchester United in all competitions (W1 D1) - their only win in this sequence was a 3-1 victory in the Premier League in October 2003.

The managers

Jose Mourinho: "The first half was really good. We gave no chances to Fulham. We were strong, aggressive and intense. At moments it was beautiful, collective football. The first half was perfect.

"The second half was Ranieri's fault. He made two changes that improved his team and gave us problems that we didn't have in the first half. I also think there was some fatigue in some of my players. An accumulation of factors made the second half not as good as the first.

"We were intense without the ball and with the ball. Without the ball we pressed, we kept Mitrovic away from the goal. And then intense with the ball, simple, one or two touches. It was really good."

Claudio Ranieri: "I had to consider why in the first half we didn't play, and in the second half I was very satisfied, but our best moment was [followed by] the second yellow card for Anguissa.

"I saw the foul, it's not a foul, he touched the ball clearly, and the referee gave the yellow card.

"But this was not the problem, the problem was the first half. We didn't play, we had to play harder, stronger because United showed quality, passion, desire, everything, and we had to do the same.

Man of the match - Diogo Dalot

Rashford secured a goal and two assists, while Young and Mata both recorded one goal and one assist, but Dalot's performance outlined why Jose Mourinho believes United have found their right-back for the decade to come.

The 19-year-old had Ryan Sessegnon defending practically all afternoon, but failed to record assist despite sending in four good crosses and three key passes. A total of four clearances was also joint-highest for United along with Phil Jones.

The pundit - Charlie Nicholas

What's next?

United have already qualified for the Champions League last 16 and head to Valencia for their final group game on Wednesday before travelling to Anfield on Sunday to face Liverpool, live on Sky Sports.