TECH THAT AND PARTY ... Darren Fletcher shows perfect technique to volley Man Utd ahead
DARREN FLETCHER hit a volley of the highest quality as Man Utd registered an emphatic success over Everton.
The Scotland skipper's goal was only matched by the class of the overall performance of Alex Ferguson's side, as second-half strikes from Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia gave the scoreline a fair reflection.
It lifts United above Arsenal in the table and five points behind Chelsea - who went one better than their Old Trafford rivals by hitting four past Wolves earlier in the day.
United spent most of the first-half peppering the Everton penalty area with crosses and corners without properly penetrating the visitors' defence.
Rafael was booked for trying to haul Saha down and Jack Rodwell curled a shot wide but it was a rare counter-attack by the Merseyside outfit and United took a deserved lead 10 minutes before the break.
Valencia nodded Patrice Evra's deep cross into Fletcher's path and the midfielder - having the season of his career - hit a superb volley that curled past former Red Devils team-mate Tim Howard.
Tim Cahill received a harsh booking for deliberate handball as Everton looked for an immediate reply and Johnny Heitinga sustained a nasty cut following a clash with Nemanja Vidic that left David Moyes enraged at the break.
Marouane Fellaini was cautioned for a late tackle on Fletcher and the pressure continued as Howard was forced to race out and turn away a Michael Owen chip that was heading for the far corner.
Yakubu replaced Dan Gosling at the break to try and give Everton some thrust up front and although they crafted more opportunities it also led to more space at the other end.
A neat interchange of passes put Owen through but he was adjudged marginally offside as Howard smothered his shot.
Then Heitinga made space on the edge of the penalty area for a left foot shot but it was easily fielded by Edwin van der Sar.
Owen had another chance on 52 minutes when Valenica was stronger than Distin in the challenge but when the ball broke for the England striker his touch failed him and he was forced wide.
A long passing movement culminated with Owen squaring the ball to Wayne Rooney, whose 25-yard strike clipped the top of the crossbar. Owen was played in again soon after, with Distin sliding across to deflect the finish behind.
However, from the corner Rooney screwed a shot across goal, Ryan Giggs picked it up near the corner flag and pulled it back for Carrick to strike a controlled finish low into the corner.
Valencia scored a deflected third off Leighton Baines after sub Paul Scholes had slipped the winger through on the right as Everton's resistance visibly wilted.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva (Scholes 63), Brown, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick (Gibson 83), Giggs, Rooney, Owen (Obertan 74). Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Welbeck, De Laet. Booked: Rafael Da Silva, Carrick.
Goals: Fletcher 35, Carrick 67, Valencia 76.
Everton: Howard, Neill, Yobo, Distin, Baines, Gosling (Yakubu 46), Rodwell, Heitinga, Cahill (Jo 82), Fellaini, Saha (Hibbert 83). Subs Not Used: Nash, Coleman, Duffy, Baxter. Booked: Cahill, Fellaini.
Att: 75,169
Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).
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