Manchester United won their opening Premiership match of the season yesterday more by habit than a design which amounted to further doodling by Sir Alex Ferguson in an effort to find the way best of using Ruud van Nistelrooy, his £19m Dutch striker.
While the United manager is making up his mind the Dutchman can do no better than display scoring instincts which yesterday called to mind the predatory style of Denis Law. No sooner had Fulham taken the lead for a second time than Van Nistelrooy struck twice in less than three minutes to put Manchester United 3-2 in front, which was where they stayed - though not without some late anxieties.
Fulham achieved a more consistent pattern of play than United for much of a thoroughly entertaining game and had Jean Tigana's team taken a higher proportion of their chances before half-time they might well have marked their first appearance in the top division for 33 years with a famous victory. As it was they proved what most had suspected, namely that their quick-passing, intelligent football will grace the Premiership much as Ipswich's did last season.
Without the suspended Roy Keane, so often their mortice lock in midfield, Manchester United were always vulnerable to the pace through the middle of Louis Saha, who scored both of Fulham's goals.
Saha enjoyed outstanding support from Steed Malbranque, the Belgian-born France Under-21 international, who with Sean Davis and John Collins achieved a quality of passing and movement which before half time and on several occasions thereafter found United outmanouevred and outwitted.
Had Juan Veron, the £28m arrival from Lazio, not been playing for Argentina in midweek, he might have brought more solidity to United's central areas; his class was evident but he was clearly tiring when Ferguson took him off after 80 minutes.
With just over half an hour gone Ferguson brought on Andy Cole, which enabled Scholes to drop back to his normal role. Cole's support for Van Nistelrooy doubled the problem for the Fulham centre-backs and was especially crucial when United drew level for the second time.
Up to that moment, six minutes into the second half, it was difficult to argue with the logic of a Fulham win. Their midfield was dominant, their defence in command and Saha had twice exploited simple but effective through passes which had caught United square.
The first came from Davis in the third minute, a high ball which the Frenchman deftly controlled while Gary Neville stood helpless. Fabien Barthez had raced towards the edge of the penalty area, exposing himself to the simple lob with which Saha gave Fulham the lead.
Thereafter a combination of Barthez's expertise and indifferent finishing denied Fulham more goals. And while they were creating more chances only Edwin van der Sar's save from Beckham and the bar from Scholes prevented an equaliser.
When one did arrive, in the 34th minute, it came from a predictable source, Beckham's free-kick beating Van der Sar off the underside of the bar. Malbranque then exploited Scholes's error to send Saha past the centre-backs before slipping their second goal beyond Barthez's reach. Then, in the course of three minutes, Tigana's defence twice lost its concentration and paid accordingly.
One centre from Beckham found Van Nistelrooy drawing Alain Goma away from the middle before swinging back to score from Cole's chip. Another reached the far post where Barry Hayles, under pressure, headed towards his own net, the ball ricocheting off Davis for Van Nistelrooy to tap it over the line.
MANCHESTER UTD: Barthez, Irwin, Stam, Silvestre, Gary Neville, Giggs, Phil Neville (Cole 35), Veron (Brown 80), Beckham, Scholes, van Nistelrooy (Chadwick 77). Subs Not Used: Carroll, Solskjaer. Goals: Beckham 35, van Nistelrooy 51, 53.
FULHAM: Van der Sar, Melville, Harley, Goma, Finnan, Davis, Malbranque (Ouaddou 88), Goldbaek (Stolcers 79), Collins, Saha, Hayles (Betsy 84). Subs Not Used: Taylor, Symons. Booked: Goma. Goals: Saha 4, 48. Attendance: 67,534.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
