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Goals from Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba helped Manchester United complete a comeback victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
The hosts had started the game on the front foot and got a well-deserved opener. Ademola Lookman beat the Manchester United offside trap to place an exquisite finish past David de Gea in the 5th minute.
There were appeals from the Manchester United players for offside but VAR upheld the goal, with replays showing that Aaron Wan Bissaka's backfoot had played Lookman on.
This goal seemed to jot the Red Devils into life. After a quiet opening 20 minutes, Bruno Fernandes had his first chance when he struck the post with a left-footed shot from distance.
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In the next sequence of play, the Portugal international picked up the ball on the left flank and put in a cross into the Fulham box. Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola failed to hold on to the cross, allowing Cavani to tap in from close range. The former PSG goalkeeper would not look back on that error too fondly.
Despite some good chances, neither side could find another breakthrough to ensure both teams went in level at the break.
The second half saw Manchester United up the ante, but they faced a resolute Fulham defence that was determined not to give out an inch.
Ultimately, it took a spectacular long-range left-footed effort from Paul Pogba to breach the Fulham defence. Despite some late pressure from the hosts, Manchester United held on for the victory.
Here, we shall have a rundown of five talking points from the fixture.
#5 Despite improved performance, Fulham still stare at the barrels of relegation
Fulham secured promotion to the Premier League by virtue of their playoff victory over Brentford in August 2020.
The Cottagers had been relegated from the top flight just a season earlier, but they have found the going tough on their return to the Premier League.
They started the campaign with five defeats and one draw from their first six games. Consecutive defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United have since followed, leaving Scott Parker's side in 18th spot and five points from safety.
The west London outfit have put out some fine performances in recent weeks, but they have not been able to convert their displays to points.
With 18 matches gone, the signs are perilous for Fulham. Unless they turn things around, they run the risk of suffering an immediate relegation back to the Championship.
#4 Edinson Cavani proves his mettle for Manchester United
Edinson Cavani was a late arrival at Manchester United last summer, but his signing did not exactly send shockwaves among the club's fanbase.
Despite his pedigree, the Uruguay international had not played competitive football for almost seven months prior to his arrival, and the general consensus was that he was a panic buy.
However, despite the naysayers, Cavani has gone about his business with minimum fuss and has done what he knows how to do best: score goals.
Throughout his career, the former Napoli man has shown a penchant for being in the right place at the right time. It can be argued that he is the best positioner in world football at the moment.
Having been given the nod to lead the line against Fulham, the 33-year-old showed his awareness to draw Manchester United level.
His positioning to anticipate the spill by Areola was top-notch and bore the hallmarks of a world-class striker.
It was his fourth Premier League goal for Manchester United but his first as a starter. While the jury might still be out on him, Edinson Cavani has shown that he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level.
#3 Manchester United reclaim top spot in the Premier League
Leicester City's victory over Chelsea on Tuesday saw them leapfrog Manchester United to the summit of the table.
Manchester City's win over Aston Villa earlier on Wednesday saw the Red Devils drop further into third. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men came into this clash with Fulham knowing that a win would see them reclaim their spot at the summit.
Despite having to do it the hard way, Manchester United ultimately triumphed to ensure that they will go into the midway point of the season at the summit of the Premier League table.
Manchester United have garnered 40 points from 19 games but are just seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur (who have a game in hand).
This topsy-turvy season means that the table could still change in the coming weeks. However, the Red Devils have shown that they are willing to do what it takes to preserve their spot at the top.
#2 Manchester United's fine run on the road continues
It took just five minutes for Manchester United to go behind. However, as they have shown on multiple occasions this season, their powers of recovery are top-notch.
They were level inside 15 minutes and kept taking the game to the hosts until they got the breakthrough goal through Paul Pogba.
This victory means that Manchester United are currently unbeaten in their last 17 away Premier League games, with their last defeat on the road coming in a 2-0 loss away to Liverpool in January 2020.
A year on from that evening at Anfield, the Red Devils have equalled their club-record run of unbeaten games on the road set in September 1999.
They will get a chance to have the record all to themselves when they travel to take on Arsenal at the Emirates on 30 January.
#1 Match-winning Paul Pogba starting to showcase his abilities on a regular basis
The last four-and-half years have been wildly inconsistent for Paul Pogba in a Manchester United shirt.
While his abilities might not be in question, the World Cup winner has shown a lack of consistency. His off-field antics have also been a cause for concern.
However, in recent weeks, the France international has started to show the form that made the Old Trafford outfit sanction his purchase for a world-record fee in 2016.
Having scored the winning goal against Burnley just over a week ago, the 27-year-old was at it again, with his left-footed thunderbolt helping Manchester United to all three points.
With Bruno Fernandes having a relatively quiet game by his high standards, the onus fell on Paul Pogba to step up to the plate. He duly delivered with a performance befitting his immense ability.
He showed great technique to control the ball in the air, with his first touch taking out two Fulham defenders, before rifling a left-footed strike beyond Areola from 25 yards.
If Manchester United are to end their league drought this year, they will need Paul Pogba performing at an optimum. On evidence of his displays in recent weeks, he looks up to the task.
