Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard scored a goal apiece as Manchester United secured an important 2-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park.
Jose Mourinho's United headed to Merseyside on New Year's Day off the back of three consecutive League draws, and looked uninspired in a drab first half as Sam Allardyce's defence stood firm.
But United were a different animal after the interval, with Paul Pogba impressing in a more advanced role to set up Martial for the breakthrough after 57 minutes.
The goal had been coming as United dominated Everton after half-time, and Martial's high finish past Jordan Pickford was the least Mourinho's men deserved as the Toffees wilted under pressure.
Everton tried to stage a revival as the half wore on, but Pogba secured another assist as Lingard continued his impressive goalscoring form by bending the ball into the top corner of Pickford's net 10 minutes from time to seal the win.
The victory ensured United went third in the table above Chelsea ahead of the champions' clash against Arsenal.
It was Wayne Rooney, United's all-time record scorer, who lost the ball in the build-up to Martial's strike and the 32-year-old endured an evening to forget having been booked and taken off as the hosts lost control of the contest in the second period.
Neither side could lay claim to dominance in the fragmented early stages, with both guilty of ponderous build-ups that missed end products.
A loose Nemanja Matic pass in midfield - not the sole one in the opening period - led to an Everton break that required a sliding Marcos Rojo intervention to stop Oumar Niasse's shot.
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Rojo registered an effort on target with a 27th-minute header that was easy for Jordan Pickford before the Toffees stopper was forced into a more strenuous save when Martial fired across the six yard box.
It came with the Frenchman familiarly cutting in off the left flank, yet as the lone striker he was not where his team needed him to be when Pickford pushed out.
Life was injected into the contest within 75 seconds of the restart as Juan Mata forced Pickford into a fingertip save.
The Spaniard pulled the trigger again from range with a swerving left-footed attempt that struck the outside of a post as United continued to increase the tempo.
Martial nearly reached a Paul Pogba cross after the United skipper had coasted into the Toffees box via a one-two before the visitors got their reward, thanks to a helping hand from their former captain.
Rooney lost possession on the edge of United's box and a counter led by Mata went through Pogba before Martial, who had dropped to the edge of the box, placed his shot into the corner..
United were a different animal now and Sam Allardyce felt the need to stop the hosts being overrun in midfield, withdrawing Rooney, to a smattering of boos, and Yannick Bolasie just after the hour mark.
It did not stop Pogba's growing influence and a fine Pickford save prevented him from rifling home a second before United's record buy nearly reached Martial's cross.
For all the second half momentum, United's lead was still slender and the Goodison Park crowd was stirred by Niasse heading just wide.
Yet the in-form Lingard put the game to bed, collecting a pass from Pogba, driving at Michael Keane and then curling around both Ashley Williams and Pickford for his 10th goal of the season.
Additional reporting by the Press Association.