Fulham 1 Huddersfield Town 0: Mitrovic hits injury-time winner

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored in injury time as Fulham claimed a 1-0 home win over fellow Premier League strugglers Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the first half but were indebted to Jonas Lossl in the second, the goalkeeper saving a penalty from Aboubakar Kamara.

However, Mitrovic struck in the 91st minute to lift Fulham above Burnley and to within a point of safety, while David Wagner’s side remain bottom of the table after seven defeats in a row.

Mitrovic nodded wide with the best chance of a quiet first 30 minutes, while Steve Mounie came closest for Huddersfield before half-time with a header that was saved well by Sergio Rico.

Calum Chambers headed a Cyrus Christie free-kick wide as Fulham began to show more intent after the break, before Joe Bryan shot straight at Lossl after being teed up in space 12 yards out, and Mitrovic saw a header brilliantly tipped wide.

Kamara was also denied by Lossl and was then left red-faced when his spot-kick was parried by the Denmark goalkeeper after he had argued down his team-mates for the chance to try his luck from 12 yards, having forced Chris Lowe into a handball to earn the penalty.

Claudio Ranieri’s side came under some pressure in the closing minutes and they made the most of Huddersfield’s bold finish to snatch a win.

On the break, Ryan Sessegnon cut in from the right and slid the ball to Mitrovic, who drilled beneath Lossl to send Craven Cottage into raptures.

7 – Huddersfield Town are the first team to lose seven Premier League games in a single calendar month since Leicester City in April 2001 (also seven). Despair. pic.twitter.com/nrUUAM7N9d

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2018

What does it mean? Fulham given huge boost in survival race

Mitrovic’s strike could go a long way towards helping Fulham stay in the Premier League and sending Huddersfield back to the Championship.

Only four points separate them in the table, but the manner in which the goal came, so late in the game, will give a real confidence boost to Ranieri’s side and leave Wagner’s men hugely dispirited. Fulham are now just a point behind Southampton, who face the daunting task of hosting champions Manchester City on Sunday.

Lossl an unlucky loser

Having had little to do in the first half, Lossl was hugely unfortunate to end up on the losing team, having made excellent saves against Mitrovic and Kamara in particular.

Sorry Seri a spectator

The first half seemed to pass Jean Michael Seri by, apart from when he was booked for a poor challenge on Florent Hadergjonaj. He did not emerge for the second, with Kamara his replacement.

What’s next?

Fulham head across London to face Arsenal on Tuesday, the day before Huddersfield host Burnley.