Leeds 2 Fulham 0
The sigh of relief which swept round at Elland Road at the final whistle was palpable as free-scoring Mark Viduka's latest two-goal salvo virtually guaranteed Leeds Premiership football for next season.
When Leeds look back on what has been a season of shame, Viduka will be owed a debt of gratitude for his form since the start of March has been inspirational, hotter than that of Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry of Arsenal.
With goals at the start of each half, Viduka took his soaring tally to 19 for the season, although somewhat remarkably, 11 of those have come in his last seven league outings.
If Leeds do stay up - bearing in mind no team has been relegated on 41 points since the inception of the Premier League 11 years ago - the 27-year-old's scorching scoring streak will be looked upon as having been the key to their survival.
Leeds are now six points clear of relegation-haunted West Ham, and given their far superior goal difference over the unhappy Hammers, it would take a football miracle for interim manager Peter Reid's side to be relegated now.
Reid still has another three games to convince the Leeds board he is the right man for the full-time job after being told to keep United in the top flight following his appointment five matches ago as successor to the sacked Terry Venables.
Away from Loftus Road Fulham's record has been abysmal this season as they went into the game on the back of a 13-match winless streak - nine defeats and four draws - with their last on-the-road success in mid-September at Sunderland.
Inside four minutes, it was abundantly obvious as to why travel sickness has become the norm this season for Fulham, although there was a touch of good fortune in Leeds' opener.
Referee Neale Barry awarded the first corner of the game in favour of Leeds, but failed to spot the final touch came off Harry Kewell.
Leeds gratefully took full advantage, with Gary Kelly's outswinging corner met by a bullet header from Viduka for his 18th of the campaign.
Three minutes after the restart Leeds sealed a priceless win, with Viduka initially feeding a wide-open Kewell through the middle and, although sandwiched by Jon Harley and Zat Knight, he managed to squeeze in a shot which was blocked by Taylor.
The ball ran kindly to Viduka following up on his pass as he smashed home a game-killing right-foot shot from 15 yards.
With the job done, Leeds looked to add an exclamation point, only for Kewell to clip a post and for Andy Melville to deny Viduka his hat trick with a timely outstretched left boot on a night when United goalkeeper Paul Robinson was a virtual spectator.
PA