Manchester United failed to capitalise on Chelsea's draw
at Arsenal as Papa Bouba Diop's superb 25-yard strike cancelled out Alan
Smith's opener.
United started strongly and almost took the lead when
first Roy Keane and then Wayne Rooney each smashed long-range shots against
the woodwork.
Smith finally made the breakthrough when he robbed
Sylvain Legwinski and poked the ball past Edwin van der Sar.
But United were made to pay for wasted chances when Diop
equalised late on.
From the way United started, it seemed not if they would
win but a question of by how many goals.
Rooney, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes all fired warning
shots as United poured forward and easily bypassed Fulham's midfield.
For all his bulk and physical presence, Diop was proving
ineffective at repelling wave after wave of attacks.
But the Senegal international did almost haul Fulham back
into the game when he forced Roy Carroll into tipping his header over just
after the re-start.
But by then, United should have made any Fulham strike a
mere consolation, such was their dominance in the first half.
The woodwork twice prevented United before Smith's
opener.
Keane thundered a long-range shot against the post and
then Rooney cracked an effort that cannoned off the other upright.
A bewildered Fulham seemed helpless and Cristiano Ronaldo
fizzed a shot narrowly wide as United fired at will.
This was a golden opportunity to close the gap and we
didn't take it.
How can we challenge for the title if we get results like
this when we have the opportunity to close the gap?
The inevitable happened just after the half-hour, when
Smith demonstrated his tenacity and eye for goal.
His initial shot was blocked but he retrieved the rebound
with a sliding tackle on Legwinski, then beat Liam Rosenior before poking
the ball home with his right foot.
After the interval, Fulham moved their defensive line
further up the pitch and benefited as United's time on the ball was greatly
reduced.
And the visitors' almost lost their lead, too, when
former United striker Andy Cole jinked past Rio Ferdinand to crash a sweet
strike against the post.
A galvanised Fulham were through again shortly after but
Legwinski chose to play the ball across the box rather than shoot and the
chance was gone.
Despite retaining less possession than in the first 45
minutes, United still looked menacing when moving forward.
Scholes and Smith were keen to shoot on sight, and Gabriel Heinze went
close with a free-kick as Sir Alex Ferguson's men attempted to improve their
advantage.
