Harry Redknapp left Old Trafford with plenty to ponder as Manchester United roared back to condemn QPR to the worst Premier League start any side has made after 13 games.
Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the table despite taking a second-half lead through Jamie Mackie.
Any hope Redknapp might have had of his new charges marking his installation as manager by recording their first win of the season evaporated with three United goals in a nine-minute burst.
Comeback kid: Darren Fletcher scored what proved to be the winner for Manchester United against QPR
MATCH FACTS
MAN UNITED: Lindegaard;
Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans; Young (Anderson 59), Scholes (Hernandez
59), Fletcher; Rooney, Welbeck (Powell 79), Van Persie Subs not used: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Cleverley.
Booked: Scholes
Goals: Evans 64, Fletcher 68, Hernandez 72.
QPR: Julio Cesar; Traore (Ferdinand 61), Hill, Nelsen, Derry; Taarabt (Hoilett 73), Dyer, Faurlin (Granero 84), M'bia, Cisse, Mackie Subs not used: Green, Diakite, Wright-Phillips, Ephraim.
Booked: Mbia.
Goals: Mackie 52.
Attendance: 75,603
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Booked: Scholes
Goals: Evans 64, Fletcher 68, Hernandez 72.
QPR: Julio Cesar; Traore (Ferdinand 61), Hill, Nelsen, Derry; Taarabt (Hoilett 73), Dyer, Faurlin (Granero 84), M'bia, Cisse, Mackie Subs not used: Green, Diakite, Wright-Phillips, Ephraim.
Booked: Mbia.
Goals: Mackie 52.
Attendance: 75,603
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Javier Hernandez bagged another to confirm United's status as leaders ahead of Manchester City's visit to Chelsea tomorrow.
Redknapp had seen enough, leaving four minutes from the end to contemplate what he has already admitted represents the biggest challenge of his managerial career.
By half-time, Redknapp would have at least been able to content himself that he had something to work with.
Rangers had a sense of purpose and stuck to their defensive duties with diligence, even though they were assisted by the lacklustre nature of United's display.
Stand-in manager Mark Bowen might even have had a goal to celebrate after Mackie converted an excellent cross from Djibril Cisse, only for the effort to be ruled out by a tight offside call going against him.
Watching on: Harry Redknapp, confirmed as QPR boss on Saturday morning, was in the stands
Keep your seat warm: Mark Bowen took charge of the team following the sacking of Mark Hughes
After successive defeats at Norwich and Galatasaray, the hosts should have been ready to tear at weakened opponents.
Instead, they pawed around in virtual disinterest.
Bright start: Jamie Mackie gave the bottom club a huge lift when he poked home early in the second half
You would not have needed to be around as long as Redknapp to understand being goalless at half-time against a team managed by Ferguson counts for little.
On the previous 21 occasions United had been in such a position, 19 had ended in a home win.
Nevertheless, the confidence exuded by Julio Cesar to step inside a Rooney challenge deep inside the visitors' box suggested a large degree of confidence, either than or insanity.
Yet, this season at least, as much a feature of United winning has been their concession of the first goal.
Comeback: Jonny Evans powered home an equaliser to spark United's revival
It had happened in their previous four games so it was no surprise they should fall behind again.
Defensively, they were supposed to be getting stronger personnel wise. There was no evidence of it though as United failed to read a short corner and then failed to prevent Kieron Dyer getting down the by-line.
Then, after Anders Lindegaard had only been able to shove Dyer's low cross away from his goal, Mackie finished off.
Within minutes, Adel Taarabt had curled a free-kick narrowly over.
Ferguson took immediate action, hauling off Paul Scholes and Young in favour of Anderson and Javier Hernandez.
The change took a little while to have any discernable effect, but eventually, United brought themselves level.
Rooney spoke only yesterday about not being bothered to relinquish some of the goalscoring responsibilities he has carried since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.
He cannot have expected Evans to have picked up the mantle.
Prior to this season, the Northern Irishman had only scored one United goal.
When he was on hand to turn home Welbeck's header from Rooney's corner, it was his third of the season.
If that goal was well received, the
one Fletcher got to put the hosts ahead from another Rooney corner
triggered an emotional reaction from the Scot.
It was Fletcher's first Premier League goal since that derby-day mauling by Manchester City 13 months ago, most of the intervening period he spent battling against a chronic bowel complaint that threatened his career.
Hernandez was soon tucking home his ninth of the season as QPR showed their brittle side again, completing a disastrous nine-minute spell which underlined why they are in so much trouble.
Clint Hill had a header cleared off the line by Rafael before the end, although by then, Redknapp had gone anyway.\
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Aston Villa climbed out of the Barclays Premier League bottom three with a deserved share of the spoils against Arsene Wenger's side at Villa Park.
But a single point did little to bolster Arsenal's hopes of re-igniting their hopes of a top-four finish in a game of few clear-cut chances.
It needed a fine save from Gunners keeper Wojciech Szczesny to deny Villa substitute Brett Holman a late winner.
Home boss Paul Lambert was forced to
watch the game from the stands after his one match ban but would have
taken great heart from the way his side performed against the Gunners.
Central defender Ciaran Clark had a fine game in limiting the threat of the in-form Lukas Podolski and securing his side's third clean sheet of the season.
Up front Christian Benteke posed problems for the Arsenal back four against the team he supported as a youngster.
The Gunners have now taken only one point from their past three away games and would have fancied their chances of winning at a ground where they have been unbeaten since 1998.
But they looked like unlocking Villa only spasmodically despite the runs forward of midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
There was a quiet start to the game although Arsenal enjoyed most of the early possession.
Villa skipper Ron Vlaar made an important last-ditch tackle to halt a powerful surge forward by Gunners full-back Kieran Gibbs.
Szczesny came out of his area to clear a Barry Bannan through-ball aimed at the run of Benteke.
The Arsenal keeper then made the first save of the game in turning aside a shot from a narrow angle by Andreas Weimann.
Szczesny dealt more comfortably with a long-range attempt from Bannan and Benteke headed wide from an Ashley Westwood corner.
Villa midfielder Karim El Ahmadi became the first player to be booked for diving by referee Lee Mason.
Home keeper Brad Guzan made his first
meaningful save after 29 minutes and the United States international
reacted sharply to keep out a deflected shot from Ramsey.
Szczesny was fortunate to escape without even a yellow card when he caught the ball but then slid out of the box under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Weimann had the ball in the net after Clark's shot from the resulting free-kick by Bannan dropped into his path but he had strayed offside.
Per Mertesacker produced a fine tackle to halt Agbonlahor's run as over optimistic Villa fans appealed for a penalty.
Laurent Koscielny missed the best chance of the first half after 43 minutes.
Olivier Giroud supplied the low cross and Koscielny found himself unmarked after a slip by Clark but he miscued his shot over the bar.
Villa were forced to make a change after 51 minutes when Vlaar limped out of the action to be replaced by Eric Lichaj.
He slotted in at right-back with Matt Lowton switching to the centre of the back four.
Ramsey shot wide at the near post from a low Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cross and volleyed over from a deep Santi Cazorla corner.
But Villa were still posing a threat to their opponents and Benteke had a header deflected past the post from Bannan's corner.
Szczesny got his body behind a low attempt from Agbonlahor after being teed up by substitute Holman.
Ramsey was only just wide with a low skimming shot.
Szczesny came to Arsenal's rescue when he finger-tipped a fierce Holman effort onto the bar with 12 minutes remaining.
Defensively, they were supposed to be getting stronger personnel wise. There was no evidence of it though as United failed to read a short corner and then failed to prevent Kieron Dyer getting down the by-line.
Then, after Anders Lindegaard had only been able to shove Dyer's low cross away from his goal, Mackie finished off.
Within minutes, Adel Taarabt had curled a free-kick narrowly over.
Head boy: Darren Fletcher, starting in the Premier League for the first time in a year, grabbed a goal
The change took a little while to have any discernable effect, but eventually, United brought themselves level.
Rooney spoke only yesterday about not being bothered to relinquish some of the goalscoring responsibilities he has carried since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.
He cannot have expected Evans to have picked up the mantle.
Prior to this season, the Northern Irishman had only scored one United goal.
When he was on hand to turn home Welbeck's header from Rooney's corner, it was his third of the season.
That settles it: Javier Hernandez emerged from the bench to grab his team's third and final goal
It was Fletcher's first Premier League goal since that derby-day mauling by Manchester City 13 months ago, most of the intervening period he spent battling against a chronic bowel complaint that threatened his career.
Hernandez was soon tucking home his ninth of the season as QPR showed their brittle side again, completing a disastrous nine-minute spell which underlined why they are in so much trouble.
Clint Hill had a header cleared off the line by Rafael before the end, although by then, Redknapp had gone anyway.\
Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0: Gunners' trip to Midlands ends in stalemate
By John Curtis, Press Association|
Aston Villa climbed out of the Barclays Premier League bottom three with a deserved share of the spoils against Arsene Wenger's side at Villa Park.
But a single point did little to bolster Arsenal's hopes of re-igniting their hopes of a top-four finish in a game of few clear-cut chances.
It needed a fine save from Gunners keeper Wojciech Szczesny to deny Villa substitute Brett Holman a late winner.
Frustration: Olivier Giroud could not get on the scoresheet before he was substituted
MATCH FACTS
Aston Villa: Guzan, Vlaar (Lichaj 51), Clark, Stevens, Lowton, El Ahmadi (Holman 63), Westwood, Bannan, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann (Albrighton 90)
Subs not used: Given, Ireland, Delph, Bowery
Booked: El Ahmadi
Arsenal: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin 77), Ramsey, Cazorla, Podolski (Gervinho 69), Giroud (Coquelin 86)
Subs not used: Mannone, Sagna, Vermaelen, Wilshere
Referee: Lee Mason
Attendance: 34,607
Subs not used: Given, Ireland, Delph, Bowery
Booked: El Ahmadi
Arsenal: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin 77), Ramsey, Cazorla, Podolski (Gervinho 69), Giroud (Coquelin 86)
Subs not used: Mannone, Sagna, Vermaelen, Wilshere
Referee: Lee Mason
Attendance: 34,607
Central defender Ciaran Clark had a fine game in limiting the threat of the in-form Lukas Podolski and securing his side's third clean sheet of the season.
Up front Christian Benteke posed problems for the Arsenal back four against the team he supported as a youngster.
The Gunners have now taken only one point from their past three away games and would have fancied their chances of winning at a ground where they have been unbeaten since 1998.
But they looked like unlocking Villa only spasmodically despite the runs forward of midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
There was a quiet start to the game although Arsenal enjoyed most of the early possession.
Battle: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries to wrestle the ball from Christian Benteke
Race on: Olivier Giroud (left) is pursued by Ron Vlaar
Villa skipper Ron Vlaar made an important last-ditch tackle to halt a powerful surge forward by Gunners full-back Kieran Gibbs.
Szczesny came out of his area to clear a Barry Bannan through-ball aimed at the run of Benteke.
The Arsenal keeper then made the first save of the game in turning aside a shot from a narrow angle by Andreas Weimann.
Szczesny dealt more comfortably with a long-range attempt from Bannan and Benteke headed wide from an Ashley Westwood corner.
Villa midfielder Karim El Ahmadi became the first player to be booked for diving by referee Lee Mason.
Penetration: Oxlade-Chamberlain could not create the killer chance for Arsenal
Unlucky: Aaron Ramsey tries a flick in front of goal
Szczesny was fortunate to escape without even a yellow card when he caught the ball but then slid out of the box under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Weimann had the ball in the net after Clark's shot from the resulting free-kick by Bannan dropped into his path but he had strayed offside.
Dejected: Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker clap the visiting fans
Laurent Koscielny missed the best chance of the first half after 43 minutes.
Olivier Giroud supplied the low cross and Koscielny found himself unmarked after a slip by Clark but he miscued his shot over the bar.
Villa were forced to make a change after 51 minutes when Vlaar limped out of the action to be replaced by Eric Lichaj.
Stalemate: Brad Guzan kept a clean sheet
Settle for one? Arsene Wenger's team could not get the breakthrough
Ramsey shot wide at the near post from a low Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cross and volleyed over from a deep Santi Cazorla corner.
But Villa were still posing a threat to their opponents and Benteke had a header deflected past the post from Bannan's corner.
Szczesny got his body behind a low attempt from Agbonlahor after being teed up by substitute Holman.
Ramsey was only just wide with a low skimming shot.
Szczesny came to Arsenal's rescue when he finger-tipped a fierce Holman effort onto the bar with 12 minutes remaining.
Just about: Gabriel Agbonlahor felt he deserved a penalty, but Per Mertesacker got a toe on the ball in the box
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