United can win treble - Hughes

Mark Hughes watched his Fulham team get swept aside with the minimum of fuss by Manchester United at Old Trafford and acknowledged his old club are on course for the treble.

First-half goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia ensured United were never seriously threatened. Victory took them 10 points clear in the Premier League ahead of a crucial week that includes Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final return with Chelsea and next weekend's eagerly-anticipated FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.

And whilst Hughes accepts United still have plenty of work ahead of them to emulate the heroes of 1999, he knows it can be done. And he said: "They could win everything. They are ticking games off and when you get to this stage of the season, they have been here, understand what needs to happen and what it takes."

He added: "It is a big ask. Sir Alex would say himself it is very difficult to do. But trust me, it is something they will try and achieve. Good luck to them."

If all goes to plan, United's season still has 12 games to go and will reach its conclusion in the Champions League final at Wembley on May 28.

However, their hard-to-please manager will demand far more than he saw on Saturday afternoon.

To most observers, it seemed like the perfect afternoon ahead of two such significant tests. For Ferguson it was a disappointment.

"It was a result but I wouldn't say it was a job well done at all," he said. "We were a bit casual and lackadaisical.

"In the first half we played some very good football and could have scored a couple more. But we became wasteful with our possession in the second and might have suffered for that."