Fulham are back where they belong, the underworld between the Championship and the Premier League, where the club has spent the last five summers. Each of them has seen them either promoted to or demoted by a top division.
With two goals from Alexander Mitrovic, which brought him to 40 for the season and another from Fabio Carvalho, two stars of the campaign made Fulham achieve his goal for the season. On a full-time basis, their fans rushed to the field to raise their characters high. A more orderly display followed later after the terrain was cleared.
Marco Silva will run his fourth club in the Premier League in just over five years and has almost as much to prove as Fulham. After not falling below the first two positions in the 13th match of the campaign and scoring 98 goals, 33 more than anyone else, his team is more than worthy of promotion. But as Norwich and Watford have shown this season, championship dominance is a zero guarantee of comfort in the Premier League.
“The difference is getting bigger, I know that,” Silva admitted. “You can see it every season. Now we have to celebrate and prepare for next season. That’s a good word, a yo-yo team, a good nickname. The challenge is huge, definitely. We have to be really positive, we have to have desire and ambition. ”
After spending 100 million pounds on players for the doomed 2018-19 campaign and reporting a loss of 93 million pounds for a similar fateful season 2020-21, the owner of the American billionaire club Shad Khan will have to continue digging deep.
A similar set of players came last season under the leadership of Scott Parker and Silva and Hahn need to increase them with better quality, even after the promotion was achieved with ease with flair and enterprising football. “They were the best team in the division so far,” said Preston manager Ryan Lowe.
Fulham fans on the field at Craven Cottage after full time. Photo: Clive Rose / Getty Images
After losing their last two games to Coventry and Derby, an edge over the line would have been enough for Fulham, but there was no such tension, even if Preston started with enthusiasm. It took a save from Marek Rodak to turn off Chad Evans after the exchange of Cameron Archer and Daniel Johnson left the Fulham goalkeeper exposed. Rodak soon had to embrace Ben Whiteman’s digging from a distance.
Fulham began to use the space created by Preston’s ambition. Mitrovic had scored against every team in the Championship this season except Coventry and Preston. By the 10th minute, only Coventry remained. Joe Brian stormed in from the left, with his corner pass finding the Serb in a perfect position to hit beyond Daniel Iversen.
The wonderful game between Mitrovic and Carvalho, aimed at Liverpool, could have led to a second in the 25th minute, just to shoot the young man to the side. Carvalho did not wait long, soon scoring with one move after the cross of Neeskens Kebano deviated in his path. And by the 42nd minute the party could start seriously, Mitrovic shot under Iversen after a pass from Harry Wilson.
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Premier League: Wigan is closer to promotion
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Will Keane’s double saved a point for the leaders Wigan in case of a draw 2-2 at Ipswichbringing Latics closer to an automatic raise as rivals Rotherham and MK Dons lost.
Keane (pictured right) gave Wigan the lead when he hit his head in added time in the first half, but Ipswich hit back in the second half. The hosts equalized with Connor Chaplin shortly after the hour and took the lead through a close finish to Sam Morse 12 minutes later, but Keane grabbed an equalizer in the final stages.
Wigan already has five points ahead of the third MK Dons, which have two matches left. They lost 1-0 at Oxfordthe late winner Billy Bodin boosted hopes for the hosts’ playoffs. Rotherham remains in second place despite a fourth loss in five league games, dropping 2-0 Burton. Cameron Bortwick-Jackson and John Brayford were on target for the Brewers.
Sheffield Wednesday continued their late push for an automatic promotion after Saturday’s victory at Milton Keynes with a close home win over the relegation Crewe. Lee Gregory won the penalty shootout as Darren Moore’s side extended their unbeaten streak in the league to eight games.
Elsewhere, in the middle of the table Charlton returned from home defeat on Friday by Morecambe with a 2-0 victory at Cambridge thanks to goals in the second half by Corey Blackett-Taylor and Connor Washington.
Photo: Stephen Paston / PA
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Not that the party was too noisy, a third promotion in six seasons was a bit of a novelty. True, it was difficult to lift the roof of a completely empty Riverside grandstand, the towering new structure was ready for next season, although Hammersmith End sounded happy enough to sing “get up if you’re in the Premier League.”
The second half started almost like the first, Rodak made a good save from Archer before Mitrovic lost to Iversen in a one-on-one duel. Then Preston’s Danish goalkeeper made a good double brake from Carvalho and Mitrovic. As Fulham dominated, fans began begging their promotion heroes to shoot from all angles and distances.
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After 15 minutes Carvalho left the field to a standing ovation. Shortly afterwards, Mitrovic scored without a hat-trick, but his goal was a brilliant achievement. Iconic for his club, Mitrovic is very powerful in the Championship and yet he usually disappoints in the higher echelons.
“Mitro was exceptional, phenomenal,” said Silva. “When Mitro can play with his energy and is fresh, he is a completely different player. After the game was over, Fulham could celebrate with the paying audience. Now let’s try to last longer than one season.
“I know what the club wants from me,” said Silva. “And this is just the beginning of a long journey, I hope. We need to prepare for the great challenge ahead. “
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