Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez earned a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage to maintain his side's Champions League hopes and give Fulham a European hangover.
The hosts still had their famous victory against Juventus fresh in the mind when they found themselves behind to Roque Santa Cruz's opener, with Tevez then extending the lead before the break in the Barclays Premier League clash.
Fulham are comfortable in mid-table and boss Roy Hodgson illustrated his Europa League and FA Cup priorities by taking off key players - but Danny Murphy pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, before substitutes Nigel De Jong and Shaun Wright-Phillips missed further opportunities to seal the win for City.
With Liverpool defeated at Old Trafford, City now move above Rafael Benitez's side and know their destiny is in their own hands - if they win the rest of their games they will be in the top four.
Their victory came despite Joleon Lescott suffering a hamstring injury in the warm-up and Javier Garrido getting drafted in.
City took the lead when Tevez fed Craig Bellamy on the right flank. The Welshman's tame shot flicked the heels of Aaron Hughes, struck the post and bounced over Mark Schwarzer, allowing Santa Cruz to poke home.
Tevez then doubled the lead nine minutes before the break. The striker nut-megged Murphy then found Bellamy, whose floated return pass from the left flank found his team-mate one on one against centre-back Chris Smalling.
It was a case of Manchester United past versus future, with the Argentina forward cutting inside Old Trafford-bound Smalling before finishing crisply.
Adam Johnson struck a post before referee Lee Probert, with the help from his assistant, awarded a penalty for Gareth Barry handling Chris Baird's cross.
Murphy sent Given the wrong way with the penalty to set up a tense finale, with Stefano Okaka missing a straightforward chance to equalise and Probert turning down another spot-kick appeal when Vincent Kompany appeared to handle.
