So, no such thing as an easy game in the Premier League? There was more talent on United’s bench than you might find at Craven Cottage during an entire season and the champions never needed it. The 11 starters breezed past a challenge that caused hardly a moment’s anxiety and never can a team have closed the gap on the league leaders with such energy-saving grace.

United played six or seven who will have to play again against Lyons on Tuesday but for men with the Champions League on their minds, this was a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The scoreline only hints at the difference in class. United won with remarkable ease. Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Anderson sat on their sacred bench for 70 minutes; Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and Nemanja Vidic had a day of rest and rehab but it was the guys out on the pitch who had it easiest of all.

The day could have been even better for United. Arsenal’s late equaliser against Aston Villa preserved the narrowest of leads at the top of the Premier League and prompted Sir Alex Ferguson, United’s manager, to observe: “I see it was the 95th minute of their usual seven minutes’ injury time.”

United’s rearranged side appeared to regard their rivals as beneath them. Rio Ferdinand didn’t seem to break sweat and if he did, it wasn’t from worry. His partner in central defence, Wes Brown, had a couple of daft moments, but what did it matter? Second place against second from bottom, it wasn’t a gap but a chasm.

United went a goal up after 15 minutes, got the second just before half-time and from there, all doubt about the result died. “I didn’t think it was a great game,” said Ferguson. “It was a very windy day and a lively pitch but I think we did the job very professionally. We switched the team around and gave Rooney and Ronaldo a break. So it is a good day for us.”

There are bits and pieces to report, namely that reports of the strength of United’s squad are not exaggerated and neither are reports of Fulham’s possible departure from the Premier League. The home side played Roy Hodgson’s football, which was neat and based on the game’s best principles. They never resorted to kicking superior opponents and all they lacked was talent. “We must try to keep people’s heads up and attack these last 10 games, said Hodgson. “I am saddened, but not despondent. I thought we did reasonably well, and I would be interested to know how United saw our performance.” It would depend on how diplomatic they chose to be.

United are always worth watching and it was a pleasure to again witness Paul Scholes’s technical excellence and generous team play. There have been occasions this season when United’s little maestro has had to play second fiddle to Anderson but in this otherwise low-key match, he shone like a beacon. Not many midfielders play the pass at the precise moment his teammate wants it but Scholes does, always. He plays it simple most of the time but when the extravagant pass was the correct option, he let it go. He struck a free kick in the fifth minute that travelled 70 yards on to the chest of Louis Saha, creating a chance he blazed high and wide.

The reprieve did not last long and 10 minutes later United were in front when Owen Hargreaves drove a marvellous free kick into the corner of the Fulham net. Antti Niemi never moved and though it was Hargreaves’ first goal for United, it wasn’t his first decent free kick.

Fulham’s chance of getting back into the match rested on one moment 12 minutes before the break. Eddie Johnson’s free kick flew towards the far post, Danny Murphy came flying in and, luckily for United, his firm header went straight at Edwin van der Sar. Even then, one sensed that was it for Fulham, a feeling that became certainty when Ji-Sung Park put United two in front just before half-time.

Good work by Carlos Tevez and Nani gave Scholes the chance to cross, and Park powered his header home off the bar. Rooney, Ronaldo and Anderson must have sighed at that point, fearing they would never get any second-half action. As it turned out, they got the last 20 minutes, and perhaps it was their presence that spooked Simon Davies into diverting John O’Shea’s cross into his own net.

Three goals in front, United eased up through that final quarter, inviting Fulham forward and giving up plenty of little half-chances that their underpowered rivals couldn’t take. Still, it was enough to keep van der Sar alert and provide him with a useful workout before Tuesday. Rooney, Ronaldo and Anderson all looked sharp and they brought a late flourish to the game.

It was especially refreshing to watch Rooney chase back and run around like a kid who knew he wasn’t going to get as much action as he wanted.

Perhaps the most engaging vignette of that final quarter was the home crowd’s displeasure with Nani, who they felt had dived after an innocuous challenge from Paul Konchesky. It may or may not have been a dive but what was interesting was the Portuguese’s calm refusal to be intimidated by the crowd and his silent indifference to Konchesky’s follow-up shoulder charge.

Plenty of character to complement wonderful technique, he will be with us for a long time to come.

Fergie goes for gold?

Sir Alex Ferguson has won practically everything football has to offer, apart from one thing. Now the prospect of an Olympic medal may persuade him to turn the famous Fergie hairdryer on a Great Britain XI at the London 2012 Olympics. Agreement has not yet been reached on whether Britain will field a team - the Scots seem reluctant to commit to the enterprise - but it is believed that Lord Coe, leader of the London bid, has sounded out the Manchester United manager. The FA of Wales and its Northern Ireland counterpart have also been lukewarm, worried that their independence as football nations might be jeopardised. An Old Trafford spokesman said: ‘It is a long way off and there is no certainty there will even be a Great Britain team but we would be very surprised if Sir Alex was not in the frame, given his credentials. He is one of the best managers in the British game."

Match stats

Player ratings: Fulham: Niemi 6, Staltieri 6, Hughes 5, Hangeland 5, Konchesky 5, Johnson 4 (Nevland 90min), Volz 6 (Kamara 90min), Murphy 6 (Smertin 64min), Bullard 6, Davies 5, McBride 6
Man Utd: Van der Sar 7, O’Shea 6, Ferdinand 6, Brown 6, Evra 6, Park 7, Scholes 8, Hargreaves 7, Nani 7 (Anderson 69min), Tevez 5 (Ronaldo 75min), Saha 6 (Rooney 75min)
Star man: Paul Scholes (Manchester Utd)
Referee: M Dean Attendance: 25,314