Man Utd’s transformation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues as victory at Fulham moved them into the top four for the first time this season.
Paul Pogba set the visitors on their way with a fine finish past Sergio Rico who was wrong-footed and unable to get a hand on the Frenchman's shot as it flew in past his near post.
Anthony Martial then doubled United’s lead with less than 25 minutes on the clock, before Pogba added his second – and United’s third – from the penalty spot.
The victory sent United above Chelsea, who missed the chance to win back their place in the Champions League places with a thumping 6-0 defeat at the home of the champions Manchester City on Sunday.
Goals from Sergio Aguero (three), Raheem Sterling (two) and Ilkay Gundogan ensured neighbours United kept their place in the top four going into a break from top flight competition.
Solskjaer's men now face PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday before visiting Maurizio Sarri's bruised side in the FA Cup on Monday, February 18.
Here's how the Premier League table looked when Solskjaer took the reins at Old Trafford...
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Liverpool | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 45 |
| 2 | Man City | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 44 |
| 3 | Tottenham | 17 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 39 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 37 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 17 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 26 |
| 7 | Wolves | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 25 |
| 8 | Everton | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 24 |
| 9 | West Ham | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| 10 | Watford | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | -2 | 24 |
| 11 | Bournemouth | 17 | 7 | 2 | 8 | -3 | 23 |
| 12 | Leicester | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 22 |
| 13 | Brighton | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | -4 | 21 |
| 14 | Newcastle | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -8 | 16 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | -9 | 15 |
| 16 | Cardiff | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | -16 | 14 |
| 17 | Southampton | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -16 | 12 |
| 18 | Burnley | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | -18 | 12 |
| 19 | Huddersfield | 17 | 2 | 4 | 11 | -18 | 10 |
| 20 | Fulham | 17 | 2 | 3 | 12 | -26 | 9 |
It is some turnaround by Solskjaer, who inherited a side which sat 11 points outside the top four after a disappointing opening to the campaign under Jose Mourinho.
Many had already written United out of the race for a Champions League spot before Christmas, but 25 points gathered from 27 available in the Premier League have propelled the Red Devils into contention.
The 2-2 draw with Burnley at Old Trafford in January was the only disappointment of Solskjaer's reign thus far, and even then United wrestled back from 2-0 down to snatch a point with less than 10 minutes to play.
Solskjaer said: "I think we've risen to most of the challenges, maybe of course the setback of the two Burnley goals we conceded, maybe they will make us move to the next level because I think we've given ourselves a chance now to get into the top four maybe earlier than we thought.
Here's how the table looks now...
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Man City | 27 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 65 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 26 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 44 | 65 |
| 3 | Tottenham | 26 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 60 |
| 4 | Man Utd | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 51 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 50 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 50 |
| 7 | Wolves | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 38 |
| 8 | Watford | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 37 |
| 9 | Everton | 27 | 9 | 6 | 12 | -3 | 33 |
| 10 | West Ham | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | -7 | 33 |
| 11 | Bournemouth | 26 | 10 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 33 |
| 12 | Leicester | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | -3 | 32 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 27 |
| 14 | Brighton | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -11 | 27 |
| 15 | Burnley | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -18 | 27 |
| 16 | Cardiff City | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | -23 | 27 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 25 | 6 | 6 | 13 | -12 | 24 |
| 18 | Southampton | 26 | 5 | 9 | 12 | -16 | 24 |
| 19 | Fulham | 26 | 4 | 5 | 17 | -33 | 17 |
| 20 | Huddersfield | 26 | 2 | 5 | 19 | -34 | 11 |
