Thursday Fulham Stuff - 07/12/23...

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Results

Wednesday 6/12
Brighton	2-1	Brentford
Palace	0-2	Bournemouth
Fulham	5-0	Forest
Iwobi(x2) Raúl(x2) Cairney
Sheff Utd	0-2	Liverpool
Villa	1-0	Man City
Man Utd	2-1	Chelsea

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Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest

All three of Alex Iwobi's Premier League goals this season have been scored at Craven Cottage

Nottingham Forest fans issued firm backing to manager Steve Cooper despite watching their side suffer a five-goal demolition by Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez each scored twice as Fulham netted three goals or more in three successive top-flight games for the first time since 1966.

Despite being well beaten and failing to register a single shot on target, Forest fans showed their support for under-fire Cooper as they roared the Welshman's name even after the fourth strike hit the back of the net, sending a clear message to owner Evangelos Marinakis in the stands.

Iwobi set the Cottagers on their way to victory after 30 minutes when he beat the offside trap to convert Willian's beautifully whipped cross, before Jimenez doubled the lead four minutes later by firing emphatically into the top right corner.

The Mexican forward showed strength and composure to grab his second and Fulham's third early in the second half, shrugging off Forest defender Ola Aina, rounding goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and then dispatching a cheeky back-heel

Iwobi found was allowed far too much space in the box and met Harry Wilson's cross to score Fulham's fourth, and the scoring was rounded off by substitute Tom Cairney late on as Forest's defence was nowhere to be seen.

The win moves Fulham up to 12th with an 11-point cushion to the relegation zone, while Forest - with just one win in their last 11 matches in the Premier League - are three points further back in 16th.

Forest fans make support for Cooper clear
Welshman Cooper cut a forlorn figure on the touchline as his side slumped to a disappointing defeat in west London, but the fans in the away end had his back and could be heard roaring his name even after they fell 4-0 behind.

After the game, Cooper walked over to the Forest supporters with his hands in the air apologising for the manner of the performance, but they persisted with positive chants for their boss.

It seems Cooper still has credit in the bank following that successful campaign in the second tier when he brought a halt to the club's 24-year exile from the top-flight, and for keeping the Reds in the Premier League last season.

Forest fans have become accustomed to seeing their team struggle on the road, picking up just eight of they 38 points they collected in 2022-23 away from the City Ground.

They have won just two of their 27 away fixtures since earning promotion from the Championship.

Cottagers starting to click
Fulham made a poor start to the season, winning just one of their opening six matches, but have clicked into gear over recent weeks and are a force to be reckoned with in attack.

Marco Silva's men scored only 10 goals in their opening 12 fixtures, but have now found the net 11 times in their last three, having hit three against both Liverpool in Sunday's 4-3 defeat and in the preceding victory over Wolves.

Jimenez, signed in the summer from Wolves, seems to be finding his feet following a rough three years since suffering a significant head injury and is beginning to demonstrate that he is capable of succeeding former talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Iwobi also caught the eye with his work ethic and goals to ensure the Cottagers made easy work of their lacklustre visitors.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67562710

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Post-Forest Press Conference
Marco Silva was thrilled with what he saw from Fulham on Wednesday night.

A near-perfect display saw the Whites triumph 5-0 over Nottingham Forest, thanks to braces from Raúl Jiménez and Alex Iwobi, before Tom Cairney's late strike.

"I'm really pleased," Silva said. "Delighted with the win, the result. The players deserve all the credit – great team performance, great result for us.

"Another great feeling that we took from the match tonight is the clean sheet, really important for us.

"I spoke before the match about it, I said to the players again when we were winning 2-0 that we have to keep it, keep playing in the same way, trying to be on the front foot always, but we have to be solid off the ball to not give them some chances to make counter-attacks.
Marco Silva in the dugout

"We knew before the match that was the moment probably where they were prepared to punish us, and we did really well and the players deserve all the credit for that.

"Of course, some really nice goals as well, with the way that we build, some of the goals were really good, and congratulations, they deserve the credit – the players – congratulations for the fans too, because they deserve it."

Raúl was imperious up top, with a great all-round display complementing his first Craven Cottage goals.

"Yes, it was fantastic," Silva acknowleged. "But I have to say that at Anfield he did an amazing game as well.

"He didn't score there, but when you play sometimes far from your goal, and you have to fight with van Dijk and Matip and all their players, in some moments we went a little bit more direct.

"The way he was able to win the duels and to link our game when we went a bit more direct, in terms of commitment and effort, it was unbelievable at Anfield what he did.

"And I told him after the match at Anfield that I knew these type of things will come, it's going to be a consequence from his hard work.

"Of course, a better performance from us in the offensive part of the game gives the striker much more conditions for them to perform and to score as well, and it was really nice to see.

"The first goal he scored against Villa felt like a relief for him, that all that weight that he had in his back went straight away out from him. And from that moment you see much more fresh play, much more confidence, because of the quality he has."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/december/06/post-forest-press-conference/

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Long-term Fulham target Patrick Wimmer rocked by ankle injury putting move away from Wolfsburg in jeopardy
Fulham's hopes of signing long-term target Patrick Wimmer have suffered a blow after the Wolfsburg winger sustained an ankle injury, TEAMtalk can reveal.

One of Europe's best young talents, Wimmer has been hit by a long-term injury that has put a halt to talk of a big move away from the Bundesliga club this January.

A number of clubs have turned their attention to alternative targets after the news that Wimmer will be out for a sustained period due to an ankle injury picked up earlier this season.

Wolfsburg had hoped the damage would not be too significant but the winger has had to undergo surgery, putting any move on the backburner and potentially forcing him to miss the majority of the current season.

The 22-year-old had been a long-term target for Fulham and is a key figure in the Austrian national side, who will compete at next summer's European Championship in Germany.

Appearing in the Euro 2024 tournament is the main focus of the wide man as he aims to be at peak condition to help his side out of a tough group containing France and the Netherlands.

Wolfsburg seeking £25m for Fulham target Patrick Wimmer
Wolfsburg are keen to hold on to Wimmer, whose performances since arriving at the Volkswagen Arena last year have seen him emerge as a fan favourite, but sources at the club expect bids in summer.

The Bundesliga side bought Wimmer from Armenia Bielefeld in a deal worth only £5million in 2022, but will likely receive a huge profit from any potential sale in the summer.

Wolfsburg are in a good position as they have tied down Wimmer to a deal until 2027 with sources indicating that there is no release clause included in his current deal, meaning Wolfsburg can set the price they believe he is worth.

Some close to the club state that Wolfsburg will be looking for £25million if they are to consider sanctioning the sale of their star man, who contributed with four goals and six assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances last season.

Now though, recovery is the focus for Wimmer but the plan is for him to be a name that clubs around Europe have on their list after the Euros next year.

Fulham currently sit 14th in the Premier League table having won just one of their last five games.



https://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/long-term-fulham-target-patrick-wimmer-injury-wolfsburg

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Arsenal Are Showing Interest In This Fulham Ace: What Will He Bring To North London?
Arsenal are showing interest in Fulham ace Joao Palhinha as they look to bolster their midfield in 2024.

In a recent segment on Kick, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano stated that Arsenal are showing interest in Fulham ace Joao Palhinha. Romano said,

"What I can confirm about Palhinha, this was around the media in the recent days, is that there are also English clubs interested in Palhinha. One of those clubs is Arsenal.

"It is true that Arsenal appreciate the player. There are some people at the club who consider Palhinha a very good player. It's one of the players they discussed internally.

"(But) There are two issues – the first one is the age, he's not a super young player. I think next year he will be 29. Also, the price. Arsenal cannot spend that amount of money, something like £70-80 million on one more midfielder after spending the big amount of money they invested on Declan Rice."

Palhinha's Impressive Form At Craven Cottage
Palhinha is enjoying a solid campaign at Fulham after he put in a series of impressive displays at the centre of their midfield. The 28-year-old has found the back of the net twice in 13 matches for the Cottagers this season on all fronts.

The Portuguese talent has given a good account of himself by averaging 5.2 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 1.8 clearances and 1.3 shots per game in the Premier League. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from midfield as he has completed 83.5% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).

What Will Palhinha Bring To Arsenal?
Palhinha is a tough-tackling midfielder who can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn't hesitate to clear his lines when needed and can shoot the ball with venom and accuracy from long range. However, the Portuguese talent needs to find a way to improve his productivity in the final third.

We can expect Palhinha to bring more quality to Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta's midfield department. He is good enough to form a dominant midfield partnership with Declan Rice at the North London club in the coming years.

At 28, Palhinha is currently playing in his prime and has what it takes to make an immediate impact at the Emirates Stadium if Arteta can devise a way to bring him on board this winter or at the end of this campaign.



https://the4thofficial.net/2023/12/arsenal-are-showing-interest-in-this-fulham-ace-what-will-he-bring-to-north-london/

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Report claims Spurs are still interested in Premier League defender
Tottenham Hotspur are still reportedly keen on Tosin Adarabioyo, despite the Fulham defender having only just returning from a groin injury.

It is well documented that Spurs are looking to sign a new centre-back in the January transfer window. The need for reinforcements at the back carries over from the summer, but has been exacerbated by the hamstring injury suffered by Micky van de Ven during the defeat to Chelsea.

Ange Postecoglou has seen his side ravaged by injuries and suspension of late, with van de Ven ruled out until the New Year and Cristian Romero having just served a three-match suspension. With these absences, the Spurs defence has struggled significantly and the lack of squad depth has well and truly been exposed.

Before signing van de Ven in the summer, Spurs were heavily linked with a move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo. A report last month from Football Insider suggested that the Lilywhites still held an interest in the 26-year-old.

Spurs still want Tosin Adarabioyo
Now, the latest from Football.London corroborates this, with the suggestion that Spurs are keen to look at Adarabioyo in January, but, there's a chance they may have to wait until the summer to get their man.

It is said that when it comes to Adarabioyo, Spurs "have continued to show interest ahead of January." However, with just six months left on his current contract, the report claims "a summer free move somewhere appears more likely."

Whether Spurs will wait, or try to tempt Fulham into cashing in on the player in the winter window remains to be seen.

Spurs Web Opinion
Tosin Adarabioyo is a good player, but I'm a little wary of his injury and whether we would be getting a player we can rely on. You never know if these injury issues can reoccur further down the line, and it's still to be seen whether Adarabioyo can reach the performance levels he did before the injury.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/report-claims-spurs-are-still-interested-in-premier-league-defender/

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Fulham looking upwards as Whites rout sorry Forest 5-0 at the Cottage
Fulham 5 (Iwobi 30, 74 Jimenez 34, 54, Cairney 86)

Nottingham Forest 0

Att: 24,105

Fulham moved 11 points clear of the danger zone with a 4-0 rout of Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage this evening.

Two goals from Raul Jimenez, two more from Alex Iwobi and a final flourish from the superb Tom Cairney move the Whites on to 18 points from their 15 games – just one point away from the 19 their west London rivals Chelsea possessed at the start of the evening.

Earlier this season some wondered whether Fulham would be strong enough this term to avoid being sucked into a basement battle with the likes of Sheffield United, Luton and Burnley.

But three wins in their past four home Premier League games, against Sheffield United, Wolves and now Forest, appear to have eased any early-season jitters.

Forest, however, could well find themselves in a fight come the spring should they continue to play like this.

Despite the abject majority of their evening, Forest held their own for the first 15 minutes, and indeed had the first decent chance of the game, former Liverpool man Divock Origi finding himself free on the edge of the box, but shooting narrowly wide of Bernd Leno's left-hand post.

Fulham responded, Jiminez poking an effort towards goal which was easily saved by Odysseas Vlachomidos.

Andreas Pereira's free-kick from 25 yards shortly afterwards had Vlachodimos scrambling as it grazed the goalkeeper's right-hand post.

And Fulham's pressure paid off on the half-hour. Willian's superb through-ball split the Forest defence and found Iwobi, who had the simplest of tasks in side-footing the ball back across Vlachodimos and into the corner of the goal for 1-0.

Murillo, the Brazilian, should have done better than fire over from the edge of the area at the other end, before Fulham were two up after a fine passing move - Iwobi's through-ball being helped on by Pereira and finished brilliantly by Jiminez.

Forest appeared a beaten side already. Iwobi curled a beautiful shot from 25 yards just wide on the stroke of half-time which could have effectively killed the contest.

But Jimenez did add another – his second - after 54 minutes, outmuscling Ola Aina, taking the ball past Vlachodimos and impudently backheeling the ball into the net.

Cairney, so effective once again Clethodim's, was the orchestrator of the fourth. He played in substitute Harry Wilson, whose cross was finished by Iwobi.

Then as Forest's defence parted, Cairney got in on the act to make it 5-0.

Fulham fans were even afforded a round of 'oles' as their side took complete control.

The inevitable chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning' were directed towards Forest boss Steve Cooper from the Fulham fans.

Forest fans cheered Cooper's name in unwavering support.

But he needs to turn things round – and quickly.

For Fulham they can now look up and will be confident ahead of the visit of West Ham to the Cottage on Sunday.

Teams: Fulham: Leno, Bassey, Tosin, Jiminez, Cairney, Pereira, Willian (Wilson 76), Castagne, Iwobi (DeCordova-Reid 76), Palhinha, Robinson (Ballo-Toure 75)

Forest: Vlachomidos, Mangala, Sangare (Yates 45) , Hudson-Odoi (Danilo 58), Toffolo, Dominguez (Gibbs-White 45), Felipe (Niakhate 76), Elanga, Origi (Wood 58), Murillo, Aina

Referee: Josh Smith



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/fulham-looking-upwards-as-whites-rout-sorry-forest-5-0-at-the-cottage

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Fulham ticking over nicely again thanks to the elegant guile of their often undervalued midfielder
Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest

On nights like these it seems a trick of the mind that Fulham have played so many games in the past year without Tom Cairney in the starting XI.

He is not the sort of player who needs looking after in terms of wear and tear. His game is too smooth to invite burnout.

The Scot does not so much run as glide along a pitch. Linking play, calming nerves, playing telling passes. He is still only 32 and has plenty of miles left in the tank.

There are no signs that he is any less effective now than before the knee injury in the 2020/21 season which kept him out of the game for the best part of a year.

It feels relatively late in the day for Marco Silva to have fully appreciated his value - although the Portuguese would deny that he ever has - but it is surely no coincidence that Fulham have rediscovered some kind of potency since he was given the nod in recent games.

He set the standards early on. A turn past his opposite number, Felipe, was followed by a neat shift of gear and another of those perfectly-weighted passes out to Willian - to be instantly followed by the cross which gave Alex Iwobi the night's opening goal.

By then he had already created the game's first opening, recovering from a stumble to set Raul Jimenez in for a shot at goal.

That confidence and calmness spreads. The hope it engenders is infectious and it was no surprise that Jimenez added the second and third goals to claim his first strikes at the Cottage for the Whites since his move to west London.

It was only Cairney's fourth league start of the season, although he has come off the bench nine times. Last season, it was often a similar tale. In total, he has made 69 sub appearances in addition to the 230-odd games in which he was a starter.

It is a sign that Silva has options in midfield, but whereas Joao Palhinha catches the eye with his vital, robust presence alongside the complementary ballast offered by Andreas Pereira, there is an argument that no one provides the sort of vision and style that Cairney does.

No win feels complete without seeing that wand of a left foot setting the tempo. He was one of the prime reasons Fulham fans could start Ole-ing at 3-0 up. This was a game made for the Scot's love of control and monopoly of possession.

Cairney had a hand in the fourth goal with a lovely pass to Harry Wilson which led to a cross that invited Iwobi to steer in his second goal of the night.

It was fitting that he should have the last word on the scoring front - bursting through a king-sized gap in the Forest defence before slipping home goal number five. His first league goal of the season was a perfect reward for another classy contribution.

 "We've got the ball," chanted Forest fans in the rare moments the Whites yielded the floor to the visitors, who were never really at the races once they had fallen behind. When Cairney is involved like this, all is well with the Fulham world.



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/fulham-ticking-over-nicely-thanks-to-the-elegant-guile-of-their-often-undervalued-midfielder

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Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest: Cottagers hit five past Forest to ramp pressure up on Cooper
A huge Premier League clash between two struggling sides took place at Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening. Marco Silva's side suffered a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat at Anfield on Sunday, while Steve Cooper headed to the capital as a man under severe pressure, in desperate need of points after a narrow defeat to Everton last time out left Forest with one win in ten games.

FUL: Leno; Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Cairney; Pereira, Iwobi, Willian; Jimenez

NFO: Vlachodimos; Aina, Felipe, Murillo, Toffolo; Mangala; Sangare, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga; Origi

A breezy winter's evening down by the River Thames saw a start that provided early evidence that this may be one of the most equal Premier League games one will ever see, with both sides looking to catch each other out.

Fulham edged possession, however, and forced the first block of the game, with Raul Jimenez's shot being cleared up by Murillo with eight minutes gone.

The first real attempt on goal all evening came the way of the visitors as Divock Origi got away from Timothy Castagne and looked for the bottom corner, but the Belgian's shot curled just wide.

Some excellent footwork and resilience from Fulham captain Tom Cairney down the left hand side saw the Scottish international lay the ball off to Raul Jimenez, who pulled it back towards Castagne, but Odysseas Vlachodimos collected the ball before it reached the Fulham right-back.

Andreas Pereira was very unlucky not to open the scoring, as his wonderful free-kick came back off the post and out for a goal kick. But as the game approached the half-hour mark, Fulham did take the lead, and with a great team move.

Tom Cairney did excellently to get past Felipe and proceeded to play the ball out wide to Willian. The Brazilian then cut inside and delivered the ball in towards Alex Iwobi, who tapped home past Vlachodimos to open the scoring.

Marco Silva's side doubled their lead just four minutes later, as Alex Iwobi played the ball in towards Andreas Pereira, who slipped the ball through to Raul Jimenez who unleashed a first-time finish into the top corner from close range. The relief on the Mexican's face when he celebrated was palpable.

The home side could have made it three just before the break, as former Fulham loanee Ola Aina failed to clear the ball and left it to fall to Alex Iwobi, whose curling effort just about evaded the top corner.

The first chances of the second half fell the way of a dominant Fulham side, as Raul Jimenez had two chances to add to his personal tally; firstly with a header that was flicked away by Felipe and a second effort which curled just wide.

But moments after his second attempt, he added a third in audacious style. The Mexican got into the Forest box and outmuscled Ola Aina before rounding Vlachodimos and flicking the ball into an open net.

Fulham continued to dominate the ball in the second half, and as a result, added a fourth to their tally for the evening. Substitute Harry Wilson got down the right hand side and into the Forest box, and cut the ball back towards Alex Iwobi at the far post, and the Nigerian made no mistake as he steered the ball home for his second of the night.

Regardless of a unflattering score-line, Forest fans continued to voice their support towards under-pressure boss Steve Cooper, with their only notable chances of the half coming from Reds substitute Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga, with Wood's shot at the near post going just wide, and Elanga's effort being saved well by Bernd Leno. The Swede's shot proved to be Forest's first and only shot on target all game.

With five minutes to go before full-time, Forest substitute Ryan Yates passed the ball straight to Andreas Pereira, who laid the ball off to Fulham captain Tom Cairney, who slotted home the Cottagers' fifth goal of the evening to round a highly comfortable night for Marco Silva's side.

Both sides are next in action this weekend, as Nottingham Forest travel to Molineux to face Wolves on Saturday at 3pm, while Fulham welcome West Ham United to Craven Cottage the following day at 2pm.

Jensen Coleman



https://fromthespot.co.uk/6440/fulham-5-0-nottingham-forest-cottagers-hit-five-past-forest-to-ramp-pressure-up-on-cooper/

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Raul Jimenez bags brace as five-star Fulham dismantle Nottingham Forest
Raul Jimenez netted his first brace since January 2020 as Fulham piled the pressure on Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest with a 5-0 win at Craven Cottage.

The West Londoners were in control of proceedings from the first whistle but took a while to hit the front, although strikes from Alex Iwobi and Mexican Jimenez had the Cottagers two goals ahead after a first half in which the visitors failed to test Bernd Leno in the hosts' goal.

Half-time alterations from Forest boss Cooper did nothing to change the course of the contest, with Iwobi and Jimenez both securing braces in the second period, before substitute Tom Cairney scored in the closing stages to inflict even more pain on his boyhood club.

After ending up on the losing side of a seven-goal thriller with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, Marco Silva made four changes to his starting XI, allowing Timothy Castagne to return at right-back at the expense of Kenny Tete, whilst Tosin Adarabioyo made his first league start of the campaign alongside Calvin Bassey in the centre of defence.

Under-pressure Cooper made five alterations to his side following the poor display at the City Ground against Everton on the weekend, allowing Divock Origi to make his full debut in the Premier League for the Tricky Trees, with Morgan Gibbs-White dropping out of the team for the first time since October 1.

Liverpool's cult hero Origi was the main protagonist alongside Fulham defender Bassey in the early stages as both enjoyed physical battles for the ball, however it was the hosts who assumed control of the proceedings from the first minute, with Nottingham looking to hit their opponents on the break.

Silva's men struggled to create much in the first 25 minutes but nearly took the lead when Andreas Pereira saw his free-kick effort cannon off the post and behind for a corner, and it was questionable whether the outstretched Odisseas Vlachodimos had the shot covered if it had been on target.

The game burst into life from a Fulham perspective after Pereira went close from that set-piece, and it was not long before the Cottagers were ahead in West London, when Willian's inswinging delivery from the left found the run of Iwobi, who evaded the attentions of Harry Toffolo and produced a side-footed finish into the Forest net.

Heads appeared to drop immediately in the Nottingham camp following Fulham's first punch of the evening, and under five minutes later Silva's charges had doubled their advantage against their East Midlands opponents, with forward Jimenez bagging his first goal in front of the Craven Cottage faithful.

A loose ball found its way to Iwobi on the right flank, and the Nigeria international was quick to find Pereira in a pocket of space in the middle, before the former Manchester United man picked out the run of the Mexican, who fired a strike into the top-right corner past the onrushing Vlachodimos.

Considering Forest had never previously come from two goals down to win a match in the Premier League, Cooper and his side had a mountain to climb in the second period, and the Welsh coach opted to make two substitutions at the break, allowing Gibbs-White and Ryan Yates to enter the play at the expense of Ibrahim Sangare and Nicolas Dominguez.

Unfortunately for those of a Forest persuasion in the capital, the visitors' half-time changes did not have the desired effect, and Fulham were quick to sail into a three-goal lead just nine minutes after the interval, as Jimenez rolled back the years to his Molineux days to seal a brace.

Pereira was afforded acres of space in the middle of the park to pick out the towering presence of the Mexican, who peeled off Forest centre-back Felipe, shrugged off the attentions of Ola Aina and calmly rounded the goalkeeper, before producing an audacious backheel finish into an empty net.

Following the third goal, the mood around Craven Cottage turned into one of celebration for the home supporters, whilst the away fans from the East Midlands were singing the name of under-pressure boss Cooper, who could pay for tonight's result with his job.

On an evening when Fulham players were breaking individual records, Iwobi bagged his second of the game to seal his first-ever brace in club football, with a delicately-placed cut-back from Welshman Harry Wilson allowing the former Arsenal and Everton attacker to finish past the Forest keeper.

The Cottagers' club captain Cairney was the next name onto the scoresheet in an enjoyable second half for the hosts, with the 32-year-old scoring his first league goal of the 2023-24 season against his boyhood side.

After making the net ripple on three occasions in three-straight league matches for the first time since the 1960s, Fulham are up to 12th in the Premier League standings, with the Whites back at the Cottage on Sunday afternoon when they will host David Moyes's West Ham United.

Whether Cooper takes Forest across the Midlands to clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday is a matter for the hierarchy at the City Ground, however one certainty is that the Tricky Trees remain just six points above the bottom three following another limp away performance.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/result/jimenez-bags-brace-as-five-star-fulham-dismantle-nottingham-forest_530703.html?newsnow

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Superb Fulham hammer Nottingham Forest
Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest

Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi scored twice as Fulham returned to winning ways with an emphatic victory over a poor Nottingham Forest side at Craven Cottage.

Iwobi opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when he headed Willian's cross past Odysseas Vlachodimos, with Jimenez then doubling Fulham's advantage with an emphatic finish after being teed up by Andreas Pereira four minutes later.

Pereira's free-kick from 25 yards out whistled just wide as the Whites continued to dominate with the impressive Iwobi almost finding the top corner with a curling effort that flew past the wrong side of the post.

Forest, who went into the game on the back of three successive defeats, offered next to nothing in attack and nine minutes into the second half Jimenez grabbed his second goal

A superb pass from Pereira found the Mexico striker in the box and the former Wolves striker held of a weak challenge from former Fulham loanee Ola Aina before finishing with an audacious back-heel

Iwobi capped his impressive performance with his second goal of the game and his third in as many matches when he side-footed home a low Harry Wilson cross.

Skipper Tom Cairney added some extra gloss to the scoreline with a late fifth goal after good work again from the excellent Pereira to cap off a memorable night for Marco Silva's men.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Tosin, Bassey, Robinson (Ballo-Toure 78), Cairney, Palhinha, Willian (Wilson 63), Iwobi (Decordova-Reid 75), Pereira, Jimenez (Vinicius 78).



https://www.westlondonsport.com/sport/football-superb-fulham-hammer-nottingham-forest

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Fulham 5-0 Nott'm Forest: Jimenez scores brace to put Cooper on the brink
Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez scored doubles as Fulham heaped the pressure on Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper with a 5-0 Premier League victory at Craven Cottage.

Tom Cairney also found the net to ensure the Cottagers bounced back from their late disappointment at Anfield on Sunday and condemned struggling Forest to a fourth consecutive defeat.

A scrappy opening period offered little until Forest midfielder Nicolas Dominguez produced a quality pass into the feet of Divock Origi, who tested Bernd Leno from range in the 17th minute.

Fulham took time to warm up after Sunday's 4-3 agonising defeat at Liverpool.

Andreas Pereira almost opened the scoring in the 26th minute.

The Brazilian stood over a set-piece and used a whipped technique which narrowly missed the inside of Odysseas Vlachodimos' post.

And not long after Fulham converted a chance to take a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute.

Willian produced a moment of genius when he jinked inside onto his right foot and produced a perfect back-post cross to Iwobi, who avoided his marker to tap home from close range.

The Cottagers had the bit between their teeth and scored a second in the 34th minute.

A well-timed challenge in midfield by Joao Palhinha saw Iwobi combine with Pereira before he slipped in Jimenez and the striker rifled his effort into the top corner.

The Mexican, who had struggled for goals earlier in the season, looked full of confidence.

On the stroke of half-time Iwobi nearly grabbed a second when he did well to turn on the edge of the box before producing a curled effort from range which almost nestled into the top corner.

Forest forward Anthony Elanga ran the ball out of play in the 51st minute which summed up a dull showing from the visitors.

Iwobi's dominating performance got even better when the Nigeria international produced a dangerous cross which was slightly too high for the rising Jimenez.

But moments later, in the 54th minute, Jimenez took his chance and grabbed his second of the match.

The creative Pereira found Jimenez and he brought it down on his chest and rounded Vlachodimos before finishing with a deft backheel into the empty net.

Fulham grabbed a fourth through Iwobi after 73 minutes.

Harry Wilson found space down the byline and his cutback found the winger who finished first time to grab his brace.

Cairney got in on the action to make it 5-0 after 86 minutes.

The skipper wandered into acres of space through the middle of Forest's backline and calmly stroked home.



https://www.football365.com/news/match-report-fulham-5-0-nottingham-forest

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Nottingham Forest owner's reaction to Fulham thrashing says it all for Steve Cooper

FULHAM 5-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez scored doubles as the Cottagers heaped the pressure on Steve Cooper with a comfortable Premier League victory at Craven Cottage

Steve Cooper now knows how turkeys feel as they await an audience with Bernard Matthews this month.

In this humiliating defeat by Fulham, Cooper's players served up unacceptably half-baked dross – and two-goal Raul Jimenez administered the stuffing. Despite the marvellous backing of 2,800 fans from Trent Bridge belting out their support for Cooper, Forest's fifth defeat in six games told its own grim story.

With owner Evangelos Marinakis looking down with a face like thunder, Cooper wore the resigned look of a condemned man. Fulham, classy and clinical, won't bank an easier three points all season.

But Marinakis has fired three coaches at his other club, Olympiakos, this season after Paulo Bento walked the planked in Greece on Monday - despite them being top of the league. And if he still had an itchy trigger finger after taking care of business in Athens 48 hours earlier, there was nothing in this bankrupt Forest performance to make him keep his pistol in the holster.

Cooper said: "It was a painful night. I didn't deserve that (applause), it was embarrassing. I heard it and I'm grateful, but I have to take ownership of that performance.

"I don't split myself from the players – we are in in together. We didn't do the basics right, we didn't show enough desire, we pulled out of tackles, losing races and ending on the floor when it's 50-50.

"I deserve all the criticism. I deserve the blame. It's on me. It was not baffling tonight, it was clear what happened."

Asked if he was still the right man to lead Forest out of their slump, Cooper replied: "I don't worry about my reputation. What's right for the football club is right for me."

After Divock Origi fired an early sighter just wide, the optimism soon faded like a holiday tan. Forest had already survived Andreas Pereira's free-kick against a post when the roof caved in after half an hour – tiles, joists, felt, the lot.

First Alex Iwobi applied a measured finish to Willian's low centre, his third goal of the season, before Jimenez struck four minutes later. This time Pereira was the provider, slipping a perfectly-weighted pass for the Mexico striker to fire only his second Premier League goal since March 2022 high beyond Forest keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Nobody in football begrudges Jimenez a shaft of joy after the terrible head injury he suffered at Arsenal three years ago, almost to the day – and nobody in football enjoys a decent man like Cooper floundering in the quicksand.

But by the time Jimenez made it 3-0 nine minutes after the break with ridiculous ease, brushing aside Ola Aina's feeble challenge, sidestepping Vlachodimos and back-heeling the ball into an empty net, Forest's night had gone from bad to embarrassing.

Iwobi volleyed his second with a swaggering finish from sub Harry Wilson's cross and Fulham skipper Tom Cairney, astonishingly unaccompanied as he broke through the middle, completed the rout four minutes from time.

While loating Fulham fans were reciting the anthem of the damned, You're Getting Sacked In The Morning, Cooper acknowledged the away fans with a hands-up gesture which smacked of apology.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/steve-cooper-nottingham-forest-fulham-31615774

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Five-star Fulham inflict on Forest a fourth straight defeat
Jimenez and Iwobi each score twice as Cottagers rack up an impressive 5-0 win

Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi each scored twice as Fulham thumped Nottingham Forest 5-0, inflicting on the visitors a fourth straight Premier League defeat and increasing the pressure on head coach Steve Cooper.

How the match unfolded
Andreas Pereira nearly opened the scoring for the hosts in the 27th minute when his free-kick hit a post, but the opening goal came just three minutes later from a fine counter-attack.

Calvin Bassey drove forward out of defence before poking a pass to Jimenez. The Mexican found Willian to the left and the Brazilian cut inside before curling a well-weighted cross to the back post, where Iwobi coolly sidefooted home from close range.

Fulham's lead was doubled just a few minutes later with another great move. The industrious Joao Palhinha won back possession before finding Iwobi on the right. The former Arsenal man played a nice ball forward to Pereira, who found Jimenez with a cute pass inside, and the Mexican fired into the top-right corner.

The Cottagers came close to grabbing a third with seconds remaining of the opening period, Iwobi curling what would have been a stunning goal just wide from range.

Fulham started the second half with the same swagger that they finished the first, Jimenez latching onto a ball over the top of the Forest defence, outmuscling his marker and rounding Odysseas Vlachodimos before cheekily backheeling the ball into the empty net.

With 17 minutes left, Harry Wilson found Iwobi at the back post with a searching ball and the Nigerian lashed home his second of the match and Fulham's fourth.

Tom Cairney made it five late on. Forest substitute Ryan Yates gave possession away cheaply with a loose backpass, which was intercepted by Peirera, who played Cairney through on goal to slot past Vlachodimos for his first strike of the season.

The result sees Fulham move up to 12th position with 18 points, just three points shy of West Ham United in 9th who they play on Saturday. Meanwhile, Forest's fourth defeat in a row sees them slip down the table into 16th with 13 points.

Did you know?
Willian made his 300th Premier League appearance tonight, becoming the first Brazilian player to reach this landmark. The Fulham man marked this achievement by providing an assist, his first of the season.

Raúl Jiménez has now scored three goals in his in last four Premier League appearances, the same amount as he managed in his previous 47. His brace tonight was his third in the Premier League overall and his first since January 2020.

Fulham have now scored 3+ goals in three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time (3 v Wolves, 3 v Aston Villa & 5 v Forest).

Morgan Gibbs-White came off the bench to make his 50th Premier League appearance for Nottingham Forest, becoming the 15th player to hit a half-century of appearances in the Premier League for the club and the first since Chris Bart-Williams in September 1998.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/3810379

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Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest: Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi at the double to leave Steve Cooper on the brink
Owner Evangelos Marinakis was at Craven Cottage to watch his side get thumped

Embarrassed Raul Jimenez struggled to celebrate his second goal as Fulham routed Nottingham Forest 5-0 – because his backheel finish might well get Steve Cooper the boot.

Jimenez blushed in response to mugging ex-Fulham loanee Ola Aina in the box before delivering an impudent heel-flick into the Craven Cottage net.

Alex Iwobi tapped home Willian's cross, Jimenez lashed in from Andreas Pereira's dinked pass – then the former Wolves forward's flourish-filled second proved the killer blow.

Iwobi still found time to claim a double of his own and Tom Cairney swept home too, on what could well prove Welsh manager Cooper's last match at the Forest helm.

This was Jimenez's first Premier League brace in almost four years, his last top-flight double coming in Wolves' 3-2 win at Southampton on January 18, 2020.

The 32-year-old now boasts three goals in his last four Premier League matches, having started the season with a 10-game league drought.

Iwobi meanwhile was left to plunder the first-ever top-flight brace of his career.

Fulham's second win in three league outings eased the pain of Sunday's battling but ultimately galling 4-3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.

Forest in contrast slipped to their fourth league loss on the spin.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis had an ominous face of thunder in the directors' box.

The maritime magnate has had plenty of practice shipping out managers, having sacked three already this season at his other club Olympiacos.

Cooper could be next, and on this miserable evidence there could be few arguments should Forest vote for change.

Fulham spent the first 15 minutes almost stunned into inaction by the visitors' lack of bite, quality or precision.

Then star man Pereira shaved the post with a smart free-kick, and suddenly the home men realised they could win this at a canter.

Orel Mangala's pocket was so easy to pick it might as well have been flapping around turned inside-out, so Jimenez had no choice but to oblige.

The Mexican flicked Fulham onto the break, Willian whipped in a bouncing cross – and Iwobi ghosted in at the far post to deliver a first-time tap-in.

Iwobi turned instigator for the second, angling a ball off the wing.

Pereira's cute dink dragged Vlachodimos off his line and Jimenez thundered the ball into the top of the net.

A flattened Forest shrugged and slumped their way to the break, but not before Iwobi curled just wide from 20 yards.

Cooper's half-time team talk and two changes yielded no discernible improvement.

Pereira laid on Fulham's third by dropping a ball between Murillo and Aina, but the latter then gift-wrapped Jimenez's second of the night.

Jimenez brushed former Fulham loanee Aina aside in the box, then backheeled into the net.

The 32-year-old was red-faced at the finish, and not due to exertion.

Jimenez's celebration was almost against his better nature, such was Aina's clanger.

Somehow, Forest got worse. Iwobi swept home his second and Fulham's fourth from Harry Wilson's cross.

The cutback had no business reaching the former Arsenal and Everton man, but Forest appeared almost past caring.

When captain Cairney stroked home the fifth, from who else but Pereira's pass, referee John Smith should have stopped the fight.

Cooper's Forest bout could be over in the coming days, while Fulham will hope to box clever enough to start climbing the table.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-vs-nottingham-forest-cooper-sack-b1125320.html

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Fulham surges to 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest to leave Cooper under big pressure
LONDON (AP) - Fulham surged to its biggest win in the Premier League this season by beating Nottingham Forest 5-0 on Wednesday to leave visiting manager Steve Cooper under huge pressure.

Mexico striker Raul Jimenez scored two of the goals - including a cheeky backheeled finish after rounding the goalkeeper - while Alex Iwobi also struck twice and Tom Cairney added a late fifth at Craven Cottage.

While Fulham is in fine scoring form having netted at least three goals in three straight games, Forest has won just once in its last 11 games and is plunging toward the relegation zone. The team is in 16th place, six points above the bottom three.

Cooper was given public support by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis last season before his team finished the campaign well. Marinakis might well be considering his options again, though, having demanded an improvement in results.

Fulham took the lead in the 30th when Willian produced a moment of genius by jinking inside onto his right foot and sending a perfect back-post cross to Iwobi, who evaded his marker to tap home from close range.

The Cottagers added a second in the 34th minute as a well-timed challenge in midfield by Joao Palhinha saw Iwobi combine with Pereira before he slipped in Jimenez. The striker rifled his effort into the top corner.

Iwobi´s dominating performance got even better when the Nigeria international produced a dangerous cross which was slightly too high for the rising Jimenez. But moments later, in the 54th minute, Jimenez took his chance and grabbed his second of the match.

Pereira found Jimenez with a cross and he brought it down on his chest, rounded goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and finished with a deft backheel into the empty net.

Fulham grabbed a fourth through Iwobi after 73 minutes when Harry Wilson found space on the wing and his cutback found the winger, who finished first time.

Cairney got in on the action to make it 5-0 after 86 minutes.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12834655/Fulham-surges-5-0-win-Nottingham-Forest-leave-Cooper-big-pressure.html

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Super Iwobi hits peak for Fulham in five-star win over Nott'm Forest
Iwobi has been brilliant in recent weeks, and he continued that run against Nottingham Forest

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi scored his first Premier League brace to help Fulham seal a 5-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, Soccernet.ng reports.

Iwobi has been a regular for Fulham recently, and coach Marco Silva still included him in his starting eleven when they welcomed the Tricky Trees.

Both teams were on the same level, as they had few chances to score. But Fulham got the breakthrough on the hour mark, and it was Iwobi who came through for them. The Super Eagles star connected well to a cross from Willian and placed a precise finish into the net from close range to make 1-0.

Four minutes later, Raul Jiminez scored the second for Fulham. The Cottagers went into the break with the lead, but they added a third courtesy of Jiminez again in the 54th minute.

Then, in the 73rd minute, Iwbo got his second and Fulham's fourth, scoring off a cross from Harry Wilson.

Tom Cairney completed the rout for Fulham in the 86th minute after some sleek play from Andreas Pereira.

Iwobi had a superb game for Fulham. He registered three goal attempts, three clearances, and 62 touches.

Nigeria defender Ola Aina was on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes for Nottingham Forest. He would be looking to bounce back from the nightmarish performance against Fulham.



https://soccernet.ng/2023/12/super-iwobi-hits-peak-for-fulham-in-five-star-win-over-nottm-forest.html

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 Nottingham Forest could be set to axe Steve Cooper after dismal 5-0 defeat to Fulham - with Julen Lopetegui and Marco Silva among the candidates in the frame to take over

    Steve Cooper is on the brink at Nottingham Forest after their 5-0 loss to Fulham
    The Reds have lost four games on the trot and are six points clear of the drop

Steve Cooper is facing the sack after his Nottingham Forest side slid to a dismal fourth consecutive league defeat at Fulham.

Mail Sport revealed on November 25 that Cooper was under huge pressure after Forest were beaten 3-2 at home by Brighton.

They were then booed off following the 1-0 home loss to Everton on December 2.

The 5-0 thrashing by Fulham looks set to be the final straw, with the club just two places above the bottom three.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who was at Craven Cottage, is now poised to start the hunt for Cooper's replacement, with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui one of the coaches he admires.

Another is the manager who looks set to have ended the Cooper era — Fulham's Marco Silva, who worked under Marinakis at Olympiacos.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12834745/Nottingham-Forest-SACK-Steve-Cooper-defeat-Fulham-Julen-Lopetegui-Marco-Silva.html

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Silva praises Jimenez after Fulham victory
Fulham boss Marco Silva praised the mental fortitude of Raul Jimenez after the Mexico forward scored twice in his side's 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage.

Jimenez, signed from Wolves in the summer to replace Aleksandar Mitrovic, had not scored since March 2022 before netting in a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa last month.

The 32-year-old, who was almost forced to retire after sustaining a sickening head injury in 2020, has struggled in front of goal this season, but two superb finishes in either half helped Fulham to their biggest Premier League win in more than 10 years.

"It's really important in any player to score. We all have problems in life but it is just a matter of not scoring goals and it's not the end of the world," said Silva.

"He never showed to me he was under pressure, but I know inside how he was feeling.

"But if you keep playing well the good times will come. His commitment was always there and It is nice to see him scoring now.

"It is not just tonight, against Liverpool at Anfield he had an amazing game, he had to fight with (Virgil) Van Dijk and (Joel) Matip a long way from our goal and he won duels all game."

After scoring just 10 goals in their opening 12 matches, Fulham have now hit 11 in their past three matches to help the Whites move comfortably to mid-table.

"For the first 10 minutes we were not at the level we should be, but we were very good tonight and it is a good feeling to share the goals," Silva said.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/silva-praises-jimenez-after-fulham-victory

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Flawless Fulham fire five past Forest
What a difference ten days makes. Fulham, previously laboured and predictable in the final third, have now scored eleven goals in their last three outings. The headlines after a thrashing of Nottingham Forest will focus around the future of Steve Cooper after a fourth consecutive defeat pushed the Welshman closer towards the exit door but the transformation in Marco Silva's side as an attacking force is noteworthy. The zip in their play, so evident on their return to the top flight has term has returned and Raul Jimenez looked rejuvenated after scoring twice to secure a thumping victory.

It was always a stretch to suggest that the Mexican striker, who has done remarkably well to return to playing Premier League football after his horrific head injury, would replace Aleksandar Mitrovic's goals but the former Wolves forward visibly grew in stature after drilling his second goal for the club past Odysseas Vlachodimos with real venom to double Fulham's lead after the accomplished Alex Iwobi had finished a flowing move to put the hosts in front on the half hour. Jimenez scored a sumptuous second with a beautiful backheel having beaten former Fulham full back Ola Aina at the start of the second half – and from there it was just a matter of how many Silva's side wanted to score.

Forest defended as if the final scoreline was irrelevant. Iwobi steered in his second of another excellent evening from Harry Wilson's cross before Tom Cairney, who orchestrated the home side's attacks from central midfield, sauntered through on goal after playing a one-two with Pereira before slotting home to the delight of the Hammersmith End. Silva had spoken of the need for his time to find their consistency after a challenging first few months of the campaign and the topsy-turvy nature of Sunday's heartbreaking defeat at Liverpool. They couldn't have picked more suitable opposition to get back in the groove.

It took a while for things to fire with the early signs looking promising for Forest, whose strong side to the season seems a distant memory. Cooper's cause has not been helped by the absence of top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi after groin surgery and the Nigerian international's replacement, Divock Origi, almost marked his first start for the club with a low drive that crept wide of goal after a peach of a pass from Nicolás Domínguez.

That sparked Fulham into life. Jimenez prodded a shot at Vlachodimos after Cairney had rode a challenge to put him in the clear before Pereira clipped the post with a curling free-kick that had the Forest keeper beaten. Just four minutes later and the Whites were in front. Calvin Bassey seized upon Sangare's careless pass and carried the ball forward. Cairney cantered away from Luiz Felipe and found Willian who measured a wonderful cross to the back post where Iwobi, who glided beyond Harry Toffolo, caressed home from close range.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Palhinha slid in to win possession back, allowing Pereira and Iwobi to link up in midfield before the Brazilian's precise pass through the Forest defence put Jimenez in the clear. The once shot-shy striker powered a finish into the top corner – and suddenly Fulham were rampant. Iwobi almost made it three right on half time with a lovely curler, but the interval only provided a temporary respite for Forest.

Cooper sent on Ryan Yates and Morgan Gibbs-White at the start of the second half but it failed to turn the tide. Anthony Elanga summed an inauspicious evening by running the ball out of play soon after the restart. Jimenez sent a curler wide of goal and was inches away from connecting with an Iwobi cross but he got his second two minutes later, surging onto a Pereira pass, showing strength to hold off Aina and backheeling in the net after going around Vlachodimos.

Chris Wood spurned a decent chance to reply for the visitors, but by the time Bernd Leno bailed his defenders with a strong save from Elanga, Forest were four down. Wilson took just ten minutes to make his mark with a pinpoint cross that was finished with aplomb by Iwobi. Cairney rounded off a masterful display with a well-taken goal that was far too easy for the boyhood Forest fan to score. The Fulham skipper, restored to the starting line-up, had too much time to swap passes with Pereira and stroll through a porous Forest rearguard, rounding off the scoring with four minutes left.

Cooper, who was second on Fulham's shortlist to replace Scott Parker, castigated his players for their lack of application. Evangelos Marinakis had left the Cottage with twenty minutes to play – having seen enough on a chastening evening. The Forest fans sung in praise of the man who took them from the bottom of the Championship back to the promised land, but their passion will probably not be enough to save him. The ease of Fulham's victory was encapsulated by a beaming Silva in the technical area long before a bedraggled Forest were put out of their misery.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson (Ballo-Toure 75), Adarabioyo, Bassey; Palhinha (Lukic 79), Cairney; Iwobi (De Cordova-Reid 76), Willian (Wilson 63), Pereira; Jimenez (Vinicius 79). Subs (not used): Rodak, Tete, Reed, Ream.

GOALS: Iwobi (30, 73), Jimenez (34, 54), Cairney (86).

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Aina, Toffolo, Felipe (Niakhaté 76), Murillo; Mangala, Sangaré (Yates 45); Hudson-Odoi (Danilo 58), Domínguez (Gibbs-White 45), Elanga; Origi (Wood 58). Subs (not used): Turner, Omobamidele, N. Williams, Kouyaté.

BOOKED: Yates.

REFEREE: Josh Smith (Sheffield).

ATTENDANCE: 24,105



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/12/flawless-fulham-fire-five-past-forest/