Manchester United's victory at Crystal Palace may not have been convincing -- but Louis van Gaal will not mind after his men edged closer to a Champions League return.
United arrived at Selhurst Park on the back of three defeats without a goal, a run that kept Liverpool's slim hopes of finishing in fourth place alive.
Jason Puncheon cancelled out Juan Mata's penalty opener, but United went on to triumph 2-1 as Marouane Fellaini capitalised on a collision between Julian Speroni and Damien Delaney.
The Belgian's 78th-minute header was a sucker punch for Alan Pardew's Palace, who responded impressively after Mata coolly slotted home his first-half penalty.
But the handball decision against Scott Dann infuriated the home faithful, whose anger went up a notch when Puncheon's penalty appeal after a challenge by Mata was ignored.
Their frustration soon turned to elation as the substitute fired home a free-kick via a slight deflection off Daley Blind to pull Palace level.
But David de Gea ensured there was not to be a fourth straight loss for United, with some fine saves paving the way for his side's winner.
The visitors made a bright start, and with just eight minutes on the clock a 25-yard Blind effort was tipped onto the post by Speroni.
Ander Herrera fired over as United continued to edge the early exchanges and, after Glenn Murray's wayward header at the other end, the visitors won a penalty.
Dann was adjudged to have handled Ashley Young's whipped cross from the left, and Mata kept his composure to slot home.
Mile Jedinak, back in the starting line-up, came close to levelling with a powerful header, which was soon followed an intricate free-kick routine closed off just in time by United.
Joel Ward saw a penalty claim waved away before Luke Shaw left the field on a stretcher following lengthy treatment.
The left-back came off after having seemingly been caught by Murray, leading to Jonny Evans' introduction towards the end of a first half in which Wayne Rooney appeared to be nursing a thigh complaint.
The England captain stayed on, though, and would have almost certainly doubled United's lead had Delaney not bravely blocked from close range.
It proved Rooney's last involvement of note as Radamel Falcao came on for the second half, with Puncheon replacing Joe Ledley for the hosts.
Palace started the second half the sharper of the two sides and there were loud appeals for handball against Herrera after Yannick Bolasie's cross.
Murray hit into the side-netting soon afterwards before Michael Oliver rejected another appeal for a spot-kick when Puncheon went to ground after tying the United defence in knots.
The substitute appeared to be caught by Mata, and his fury at not getting a penalty was echoed by the Palace supporters.
But when Chris Smalling fouled Murray, Puncheon stepped up to the free-kick and bent the ball around the wall.
James McArthur came close to capitalising on a United mishap, flicking just wide with the outside of his right foot, and United had De Gea to thank for keeping it level when Murray was put through one-on-one.
The Spaniard was soon forced to follow-up that exceptional, one-handed save to deny former team-mate Wilfried Zaha, before United threatened at the other end as Young's low strike was deflected wide.
But when Fellaini darted towards the box after playing the ball out wide to Young, Delaney collided with Speroni, allowing the Belgian to head home.
Palace tried to recover, with De Gea called into action once more after Murray impressively wriggled free of Paddy McNair.
Speroni did well to tip over a Herrera strike at the other end following a one-two with Falcao.