First-half objectives from Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz – adopted by a late Adama Traore strike – noticed Fulham beat Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0 at Craven Cottage because the hosts received back-to-back Premier League video games for simply the second time this season.
Fulham had been trying to construct on final weekend’s spectacular 2-1 victory at Manchester United and went in 2-0 up at half-time after eye-catching strikes from Wilson – a beautiful roller from simply contained in the field after 21 minutes – and Muniz, who thumped residence the previous’s inviting centre 11 minutes later.
Traore got here off the bench to internet a 3rd for the hosts in damage time as Marco Silva’s aspect keep twelfth, whereas the guests slip to ninth having now been victorious in simply 5 of their earlier 21 top-flight encounters with supervisor Roberto De Zerbi admitting his workforce had been going via a “tough” interval.
How Fulham made it successive league wins
Fulham headed into this sport in buoyant temper after their most spectacular win of the season – perhaps even the Silva reign – at Outdated Trafford final day out, however trying to shake their inconsistent tag below the Portuguese.
Brighton, although, proved best opponents to realize this, with De Zerbi’s aspect presently struggling to seek out their spectacular type of final season and after a shiny begin in west London, largely falling to bother their hosts.
The guests gifted Fulham their opener after Adam Webster did not cope with Calvin Bassey’s lengthy ball ahead, the Brighton centre-back permitting Muniz to muscle in, earlier than the Brazilian by some means discovered Wilson in house on the correct fringe of the field.
The Wales worldwide nonetheless had a number of work to do to seek out the online, however his scrumptious roller gave Jason Steele no probability and the house aspect quickly doubled their lead after a flowing transfer from again to entrance.
Harrison Reed and Andreas Pereira had been closely concerned, earlier than the ball was labored out to Wilson in house down the correct, with the ahead’s beautiful ball in powered residence by Muniz from shut vary.
De Zerbi rung the modifications on the break, however as a lot as Brighton pushed and probed searching for a method again into the competition, it was Fulham who struck once more within the first minute of stoppage time after a dawdling Pascal Gross acquired caught in possession, permitting Bobby Decordova-Reid to seek out fellow sub Traore, who made no mistake with a low end into the underside nook.
Can we play you each week? Opta stats
• Fulham have by no means misplaced in eight Premier League video games towards Brighton (W4 D4) – no aspect have they confronted extra with out ever shedding within the competitors (additionally 8 v Norwich).
• Having received their first two Premier League away video games this season, Brighton have since received simply two of their final 12 on the street (D3 L7), shedding three of their final 4.
• Fulham’s Harry Wilson each scored and assisted a objective for the second time in 85 Premier League appearances, with each events coming in his final 10 video games within the competitors (additionally vs West Ham in December).
• Because the begin of February, solely Bukayo Saka (6) has scored extra Premier League objectives Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (5).
• After scoring in a membership report 32 consecutive league video games from the beginning of March 2023, Brighton have now failed to attain in 5 of their final 11. 4 of those matches have come of their final seven away video games, with three of these being in London.
• Adama Traore scored his first Premier League objective for Fulham, and his first within the competitors for nearly precisely a 12 months, since netting Wolves’ winner towards Tottenham on March 4th final season.
Are Brighton simply in a hunch, or is that this a extra worrying long-term decline?
Evaluation by Sky Sports activities’ Richard Morgan:
It began so effectively for Brighton this season, successful 5 of their opening six Premier League video games to proceed the momentum from the earlier marketing campaign’s vastly spectacular sixth-placed end.
But Roberto De Zerbi’s aspect appear to have stalled since then and slipped to ninth within the desk after one other limp show within the capital on Saturday, which means the Seasiders have now received solely 5 of their final 21 league outings.
And the explanations for this worrying hunch in kind? Nicely, as typical, it’s by no means only one factor, however actually an extended damage record, induced partially by having to deal with the added exertions of taking part in in Europe this season, has not helped.
However it’s at each ends of the pitch they’re presently struggling, with the defence leaking objectives at an alarming price – they gifted Fulham two of their three objectives on Saturday – whereas the forwards are additionally going via a uncommon lean patch in entrance of objective.
In reality, after scoring in a club-record 32 consecutive league video games from the beginning of March 2023, Brighton have now did not register in 5 of their final 11 video games, with a deflated De Zerbi highlighting his workforce’s lack of vitality in his post-match evaluation.
And much like any Jurgen Klopp-managed aspect, the one factor the Italian all the time asks from his gamers to provide 100 per cent, as with out that, they simply develop into a shadow of their former selves.
What the managers stated…
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
“They were great performances. Rodrigo [Muniz] is getting better and better.
“He is getting stronger which is actually tough for the defenders to cope with. We all know that if we offer for him contained in the field then he is actually harmful as effectively.
“We expected Brighton to play man on man across the pitch and to press us and we knew we had to play behind that pressure. To have a player like Rodrigo to link up our game and build our attack is really important.
“The way in which he is bettering in all facets of the sport is actually good for us and for him he is a contented boy as you’d anticipate and I feel there’s much more to come back from him.
“I’m really happy because we deserved the three points at home with a clean sheet.
“To have back-to-back wins within the Premier League is actually powerful and we needed to get again to successful methods after the Aston Villa match [2-1 defeat].
“We showed quality, commitment and desire to do the right things and that’s positive.
“The primary half was nearly excellent I need to say. They did not create one probability and we had been medical in fact with the objectives that we scored.
“The second goal is almost the perfect team goal. The way we built from the goalkeeper to the last moment and myself as a manager that is something I’m proud of.”
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi:
“I think we played without the energy. In the Premier League you need to push 100 per cent and you can’t play with 50 or 60 per cent.
“I feel we deserved to lose, we performed with out the correct vitality however it may be like this. To compete this season is hard [but we have to] do higher than immediately.
“In football you have to play every game in every competition at the same level. I am working a lot on keeping the right energy and mentality in our work. It’s a challenge every day for the club, for me, the players. But we are fighting and we have to show we deserve to play to keep at this level.
“At present we will not clarify the sport with possession, pictures, possibilities to attain. The sport is less complicated than the end result says. We did not play effectively and Fulham performed a great sport – not an incredible sport – however sufficient to win. We will play a lot better than we did immediately, however I do know my gamers will react in the correct method on Thursday.”
What’s subsequent?
Fulham journey to Wolves subsequent Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Brighton are again on their European journey on Thursday with a visit to face Roma within the Europa League (kick-off 5.45pm) earlier than internet hosting Nottingham Forest subsequent Sunday (2pm kick-off).