Two goals from Callum Wilson and a David Brooks strike helped Bournemouth defeat 10-man Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage.
Wilson converted a 14th-minute penalty and added a second five minutes from time, after David Brooks (72) had given the Cherries a cushion.
Fulham ended the game with 10 men after Kevin McDonald received a second yellow for fouling Brooks soon after the second goal.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s struggling side, who had only one shot on target, stay 18th, while Bournemouth remain sixth.
Player ratings
Fulham: Rico (6), Le Marchand (6), Fosu-Mensah (5), Ream (5), Odoi (6), Seri (5), McDonald (5), Schurrle (5), R. Sessegnon (5), Mitrovic (5), Kamara (4)
Subs: Cairney (6), Anguissa (6)
Bournemouth: Begovic (7), Francis (7,) S. Cook (7), Ake (7), Smith 7, Lerma 8, L. Cook 7, Daniels 7, Fraser 9, Brooks 8, Wilson 8
Subs: Gosling (5), Defoe (6), Stanislas (6)
Man of the match: Ryan Fraser
Both teams started at a high tempo but it was the visitors who were gifted an opener when Timothy Fosu-Mensah barged Wilson over in the box. The Bournemouth striker dusted himself off to send debutant Rico the wrong way in the 14th minute.
Aboubakar Kamara reacted quickly to a heavy touch from Asmir Begovic in the Bournemouth area to dispossess the goalkeeper only to then immediately throw himself to the floor in the hope of getting a penalty even though Begovic’s leg was nowhere near the striker, who was rightly booked.
Fulham struggled to create chances before the break, with the best chance falling to Andre Schurrle who fired a volley from the edge of the box which was palmed to safety by Begovic.
Team news
There were three changes for Fulham as Sergio Rico, Fosu-Mensah and Kamara came into the team, with Bettinelli, Chambers and Johansen dropping out. Rico was making his Premier League debut for Fulham.Charlie Daniels replaced Josh King for Bournemouth in Bournemouth’s only change.
With the hosts chasing the game in the 72nd minute, Brooks made the most of the extra space in the final third, latching onto a pass from Ryan Fraser and slotting the ball between Rico’s legs.
Soon after he got the better of McDonald, forcing him to bring him down when heading towards goal to earn his second booking of the match.
Wilson was another to enjoy the space on offer to Bournemouth’s attackers, especially when they had the one-man advantage, as he ran beyond the defence to get onto the end of another Fraser pass and fire powerfully beyond Rico from 12 yards.
Man of the match – Ryan Fraser
The Scottish midfielder seemed to have a hand in everything positive that Bournemouth did in the game as few could deal with his speed and intelligent passing, which created two of the goals.
Notes to Southgate
Callum Wilson looked clinical in front of goal as he scores twice, with one coming from the spot and the other after he got the better of the defence. His movement and willing was rightly rewarded with two goals.
Opta stats
- Fulham have lost four consecutive league games for the first time since August 2014, when they were in the Championship.
- Bournemouth have won four of their last six away games in the Premier League (L2), as many as they had in their previous 27 away trips in the competition.
- Fulham have conceded 28 goals in the Premier League this term, the joint-most after 10 games in competition history (also Barnsley in 1997-98 and Southampton in 2012-13).
- Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 11 appearances in the Premier League (six goals and four assists).
- Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks has scored three goals in his last four league appearances, as many as he had in his previous 35.
- Fulham are the only side to have conceded in 100% of their games in the Premier League this season (10/10).
What’s next?
Fulham travel to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Thursday night.
Bournemouth host Norwich City on Tuesday night in the same competition.
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