Fulham treble dents United title bid

Manchester United’s English Premier League title ambitions suffered a setback as they slumped to an abject 3-0 defeat by Fulham here on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side delivered one of their most toothless displays of the season at a bitterly cold Craven Cottage and were deservedly beaten thanks to goals from Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.

Defeat ensured United did not overhaul leaders Chelsea and they could be six points adrift of the west Londoners at Christmas – not an irretrievable position, particularly given the club’s habit of reserving their best form for the new year, but hardly ideal.

There are, without question, serious problems for Ferguson to address.

Injuries have deprived the Scot of the majority of his first-choice back four and the defence which was pulled apart so easily on Saturday took the term ‘makeshift’ to a whole new level.

Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick were both pulled back from midfield while Ritchie de Laet made just his third league start at centre-half: none enjoyed the experience.

Fulham’s attackers duly feasted on the unexpected swathes of space which opened up in United’s defensive third and Ferguson must now consider whether he has to spend in January to plug some of those gaping holes.

The focus, inevitably, will be on United’s deficiencies following their heaviest defeat of the season but that is unfair on Fulham, who were little short of magnificent.

The south-west Londoners have won five of their last seven games and no longer have an inferiority complex when they are confronted by members of the Premier League’s elite.

Roy Hodgson’s side were the more polished outfit.

Disciplined in defence, combative in midfield and creative in attack, Fulham penned their illustrious guests in their own half for long spells and might have won by an even greater margin.

United were grateful to their stand-in goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak in the 18th minute, the Poland international producing a superb reaction save from Zoltan Gera after the striker had met Zamora’s chested pass on the volley at close range.

Kuszczak deserved the thanks of his team-mates but, instead, they repaid him poorly, leaking a dreadful opening goal just four minutes later.

After Paul Scholes dawdled on the ball just inside his own-half, Murphy snaffled away possession, advanced 20 yards and struck a low, bouncing shot that found the bottom corner.

Another slip from the former England international in the 32nd minute almost gifted Fulham a second, Clint Dempsey seizing on his error and releasing Gera in the area.

The Hungarian’s chipped cross was just too fractionally high for Zamora at the back post, whose header slid wide.

Ferguson undoubtedly subjected his side to some of his infamous ‘hairdryer’ treatment at the interval but, for once, it failed to have the desired effect.

Instead, within seconds of the re-start, United were further behind.

Duff charged down the right and looped a teasing cross to the back post, where Dempsey rose above Darren Fletcher and nodded down to Zamora. The striker lashed in from close range for his fourth goal in three games.

Ferguson flung on Dimitar Berbatov to join the ineffective Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney as the away contingent bellowed “attack, attack” but it had little effect.

Instead, Fulham rubber-stamped their triumph with a well crafted third in the 75th minute, Duff volleying in from Zamora’s lay-off.