United the English game’s great entertainers, says Coleman

Manchester United 4 Fulham 2

Two games, 13 goals, thrilling attacking play undermined by defensive frailties. It has been just like old times for Alex Ferguson's side.

It took United longer to shake off plucky Fulham than they would have expected after strolling into a two-goal lead inside the first quarter of an hour. Yet the manner of victory kept fans on the edge of their seats right until the very end.

"There is no doubt Chelsea are the best team at the moment, they are the most efficient team, they are playing with great confidence and they are winning games," observed Coleman. "But they can go one goal up, be happy with that and shut up shop. Manchester United are not allowed to play like that."

Ferguson has such faith in his stylish forwards he could even afford to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench and still claim a victory.

However, even the Scot admitted the manner of the win was fortuitous given the ridiculous blunder which allowed Louis Saha to net his ninth goal in 12 games.

Assistant referee Nigel Bannister could be seen mouthing 'I'm sorry' to Cottagers skipper Luis Boa Morte after the final whistle, a reference to the official's inexplicable failure to spot Ruud van Nistelrooy clearly standing a yard offside in the build-up to Saha's strike. It was an inexcusable mistake, which came less than a minute after Fulham had dragged themselves back into the contest through Brian McBride's brilliant header and Coleman's forceful protests saw him dispatched to the stand.

"The decision had a massive effect on the result," said Coleman, whose side are still without an away win this season.

Park Ji-sung's first Premiership goal was greeted with high fives from the sizeable South Korean contingent in the press box but brought frustration to Fulham defender Carlos Bocanegra, who deflected the midfielder's shot out of Niemi's reach for United's opener.

Cristiano Ronaldo's opener was a 30-yard free-kick which spun one way, then the other, leaving Niemi rooted to the spot as it flashed into the roof of his net.

Saha tapped home number three after Niemi had denied an offside Van Nistelrooy. Then, after Heidar Helguson had reduced the deficit to a single goal with another powerful header, Ronaldo finished the visitors off with a wondrous drive from an acute angle after Van Nistelrooy had been thwarted.

The win brought an end to a draining run of 19 games in nine weeks for the Red Devils which has seen them advance to the Carling Cup Final, book a fifth round FA Cup tie with Liverpool, retain a slender hope of reclaiming the championship, yet also suffer the crushing disappointment of an early exit from Europe.

"I am really proud of my players," said Ferguson. "It has been a phenomenal display of human courage which has allowed them to play so many games in such a short space of time and also get the results we have.

"I know Chelsea need to make catastrophic mistakes to lose this league and you can't really see that happening. But, if we keep winning, you never know. We just keep hoping that something happens."

Opta Fact: Man Utd have lost just one of their last 18 league games against London opposition.

Opta Fact: Fulham are the only side not to have won an away game in the Premiership this season