Leeds boss Jesse Marsch faces an uncertain future after Fulham came from behind to claim a win at Elland Road that leaves the Whites in the Premier League bottom three and without a win in eight games.
Second-half goals from Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian sealed the game for the Cottagers – the former steering a header before the latter scored from close range to provoke mutiny among the home crowd.
The last 10 minutes were played out to the sound of chants against Marsch and the club’s board with the final whistle greeted by boos from around the ground.
Looking to boost their lowly league position and the standing of their beleaguered boss, the home side had led through Rodrigo’s header in the 20th minute, raising the prospect of a first win since August.
But familiar defensive failings again undid them as they allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic an unchallenged close-range header from a corner just six minutes later.
In what is becoming a familiar story, the Whites looked huffed and puffed in attack but looked vulnerable all afternoon.
It took a superb goal-line block from Marc Roca to stop Harrison Reed from scoring the opener and a fine save from Illan Meslier to stop Andreas Pereira from making it 2-1 before the break.
Decordova-Reid and Willian took their chances when they came to complete the turnaround and ensure that not even Crysencio Summerville’s late goal could alter the result.
It gives this enterprising and confident Fulham side a second successive win following Thursday’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa and leaves Marsch to an uncertain fate.
After Thursday’s loss at Leicester, which left Leeds out of the bottom three only on goal difference and saw a travelling support turn on Marsch, this felt like a must-win game for the American.
It was only a week ago that they largely outplayed league leaders Arsenal at Elland Road and Marsch was eager before Sunday’s game to draw on this positive and the possibility of a repeat.
They certainly set to do just that in a bold and bright opening 20 minutes, backed by a vociferous crowd, at the end of which Rodrigo nodded the opener following Jack Harrison’s blocked shot.
This would be as good as it got, though, for the home side, who wilted as soon as Fulham got to grips with the game and showed some endeavour.
Mitrovic, who struggled during his last Premier League campaign, is a different top-flight animal this season and needs a little invitation to score – so Leeds erred badly by leaving him unmarked six yards out from a corner.
And the home side diced with danger all too regularly, needing Roca to rescue them at 0-0 and Meslier to do the same at 1-1.
There was no rescue act once Decordova-Reid had glanced in his hammer blow of a header and Willian had tapped home to put daylight between the sides.
As Leicester witnessed on a smaller scale on Thursday – and as Fulham will have known going into this game – the Leeds support is a powder keg waiting to ignite in fury at the club’s failings.
And so it came to pass with chants against the manager and board, the latter getting the lion’s share, only interrupted momentarily by Summerville’s goal – his first for the club.
Boos filled the ground at full-time and continued as Marsch took to the pitch to applaud the fans. It could well be the last this ground sees of the American.
For Fulham, this represents another big feather in the cap. A second successive win was their fifth of this Premier League season – the same amount they managed in the entirety of their last top-flight campaign in 2020-21. This win puts them seventh.
source – BBC Sport
