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A Raul Jimenez penalty fired Fulham to a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest to sentence Sean Dyche’s aspect to Christmas within the relegation combine.
Jimenez struck late within the first half after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have fouled Brazilian winger Kevin.
Forest had travelled to west London figuring out a victory would have lifted them above Fulham into the comparatively calm waters of fifteenth place.
However after a fourth defeat from 4 Premier League journeys to Craven Cottage, the Reds stay only one place above the drop zone, albeit with a wholesome five-point cushion between them and West Ham.
Forest’s finest likelihood of the primary half fell to Igor Jesus after Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White mixed to ship Neco Williams clear down the left.
Williams fizzed in a low cross which discovered the Brazilian striker, who illustrated why he solely has one league aim to his title this season by blazing excessive over the crossbar.
The watching Paul Clement, Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant for the Brazil nationwide crew, is unlikely to have been impressed.
Fulham defender Joachim Andersen suffered a painful harm after difficult Jesus halfway via the primary half. A number of the crowd winced, however the Dane barely flinched when his dislocated finger was reset on the pitch.
Fulham finally started to threaten as half-time approached, with Antonee Robinson overlapping and pulling the ball again for Sasa Lukic, who dragged his shot broad.
They got here even nearer moments later when one other Robinson cross was headed into the side-netting by Jimenez.
Then, in first-half stoppage time, the grounded Luiz tried to hook the ball away from Kevin, solely to catch the winger on the heel.
The incident seemed just like one at Everton on Saturday, when Arsenal defender William Saliba caught Thierno Barry however no penalty was given.
Nevertheless, “the contact was adequate for a foul” was the VAR’s verdict this time and Mexican frontman Jimenez duly stepped up after which stuttered earlier than sending Forest goalkeeper John Victor the fallacious approach. It was Jimenez’s fourth aim of the season and his eleventh profitable Fulham penalty from 11 makes an attempt.
After the break Cottagers keeper Bernd Leno bought down effectively to fend away a stinging drive from Williams and held one other from Murillo.
But it surely was Fulham who got here closest to discovering the online once more, with Jimenez glancing Kenny Tete’s inviting cross broad when it seemed simpler to attain.
