United ease past Fulham

Fulham playmaker Steed Malbranque gave his side the lead midway through the first half with an expertly dispatched penalty after Wes Brown had crudely brought down Luis Boa Morte.

But back came United and two minutes later they pulled level when van Nistelrooy's half-volley from closerange flew into the roof of Edwin van der Sar's goal.

Then, just after the hour, the Dutchman did it again with another clinical finish after Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher had combined to create the opening.

United started the match in positive fashion, quickly establishing the pace and tempo of the match and creating a number of presentable chances inside the first ten minutes.

Unusually though, Ryan Giggs was wayward with an effort inside the first minute and then van Nistelrooy was in wasteful mood as he missed two really good opportunities to put United ahead.

A poor touch saw the first chance go begging but the second,  which saw the United No.10 in space eight yards out, was a bad miss as he hit the ball high and wide of goal.

Fulham always seem to play well at Old Trafford and they almost made United regret van Nistelrooy's misses when Zat Knight directed Malbranque's free-kick towards goal. Unfortunately for the visitors, the centre-back's effort was too close to Tim Howard.

A few moments later Brian McBride's opportunism was rewarded when he chased down Roy Keane, robbed the Irishman of the ball and pushed a slide-rule pass into the box, aimed at the incoming Boa Morte.

Wes Brown looked favourite to get there first but, inexplicably, the England international missed the ball completely and succeeded only in flying into the legs of Boa Morte, leaving referee Rob Styles with no option but to award the spot-kick. Malbranque smashed it home with superlative efficiency. 

However, it took United just two minutes to draw level. Giggs was set free down the left, thanks to some good interplay between Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, and his crisp cross was converted by van Nistelrooy.

The home side took heart from the goal and inspired by the industry of Nicky Butt and Fletcher, plus the trickery of Ronaldo, they gradually assumed control.

But, even then, United looked susceptible to swift counter-attacks and, of all players, it was Knight who went closest to scoring ten minutes before the break.

The defender broke through the United midfield and struck a brilliant, dipping volley from all of 40 yards which beat Howard but which came thudding back off the crossbar.

As the match wore on, Fulham looked increasingly devoid of imagination in the final third as they obviously missed the departed Louis Saha.

On 55 minutes Moritz Volz gave away a needless free-kick for a block on Fletcher which Ronaldo stepped up to take. The young Portuguese winger curled a wonderful effort over the Fulham wall but he was denied a great goal when the ball thumped against the bar and bounced to safety.

Eventually United did break through for a second time as Fulham's defence once again failed to deal with the pace and width offered by Ronaldo.

The No.7 received a long ball, evaded a couple of half-hearted challenges and then charged down the right flank.

He cut in a little and then delivered a perfect cross which found van Nistelrooy who, just a few yards out and completely unmarked, smacked the ball home.

Fulham tried their level best to test United's makeshift defence but Howard was only really tested by one Boa Morte curler which he beat away impressively.

So it is United who go into the hat for the draw on Monday but credit to a spirited Fulham whose thoughts must now be with their hospitalised manager Chris Coleman.