Manchester United defender Phil Jones set for X-ray

Manchester United defender Phil Jones is to have an X-ray after suffering a facial injury in the 5-0 win at Fulham.

Jones appeared to take a knock to the face in a challenge with Fulham forward Clint Dempsey early on in the first half at Craven Cottage.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "Phil Jones got an elbow to the jaw and we'll send him for an X-ray. It doesn't look good."

Ashley Young will also be out for two to three weeks with a knee problem.

The winger was forced off in the second half after a challenge from Dickson Etuhu and is likely to miss the whole festive period.

Defender Rio Ferdinand missed Wednesday's win because of a knock and will not be fit for the Boxing Day clash with Wigan.

"Rio will maybe be back for the Blackburn game on New Year's Eve," said Ferguson.

"Phil [Jones] is a concern and Ashley is out for two or three weeks. It was an elbow [on Jones], but I don't think it was intentional.

"I thought the challenge on Ashley Young was aggressive. We're all right in the striker department, it's in other areas we are picking up injuries."

Man Utd's current injury list

• Nemanja Vidic (knee)
• Rio Ferdinand (knock)
• Darren Fletcher (illness)
• Michael Owen (thigh)
• Anderson (knee)
• Tom Cleverley (ankle)
• Fabio (hamstring)
• Phil Jones (jaw)
• Ashley Young (knee)

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Fulham 0 - 5 Man Utd

Manchester United shrugged off injuries to Phil Jones and Ashley Young to thrash a lifeless Fulham side.

Ryan Giggs maintained his record of scoring in every Premier League season

Danny Welbeck's close-range finish was added to by a header from Nani and a deflected Ryan Giggs effort in a first half United completely dominated.

Wayne Rooney smashed in from 30 yards before Dimitar Berbatov's audacious backheeled finish late on.

The win sees United stay in second place in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Manchester City.

Jones required extensive treatment after catching a stray Clint Dempsey elbow to the face in the opening minutes.

Referee Mark Halsey did not give a foul for the challenge but Dempsey was lucky to escape a card after striking Jones with his left elbow.

After a lengthy stoppage Jones continued as United took an early lead.

Nani collected the ball on the halfway line, drifted past Bryan Ruiz, and carried the ball unchallenged 50 yards down the left before picking out Welbeck for a crisp finish from seven yards.

Jones was called into action to deny Ruiz with a fine tackle before succumbing to his injury.

Young came on for United, with Antonio Valencia switching to right-back, before more slack defending from the home side allowed Nani to head the second.

Fulham switched off as Giggs took a quick corner to Valencia. He played it back to Giggs, whose cross was headed in by Nani with the lurking Rooney unable to add a touch.

United killed the game off just before half-time through veteran Giggs.

Again the visitors were afforded far too much time and space as Nani ambled into penalty area before teeing up the 38-year-old Welshman. Giggs's shot took a huge deflection off Philippe Senderos and looped over the head of goalkeeper David Stockdale.

Substitute Young was then forced off after the break with what looked like a knee injury after a challenge from Dickson Etuhu, as Fulham made some belated improvement.

Dempsey saw a header saved by Anders Lindegaard, Moussa Dembele shot wide and John Arne Riise smashed a free-kick past the post.

Andrew Johnson then twice should have done better for Fulham before United hit two late goals.

Rooney - making his 300th Premier League appearance - advanced from midfield and drilled a fine shot in off the far post, before substitute Berbatov provided a touch of class in stoppage time with his 50th goal for the club.

Valencia exchanged passes with Nani before breaking into the penalty area and squaring for Berbatov.

The ball was behind the Bulgarian but he was able to backheel the ball past Stockdale into the corner.

Fulham manager Martin Jol: "I am angry and disappointed. They had eight attempts on goal and scored five goals. They played around us on the flanks and we did not defend well. Nani scored a header which tells you all.

"We let ourselves down. We improved and could have scored a few but it is easy when you are 3-0 down.

"They have a lot of quality but we were not aggressive enough. Conceding early is not good for your confidence. It was too easy for them.

"We have to pick ourselves up because there are a lot of teams on the same amount of points."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "The performance in the first half was as good as we have played all season in fairness. You think the third goal would kill Fulham but they came out very aggressive in the second half.

"They changed the pattern of the game but on the counter we always looked a threat."

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QPR 0 - 2 Man Utd

Manchester United maintained the pressure on Manchester City at the Premier League summit with a comfortable win against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Rooney took his club tally for the season to 15 goals in all competitions

Wayne Rooney set them on the way to a victory that restored them to the top of the table - if only for a few hours - with a header inside the first minute.

And after United missed a succession of chances and were denied by QPR keeper Radek Cerny, Michael Carrick settled an entertaining encounter and gave them the winning margin their vast superiority deserved with his first goal in 70 games for United, shortly after half-time.

QPR were tenacious but were eventually outclassed by United's greater quality, as Sir Alex Ferguson's side continued their rehabilitation from their shock Champions League exit with a second successive league win to maintain their pursuit of a 20th title.

With Darren Fletcher ruled out for the foreseeable future through illness, Carrick was paired with Phil Jones in central midfield. And the versatile England teenager could also have got on the scoresheet in a powerful and impressive performance, hitting the woodwork and being halted by Cerny after a surging run.

United still showed occasional signs of frailty in defence without injured captain Nemanja Vidic and with Patrice Evra particularly vulnerable, but they ultimately carried far too much power for QPR, especially with Rooney restored to his familiar attacking role after a spell in midfield.

The visitors were unchanged from the win against Wolves - but had the lift of the early return of Javier Hernandez on the bench after suffering an ankle injury in the recent win at Aston Villa.

It was Rooney who made the instant impact as he stole in on Antonio Valencia's cross to send a downward header beyond the reach of Cerny in the opening seconds to subdue a typically vibrant atmosphere inside Loftus Road.

United's slick passing was proving too much for QPR in the early exchanges and Cerny needed to dash off his line to block Danny Welbeck after he was played in by Nani.

QPR, however, showed real reserves of resilience to dig their way back into a match that looked well beyond them at the start, with striker Heidar Helguson taking advantage of weakness in United's defence as he headed Joey Barton's cross just over.

For all the typical endeavour of Warnock's side, it was United who showed thrust going forward as they created a succession of chances before the interval.

Jonny Evans headed on to the bar from a corner, while Cerny saved QPR again after 28 minutes when he dived at the feet of Jones after Rooney's incisive pass sent him racing clear.

Cerny, heroic in QPR's defeat at Liverpool last week, was in outstanding form again as he demonstrated agility and sharp reflexes to save from Valencia as he looked certain to add United's second.

QPR refused to go under in the face of United's attacking threat and created opportunities of their own as the interval approached. United keeper David de Gea blocked Helguson's shot with his legs before Jay Bothroyd's low cross flew agonisingly beyond the stretching Jamie Mackie.

United were in no mood to let any more chances slip away - and they duly punished QPR nine minutes after the break, with more than a little help from the Londoners.

Carrick dispossessed Barton with ease and advanced unchallenged towards the area before scoring with a low shot that Cerny should have made a better attempt to keep out.

It was a rare, albeit vital, blemish on Cerny's performance and he was soon distinguishing himself again with a spectacular save from Welbeck, who was promptly removed and replaced by Hernandez.

QPR, understandably, were showing signs of deflation and Jones almost increased their lead further only to strike a post, before Cerny was the barrier once more to save from Nani.

Adel Taarabt and DJ Campbell were introduced in a double change by Warnock as time ran out and created their side's best chance of the game. Taarabt's cross should have been converted by the striker, who somehow put his effort off target from right in front of goal.

It was United's final moment of anxiety - and with the door left ajar in the title race by Manchester City's first defeat of the season at Chelsea on Monday, United will be delighted with another important victory.

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No transfer panic at Man Utd - Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he will not panic buy during the January transfer window.

Ferguson in no rush to replace Fletcher

A knee injury has ended Nemanja Vidic's season and Darren Fletcher is taking an extended break for health reasons.

With Anderson sidelined by a long-term knee problem and Javier Hernandez and Tom Cleverley also out of action, United's resources are stretched.

But Ferguson insists he will not buy "unless someone appears we have always been interested in".

United were knocked out of the Champions League following defeat to Basel, and their growing injury list prompted former midfielder Paul Ince to tell BBC Sport they need to buy a striker.

However, asked if he would bolster his squad in the new year, Ferguson said: "Not necessarily. I don't know why people keep going on about it."

Midfielder Fletcher has not played for three weeks, an absence United had put down to a virus.

However, this week the club confirmed he was suffering from ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.

"We spoke about a virus to protect Darren but it got to the point (where) people were delving," said Ferguson.

"It was getting uncomfortable so we decided to make it public. That was the big decision.

"He has been in hospital for a few days."

Ferguson revealed that striker Dimitar Berbatov is fit after ankle trouble and teenage midfielder Paul Pogba could also feature in Sunday's Premier League clash with QPR at Loftus Road.

Pogba, 18, has made three substitute appearances in the Carling Cup this season, but Ferguson admitted on Friday the club are finding it "difficult" to deal with the player's agent.

After being part of last season's FA Youth Cup winning side, Pogba has so far turned down the chance of signing a contract extension at Old Trafford.

Ferguson said: "We are negotiating and we want the boy to stay. If he doesn't want to there is not a lot you can do about it. You just hope he gets the right advice.

"We have an option on his contract so in that respect there is not a great emergency. But if he wants to be a Manchester United player he knows what to do.

"Matt Busby summed it up perfectly when he said you don't need to chase money at a club like Manchester United," added Ferguson.

"He said it will eventually find you if you are a good enough player."

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