Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest

Fulham produced a stunning performance to dispatch Nottingham Forest 5-0 at Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening.

First half goals from Alex Iwobi and the excellent Raúl Jiménez put us in control of proceedings, and that stranglehold only tightened after the restart.

A gorgeous Raúl backheel made it three, before Iwobi also claimed a brace with a composed finish.

And there was still time for Captain Tom Cairney to cap his 299th appearance for the Whites with number five, which he celebrated in style with his adoring public behind the goal.

Following Tosin’s return to fitness, Marco Silva was able to name his preferred centre-back pairing of a right and left footer for the first time since the Sheffield United victory two months earlier – Tim Ream the man dropping out. Also in defence, Timothy Castagne came in at right-back for Kenny Tete, while Cairney and Willian were also drafted back into the XI following their productive cameos from the bench at Anfield.

We had to wait until the 18th minute for the first chance of note when Divock Origi bent a shot just wide from long range, but Bernd Leno looked to have his goal covered in any case.

Fulham responded with a poked Raúl effort after Cairney has done well to stay on his feet and play him through, but Forest ‘keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos got down to it quickly.

A fine Andreas Pereira free-kick, that he’d won himself, looked like it might break the deadlock, but his curling effort hit the wrong side of the upright and went behind for a goal kick.

That frustration turned to joy moments later with a beautifully worked counter attack. Calvin Bassey stepped up midway inside his own half to intercept a loose pass, before driving forward and feeding Cairney. He turned smartly and fed Willian to his left, who bent a sumptuous cross in towards the far post where Iwobi had lurked unmarked to slot beyond Vlachodimos.

Raúl also played a key part in that goal, with his movement dragging the attention away from Iwobi, and he added his own name to the scoresheet moments later when he timed his run to perfection to get on the end of Andreas’ cute through pass, then slamming an unstoppable strike into the postage stamp of the net.

Iwobi almost put the cherry on the top of a brilliant half of football when he spun on the edge of the box and sent a swirler towards the top corner, missing it by mere inches.

Raúl was putting in a dominant performance up top, and he threatened the first goal of the second half, bending wide from the edge of the box after eight minutes.

That was a warning sign that the Reds did not heed, with the Mexican making it 3-0 a matter of seconds later. After taking Andreas’ chipped ball down on his chest and holding off the challenge of former Fulham loanee Ola Aina, he rounded Vlachodimos and audaciously chopped a backheel into the net.

Forest had not offered loads in an attacking sense, but snuffed a chance midway through the half when substitute Chris Wood snatched at Aina’s centre and sent his first time effort wide of the near post under pressure from Tosin.

It had been a practically perfect performance from Fulham, and three soon became four. Harry Wilson – not long off the bench – needed just two touches, one to bring the ball into the box and the next to cut back to Iwobi who slammed home emphatically.

A rare misplaced pass at the back threatened to snatch away the Whites’ clean sheet when Anthony Elanga broke into the area, but Leno got down to repel his shot.

Instead, it was the home side who netted once again. After winning possession, Cairney played a one-two with Andreas before giving Vlachodimos the eyes and slotting home in front of a jubilant Hammy End.

Everyone wanted to get in on the act in stoppage time, with both Wilson and fellow sub Saša Lukić trying their luck from range, but in the end we had to settle for just the five goals, on a wonderful night at the Cottage.