Fulham matchwinner Aleksandar Mitrovic said his side “want to keep the dream going” after their 1-0 victory at Leicester City lifted them up to seventh in the Premier League table.
The striker chested down Willian’s cross before firing home from close range in the 17th minute to help the Cottagers win their third successive match since the league returned after the World Cup break.
Fulham’s latest win means they now sit on 28 points – level with Liverpool – and in a Europa Conference League spot.
In their last two Premier League campaigns they went down with 26 points in 2018-19 and 28 in 2020-21.
“It’s amazing,” said Mitrovic, 28. “When you get promoted, the first target is to stay up.
“We don’t think ahead, we stay with both feet on the ground. We’ll see what happens at the end.
“This is a dream for us – we want to keep the dream going.”
Joy and pain for matchwinner Mitrovic
Relegation fights feel like a thing of the past for Marco Silva’s side, who had the game’s first chance through Willian’s curling shot.
The Brazilian then set up Mitrovic, whose opener was his second goal in three games and 11th of the campaign to equal his season’s best in the top flight.
The only blot on the Serbian’s record was a 78th-minute yellow card for a foul on Harvey Barnes, which will rule him out of Fulham’s next league match with Chelsea next Thursday.
Fulham had a chance to double their lead in injury-time but Harry Wilson scuffed his shot narrowly wide when one-on-one with Leicester keeper Danny Ward.
“[This was] the best way to finish 2022 and the best way to start 2023,” said manager Silva.
“We have to be realistic and to keep our feet on the ground. No-one expected us to be in this position before the season started. You are here to enjoy and embrace the challenge.
“We have 28 points, it’s a big achievement for us now but we have to keep on working hard.”
Rodgers wants January arrivals after third straight loss
Leicester, who were greeted with boos at the full-time whistle, fell to a third defeat on the bounce and remain three points above the bottom three in 13th.
They almost levelled through Youri Tielemans, who smashed an 80th-minute effort against the crossbar.
Ayoze Perez also went close for the Foxes, failing to convert a Tielemans cross, while Fulham keeper Bernd Leno made an important stop to deny Barnes.
While Fulham have shone since the resumption, Leicester’s form has been dull, even if they were unfortunate in their defeat to Liverpool last time out.
Brendan Rodgers’ team finished the game down on two key midfielders, with Boubakary Soumare suffering a hamstring injury in the first half and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall injured in the warm-up.
“Hopefully we can get some strength in January,” Rodgers said afterwards.
“There’s not a lot of money but maybe there is some to do with what we want to do.”
Both sides are in FA Cup third round action on Saturday, with Leicester at League Two Gillingham and Fulham visiting Championship side Hull City.
Player of the match
MitrovicAleksandar Mitrovic
Leicester City
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Squad number8Player nameTielemansAverage rating
5.27
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Squad number11Player nameAlbrightonAverage rating
5.13
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
Average rating5.12
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Squad number1Player nameWard
Average rating5.01
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Average rating4.81
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Average rating4.76
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Squad number3Player nameFaes
Average rating4.66
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Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
Average rating4.58
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Squad number24Player nameMendy
Average rating4.50
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
Average rating4.50
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Average rating4.43
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
Average rating4.42
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Squad number18Player nameAmartey
Average rating4.30
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Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Average rating4.27
Fulham
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Squad number9Player nameMitrovic
Average rating8.19
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Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
Average rating7.49
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Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
Average rating7.47
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Squad number20Player nameWillian
Average rating7.46
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Squad number17Player nameLeno
Average rating7.40
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Squad number8Player nameWilson
Average rating7.27
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Squad number13Player nameReam
Average rating7.20
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Squad number33Player nameRobinson
Average rating7.17
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Squad number2Player nameTete
Average rating7.16
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Squad number6Player nameReed
Average rating7.14
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Squad number10Player nameCairney
Average rating7.13
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Squad number31Player nameDiop
Average rating7.04
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Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
Average rating6.99
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Squad number4Player nameTosin
Average rating6.93
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ward
- 27CastagneBooked at 74mins
- 18Amartey
- 3Faes
- 33ThomasSubstituted forIheanachoat 72′minutes
- 25NdidiBooked at 61minsSubstituted forMendyat 72′minutes
- 42SoumaréSubstituted forAlbrightonat 8′minutes
- 17Pérez
- 8Tielemans
- 7Barnes
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 4Söyüncü
- 11Albrighton
- 14Iheanacho
- 23Vestergaard
- 24Mendy
- 31Iversen
- 34Brunt
- 47McAteer
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17LenoBooked at 90mins
- 2TeteBooked at 68mins
- 4TosinBooked at 52mins
- 13Ream
- 33Robinson
- 6Reed
- 26João PalhinhaBooked at 60mins
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forWilsonat 66′minutes
- 18PereiraSubstituted forCairneyat 59′minutesBooked at 62mins
- 20WillianSubstituted forDiopat 82′minutes
- 9MitrovicBooked at 78mins
Substitutes
- 1Rodák
- 3Kurzawa
- 8Wilson
- 10Cairney
- 11Solomon
- 12Chalobah
- 21James
- 30Alves Morais
- 31Diop
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 30,813
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Leicester City 0, Fulham 1.
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Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Fulham 1.
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Bernd Leno (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
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Attempt missed. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Harry Wilson (Fulham).
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Foul by Harvey Barnes (Leicester City).
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Kenny Tete (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Wout Faes (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
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Attempt missed. Harry Wilson (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Cairney with a through ball following a fast break.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Harry Wilson (Fulham).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Antonee Robinson (Fulham).
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Attempt missed. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel Amartey.
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Substitution, Fulham. Issa Diop replaces Willian.
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Attempt saved. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Aleksandar Mitrovic.
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