Leicester 0 Fulham 1: Mitrovic can’t stop scoring as his early goal is enough to continue Cottagers’ hot streak

ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC used to look forward to playing Leicester with as much enthusiasm as filling out his tax returns.

In seven attempts the big Serb failed to lay a glove on the Foxes – his longest barren streak against any team in the Premier League.

But last night he buried that particular bogey in spectacular fashion to earn Fulham three more valuable points as Marco Silva’s men moved up to seventh in the table on 28 points.

His 17th-minute winner earned the Cottagers a 17th away win at their favourite second-home – more than they have managed against any other side.

But for Leicester it was another miserable night as Brendan Rodgers‘ Jekyll and Hyde side failed to beat a team above them for the 11th time this season.

It could have been even worse if Harry Wilson hadn’t clipped the ball just wide with only Ward to beat as the home side went for broke at the end.

Fulham’s fans didn’t mind that however as they stayed long after the end to praise Silva and sing about possible travels in Europe next season.

Their winner after 17 minutes was a perfect snapshot of why Silva’s side have been formidable this season – and why Rodgers’ Foxes have so frequently been feeble.

The home side had possession in their own half but lacked the quality to profit from it as Daniel Amartey weighed up his options and then chose the wrong one.

The Ghanaian World Cup star attempted to pick out Wilfred Ndidi but Fulham’s Harrison Reed read his intentions a mile off and was snapping at the midfielder’s ankles by the time the ball arrived.

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Ndidi panicked and prodded the ball straight to Willian, who was probably the last man Rodgers wanted to see on the ball with his defence caught on the hop.

The Brazilian burst towards Timothy Castagne, then dipped in the opposite direction to cut inside Youri Tielemans before clipping a perfect pass to Mitrovic who had peeled away from Wout Faes.

The Serb striker cushioned the ball on his chest before firing a left footer beyond the helpless Danny Ward.

That sensational finish made Mitrovic the first Fulham player to score in three successive away appearances since Heidar Helguson, nearly 17 years ago in February 2006.

And it was no more than Fulham deserved after bossing Leicester from the off.

Willian had already slashed one chance over, before he almost scored with a low shot into the far corner which sped centimetres wide of Ward’s far post. 

Rodgers had already lost Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the pre-match warm-up, who had to be hastily replaced by Ndidi.

And the home side suffered a double-whammy when Soumare clutched his hamstring and hobbled off to be replaced after eight minutes by Marc Albrighton.

Ndidi was fortunate to escape punishment when he raked his studs down on Mitrovic’s shin to leave the striker in a heap.

Unfortunately for Leicester he soon recovered to wreak revenge with his brilliant winner.

Meanwhile Leicester’s sloppiness in defence soon surfaced at the other end of the park when Tielemans swept in a perfect cross but Ayoze Perez somehow slashed over from six yards.

Albrighton tested Bernd Leno with a series of wicked crosses but his team-mates, including Jamie Vardy couldn’t get on the end of them and Rodgers’ men were booed off at half-time.

They should have made amends on their return when Luke Thomas sent Harvey Barnes through but the winger’s attempted chip was batted down by Leno, who then used his legs to block Vardy. 

Tensions were boiling over and there were five bookings inside 25 messy minutes for Fulham’s Adarabioyo, Palhinha, and Cairney, as well as Leicester’s Ndidi and Castagne.

Fulham’s eyes were fixed on the prize as Leicester piled forward and Leno did brilliantly to palm away Perez’s net-bound attempt.

Then Tielemans almost smashed the crossbar when he chested the ball down and beat Leno, only to see his 20-yarder smack off the metalwork.

This was clearly always destined to be Fulham’s night.

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