Fulham secured a 3-2 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, marking their first win at the ground in 35 attempts. The last time Fulham won at Burnley was in April 1951. This victory eases Fulham away from the Premier League relegation zone, while Burnley's woes deepen as they suffer their seventh successive league defeat.
Harry Wilson was the standout performer, contributing a goal and two assists to Fulham's victory. His contributions were instrumental in ending Fulham's long wait for a win at Turf Moor.
The match began with Fulham taking an early lead in the ninth minute. Wilson's low corner evaded the Burnley defense, and Emile Smith Rowe was quick to react, poking the ball home past Martin Dubravka. Burnley responded in the 21st minute when Lesley Ugochukwu, played in by Josh Cullen, finished with an outside-of-the-boot shot that went in off the post. This was Burnley's first goal in open play since their 3-2 loss to West Ham on Nov. 8.
Fulham regained the lead ten minutes later through Calvin Bassey, who headed in from another Wilson cross. In the 58th minute, Wilson extended Fulham's lead, curling a shot into the bottom corner after being set up by Samuel Chukwueze. Burnley substitute Oliver Sonne scored a late goal with a well-taken volley in the 86th minute, but it proved to be a mere consolation as Fulham held on for the win.
This defeat puts further pressure on Burnley manager Scott Parker, whose team has not won since beating Leeds 2-0 on Oct. 18. Fulham fans taunted Parker with chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning," referencing his previous managerial spells where he was twice relegated.
Fulham's victory moves them seven points clear of the bottom three, while Burnley remains in 19th place, five points from safety. This win also marks Fulham's fifth consecutive top-flight victory against newly-promoted teams and extends their unbeaten run in such fixtures to 12 games.
Burnley's defense struggled throughout the match, particularly with set-pieces. Fulham's opening goal came directly from a corner, and their second resulted from a failure to clear another. This defensive fragility is a stark contrast to Burnley's Championship-winning season, where their defense was a major strength.
Harry Wilson's performance was particularly noteworthy, as he has now been involved in eight goals in 15 Premier League games this season, surpassing his total involvement in the previous term. His accurate crosses and goal-scoring ability proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The result leaves Burnley in a precarious position as they face the prospect of relegation. Their longest losing streak since the 1994-95 season, when they were relegated to the third tier, adds to the sinking feeling at Turf Moor. Fulham, on the other hand, can celebrate a historic win and a significant step towards securing their Premier League status.
