Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest: Premier League – as it happened

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Jacob Steinberg was at Craven Cottage. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM, and happy holidays to you all. May God bless Mary, Joseph, Jesus and Kevin.

Sean Dyche talks to Sky Sports. “It was capitalising on the performance from ourselves … we got in good moments but never really threatened … never asked questions … you have to penetrate … disappointed … we have been looking a threat … but we didn’t once we got into the final third … we got in some good areas … we didn’t hit the right zones … we did that so well last week … one of those frustrating nights … there’s not much in the game … not particularly good from either side … but you have to get something from it … I didn’t think we did enough to lose it, but we didn’t get anything from it … [the penalty] is a loose leg … people go down, that’s the way it is … should have dealt with it earlier … the fine margins of football … there wasn’t loads wrong … one of the biggest things you have to do is handle praise … we got praised rightly so for a very big performance last weekend … that fire and intent was lacking … that edge that we showed in abundance [last weekend] wasn’t quite there tonight … that killer instinct … killer edge … we gotta do the basics better.”

The upcoming festive period for Fulham …

… and for Nottingham Forest …

… and yes, we’ve overshot the 12 days of Christmas a wee bit, but the full programme of midweek fixtures in the first week of the New Year seem part of the piece, coming as they do before the third round of the FA Cup, so you’ll have to sue us about that†.

†: Please do not sue us about that.

Marco Silva talks to Sky Sports. “We are very happy and pleased for the players … the three points were massive for us … back-to-back Premier League wins after the last three points against Burnley … those three points make more sense if you are able to win at home, and we did it … tight game … difficult game … the first half was better than the second from ourselves … we managed the second half well off the ball … on the ball was not at our level … we had some good moments … one or two moments with Kevin that with a better touch he can go one-on-one with the goalkeeper … second half we managed well, I don’t remember one chance from Nottingham … when Tom Cairney came in, he made an impact … he gave us peace on the ball … more control … no clear-cut chances … very pleased for [Raul Jiménez] … in that moment he was cold!”

Raul Jiménez speaks to Sky. “We knew it was going to be tough … we made good things … both halves were really tough … we are happy to have these three points … [waiting for the goalkeeper to move before taking a penalty] is always what I do and I think I do it well … it’s something I have trained my whole career … I like to have the pressure and I’m happy to score … I have never missed … 12 out of 12 I think? … [he’s corrected, and a smile and a look of high amusement plays across his face] … ha, one more! … I am really happy about that … more penalties to come, I’ll be there! … at least once a week, in training with the goalkeeper … it’s more difficult because they know me … but I’m always doing it right, how I need to do it … I’m really happy … we have five games in two weeks so it’s going to be tough, but we will be ready for it.”

A reminder that the 34-year-old Mexico international tonight tied the Premier League record for 100-percent penalty success: he’s 11 out of 11, alongside Yaya Toure, with Dimitar Berbatov the next on the list with nine from nine.

Fulham have now won six of their last seven Premier League games against Nottingham Forest. In truth, there wasn’t a great deal between the sides tonight, but Raul Jiménez’s perfectly executed penalty proved the difference … and so this is how the Premier League table looks at Christmas, with Fulham up to 13th, leapfrogging Bournemouth and capital rivals Spurs. Nottingham Forest remain 17th, though they’ve got a five-point cushion on West Ham and the relegation places.

Updated at 17.09 EST

FULL TIME: Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest

Fulham beat Forest yet again! As they celebrate, Sean Dyche goes stomping down the tunnel. Bah humbug.

90 min +6: Dominguez is booked for clipping King as the defender tries to make his way upfield with his myrrh.

90 min +5: Andersen with a clearing header. It’s been a busy couple of minutes for the Fulham defender.

90 min +4: … and with delicious timing, Andersen is booked for dissent.

Updated at 16.57 EST

90 min +3: Anderson once again miscues a pass out of play. It’s not been his evening. Meanwhile on Sky, Rob Green names Joachim Andersen as his player of the match.

90 min +2: Kalimuendo comes on for Hudson-Odoi.

90 min +1: Hutchinson crosses from the right but it’s an easy pick for Leno.

90 min: There will be six additional minutes.

89 min: Traore has the opportunity to steam into the Forest box from the right, but hesitates, allowing Murillo to come across and pick his pocket. WWKD? We’ve got evidence of that, haven’t we.

87 min: Fulham spend a bit of time with the ball, and the clock runs down.

85 min: Fulham make a triple change of their own, replacing Smith Rowe, Wilson and Jimenez with Traore, Diop and Kusi-Asare. Then King nips in from the left but, preparing to shoot from the penalty spot, finding himself swarmed.

Updated at 16.58 EST

84 min: Tete reaches the byline down the right. He whips a cross towards Jimenez, who eyebrows across Victor and inches wide of the left-hand side of the net. So close to a second goal of the evening.

82 min: Forest work a short corner on the left. Anderson finally finds his range, whipping a glorious ball to the far stick. Milenkovic can’t quite connect and falls forward, suggesting Jimenez had shoved him from behind. There was nothing in it, though. Had Milenkovic been able to connect, he’d have surely scored. Goal kick. Milenkovic, full of frustration, engages in a petulant shovin’ and a-slappin’ match with Cuenca, who accuses him of diving, and both men go into the book.

Players from both teams react after Fulham’s Jorge Cuenca clashes with Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/ReutersShare

Updated at 16.54 EST

81 min: Savona is replaced by Zinchenko.

79 min: Wilson is fine to continue, and indeed goes into the grinch-like Anthony Taylor’s notebook.

78 min: The sweet baby Kevin is withdrawn, and replaced by one King.

76 min: Wilson stretches a leg across his Wales team-mate Williams in an attempt to block tackle. He goes down in pain, holding his knee, which might have twisted upon impact. On comes the physio. Adding insult to injury, referee Anthony Taylor hovers around, waiting to book him for the mistimed challenge.

74 min: For all Forest’s endeavour in this second half, their xG is still only 0.6.

73 min: Forest make a triple change, replacing Gibbs-White, Jesus and Luiz with Awoniyi, Dominguez and McAtee.

72 min: Cairney fizzes a low shot towards the bottom right from distance. Victor tips around the post. No corner, but then there was an obvious foul on Jesus by Andersen in the build-up, so it’s all probably for the best. Not exactly an officiating masterclass, though.

71 min: Murillo is booked for a late clatter into Tete.

69 min: Anderson miscontrols in the centre circle, allowing Lukic to snaffle and feed Wilson, who strokes a pass down the inside-left channel, releasing Kevin into acres. But not for the first time this evening, Kevin doesn’t back himself to power goalwards and shoot, instead dithering until Murillo comes across to hack clear. Speaking of which, here’s Simon McMahon: “It’s just not Christmas until Kevin the cat who lives near Mac Millings appears on the MBM, is it? Give him a treat from me, won’t you Mac. Preferably turkey flavoured. Or (Ful)ham.”

67 min: Down the right, Savona reaches a ball he had no right to get to, and hooks brilliantly infield from the byline. Leno is on point to claim in his six-yard box without fuss, though he’d have been put to the test had anyone in a Forest shirt kept up with play. Savona is within his rights to look around at his team-mates and scream AW C’MON but doesn’t.

66 min: Cairney comes on for Berge.

65 min: Luiz dribbles elegantly down the middle of the park. It looks like Tete clips him on the edge of the D, but referee Anthony Taylor waves play on. The carol the Forest fans break into is not packed with the usual festive bonhomie.

63 min: Hutchinson sashays in from the right, past a couple of folk before crossing low. Jesus miscontrols on the penalty spot, then fouls his man in an attempt to rectify the mistake. “I’m humbled that so many of the MBM great and good are in the house for Fulham,” chirrups Richard Hirst. “If we get Gary Naylor and Mary Waltz my joy will be unconfined … provided we stay ahead of course.”

62 min: Murillo works through some issues by launching a fierce rising shot goalwards from 30 yards. Leno behind it all the way. Then another wave of Forest attack, as Gibbs-White whistles a dipping diagonal right to left, and inches wide of the left-hand post. Leno probably had it covered. Forest are much improved in this second period.

60 min: Murillo thinks about advancing at speed down the inside-left channel … only to be stopped mid-gallop in a gloriously old-fashioned manner by Tete’s perfectly executed, 101mph sliding tackle. The crowd enjoyed that. One suspects Murillo, who takes no prisoners himself, grudgingly admired it too.

58 min: Anderson’s radar has been strangely wonky so far tonight, and now his attempt to release Hutchinson down the right sails harmlessly into the stand behind the goal. “The Tricky Christmas Trees have yet to light up, wouldn’t you say?” quips Peter Oh with perfect comic timing.

56 min: Berge is booked for cynical shove into the back of the in-flight Gibbs-White. “Oh, Scott!” sighs Mac Millings. “Simon McMahon’s 49th-minute Kevin was the cat who lives on my street, silly. But don’t worry: Kevin the cat also tends to misinterpret emails from legendary MBM contributors, so you are not alone.”

Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White can’t evade Fulham’s Sander Berge. Photograph: Adam Davy/PAShare

Updated at 16.33 EST

54 min: Luiz whips a cross in from the right. Easy for Leno. Then Hudson-Odoi has a whack. Andersen blocks. But Fulham surely can’t keep on like this; exactly 50 percent of the second-half action to this point has taken place in their final third.

52 min: No, it’s hacked away by the first man Lukic at the near post. “I was very happy to see Raúl Jiménez score,” begins Kári Tulinius. “I don’t want to define him by the worst thing that happened to him, but I can’t help but root for him ever since his horrific injury. I hope that he has a good season and a World Cup for the ages next summer.” You’ll be pleased to hear, then, that Jimenez, having now scored all 11 of his Premier League penalties, joins Yaya Toure at the top of the 100% Penalty Success tree. Dimitar Berbatov is next in line with nine out of nine.

51 min: Forest have started this second half brightly, and now Hudson-Odoi wins a corner down the left. Luiz comes across to take it. Perhaps score directly from it?

50 min: A cross comes in from the Forest right. Hudson-Odoi bicycles the ball spectacularly wide left. He was miles offside, to be fair.

Updated at 16.23 EST

49 min: Williams one-twos with Hudson-Odoi down the left and shoots from distance. Straight at Leno. “I finish work for the holidays tomorrow,” begins Simon McMahon, “which leaves plenty time to get my Christmas shopping done, and for Royal Mail to deliver all my parcels and cards in time for the big day, right? Apologies in advance to my family if they don’t arrive before Thursday. This game isn’t great, but at least it has the two classic Christmas names – Jesus and Kevin – to keep us interested. May the blessings of the season Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal.” Just checking: this Kevin you refer to is Roman Roy’s brother, left in the house over the festive period by himself, yes? Or the carrot from the Aldi ad?

47 min: Jesus powers his way down the inside-left channel, between Andersen and Cuenca, reaching a ball he had no right to get. He flicks a shot over Leno but also over the bar.

Nottingham Forest get the second half started. No changes.

Half-time entertainment … though not necessarily for Forest fans, who surely won’t be happy at the prospect of their bitter East Midlands rivals being usurped as the worst team in Premier League history. But it’s on. Jonathan Wilson reports.

HALF TIME: Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest

Fulham lead thanks to the successful conversion of their first penalty kick of the season.

45 min +7: Jimenez follows Victor into the book for stopping Williams taking a quick throw.

45 min +6: That was a wonderfully taken spot kick, Jimenez giving Victor the eyes and winning that psychological duel with ease. It’s his third Premier League goal of the campaign.

Updated at 15.52 EST

GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Jimenez 45+5 pen)

… stops his run-up a couple of times, before whipping the ball into the bottom left! Just before he did that, Victor was shown the yellow card for faffing around and further making Jimenez wait.

Fulham’s Mexican striker Raul Jimenez (R) scores the opening goal past Nottingham Forest’s Brazilian goalkeeper John Victor. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 15.56 EST

45 min +4: A long wait for Jimenez as VAR checks first the penalty incident, then whether or not there was an offside in the build-up. The decisions: yes, and no. Jimenez steps up, and …

Penalty for Fulham!

45 min +2: We should get a shot on target soon, because Kevin comes jinking in from the left, nips past Andersen, and tries to skip past Luiz’s extended leg. He can’t do it, but the contact sends him tumbling, and the referee points to the spot!

Nottingham Forest’s Douglas Luiz fouls Fulham’s Kevin to concede a penalty. Photograph: David Klein/ReutersShare

Updated at 15.55 EST

45 min +1: Fulham have taken eight shots so far, Forest six. None of them on target.

45 min: There will be five additional first-half minutes.

43 min: Hutchinson curls in viciously from the right flank. Jesus can’t meet with his head, six yards out, but the ball dips towards the bottom left and Leno has to adjust quickly and claw it around the post. Nothing comes of the corner.

42 min: All of Fulham’s best work is down the left. Robinson again advances, crossing for Jimenez at the near post. The ball’s a little bit behind the striker, but he corkscrews his neck to slap a header into the side netting. That wasn’t far away from the top-left corner, though you’d have asked questions had Victor allowed it in.

41 min: Milenkovic stands his ground as Smith Rowe tries to advance down the left. The two come together, the latter coming off worse. Milenkovic slightly fortunate not to go into the book for his stubbornness.

39 min: Robinson again finds space down the left. His low cross is deflected back to the edge of the box, where Lukic tries to steer a first-time shot across a flat-footed Victor and into the bottom left. But it’s always heading wide. Again, that’s better from Fulham, and their xG has now zipped all the way up to the heady heights of 0.22.

Updated at 15.41 EST

38 min: … but this is better from Fulham. Smith Rowe slips Robinson into space down the left with a cute diagonal pass from infield; Robinson’s cross is half-cleared, but Fulham come again down the same flank, Kevin nipping into the area and seeing his shot deflected over the bar. Nothing comes of the set piece, other than an instantly blocked Jimenez effort from the edge of the D.

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