Manchester United took advantage of Arsenal's slip-up against Aston Villa with a routine 3-0 away win over relegation-threatened Fulham to move within a point of the Gunners at the summit of the Premier League.

Goals from Owen Hargreaves, Ji-Sung Park and a Simon Davies own goal handed United all three points at Craven Cottage as the champions cut the deficit at the top of the table.

United never looked in danger of losing points and despite several defensive lapses which threatened to see the Cottagers make a breakthrough, it was a comfortable run-out ahead of next week's Champions League tie with Lyon.

With that in mind, Alex Ferguson had opted to leave Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, giving rare starts to Louis Saha - against his old club - and Park.

Hargreaves was preferred to Michael Carrick in the middle, and it was the Canadian who opened the scoring - and his United account - after a quarter of an hour, curling a free kick up over the wall and past Antti Niemi in the Fulham goal.

Park then doubled United's lead just before half-time, bravely heading Paul Scholes's cross in off the underside of the bar before Davies put into his own net in the second half to complete a miserable day for Roy Hodgson's side.

The opening period was an enjoyable, open affair that was littered with defensive lapses at both ends of the pitch - only it was United who knew how to finish better.

Saha, returning to his former stomping ground really should have opened the scoring after just four minutes of play, but he sliced wide having been put through on goal by Scholes's quickly taken free-kick.

Carlos Tevez then gave the hosts an indication of United's mood with a snap shot from outside the box which Niemi was forced to tip round the corner before the Finland keeper was again brought into action on 25 minutes, this time to deny Scholes a close range header.

Scholes, who gave every indication he is approaching his best once again, was presented with another goalscoring opportunity in the 35th minute, but Nani's cross found him somewhat unprepared, and the ball struck him in the stomach before bouncing wide of the post.

But it was not all United - Fulham had chances of their own during the first half, two very presentable ones falling to Danny Murphy. The first - a superbly struck volley from outside the area - had Edwin Van der Sar at full stretch but the second was all too easy for the Dutchman. Murphy was left alone at the far post but he could only head straight into the keeper's arms from Jimmy Bullard's free kick.

Two goals down at the break, and it was always going to be difficult for Fulham to get themselves back into the game, and so it proved in the second half.

Moritz Volz's 58th minute effort that was deflected just wide of the post by Patrice Evra was the closest the hosts came pulling one back and when both Rooney and Ronaldo were introduced with 20 minutes left, hope of an already unlikely comeback was all but extinguished.

What little remained was then snuffed out for good when Davies firmly planted John O'Shea's cross past his own keeper in the 72nd minute.

Fulham remain deep in relegation trouble - six points off safety - while at the other end, the race for the title continues to capture the imagination.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport