Callum Wilson struck twice as Bournemouth moved a point behind the Premier League's top four with a thumping 3-0 win at struggling 10-man Fulham on Saturday.
Wilson's first-half penalty set up Bournemouth's sixth league win of the season as Slavisa Jokanovic's men suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat to increase the pressure on its head coach.
David Brooks scored before Ryan Fraser set up Wilson for a late third after Fulham captain Kevin McDonald was shown a second yellow card, and Bournemouth supporters can dream of Europe with Eddie Howe's team flying high in sixth.
The Cottagers, still in the bottom three, offered little attacking threat and remain the only team in the Premier League to have failed to keep a clean sheet this season having shipped 15 goals in their last four outings.
Fulham handed Sergio Rico a Premier League debut but the goalkeeper was beaten from the penalty spot in the 14th minute.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah brought down Wilson as he ran away from goal, the striker picking himself up to send Rico the wrong way from 12 yards.
Referee Andre Marriner rightly deemed Aboubakar Kamara dived over Asmir Begovic's outstretched leg before the goalkeeper parried a fierce drive from Andre Schurrle before the break.
Although Fulham pushed for a leveller, Bournemouth wrapped up the points in the 72nd minute when Wilson won the ball back for Fraser, who slipped a clever ball through for Brooks to slide underneath Rico.
Just 91 seconds later Fulham skipper McDonald, booked earlier for fouling Fraser, chopped Brooks down and consequently saw red.
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Scotland winger Fraser helped complete Fulham's misery when he threaded a perfect pass for Wilson to blast in his fifth Premier League goal of the season.
What does it mean? Jokanovic on the brink
Fulham was one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League during the transfer window, but five points from 10 matches is a meagre return for an investment of around £100million. Jokanovic will have to find positive results quickly if he is to stay in his job.
Cook and Lerma dominate midfield
Howe's tactics worked a treat, with Lewis Cook and Jefferson Lerma winning the midfield battle easily. Both players recorded passing accuracy rates of around 90 per cent to keep Bournemouth on the front foot and, when they did come under pressure, their defensive work was excellent.
Kamara and McDonald let Fulham down
Fulham is in plenty of trouble, but it could have done without Kamara attempting to win a penalty. Begovic may have left a leg out but the Frenchman threw himself to the ground with no contact whatsoever and was correctly booked by Marriner. McDonald, meanwhile, ended any hopes of a Fulham fightback by getting himself sent off and Kamara could have followed having shown his frustration by kicking the ball away when on a booking.
Key Opta Facts
- Fulham has lost four consecutive league games for the first time since August 2014, when it was in the Championship.
- Bournemouth has won four of its last six matches on its travels in the Premier League (L2), as many as it had in its previous 27 away trips in the competition.
- Fulham has conceded 28 goals in the Premier League this term, the joint-most after 10 games in competition history (also Barnsley in 1997-98 and Southampton in 2012-13).
- Wilson has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 11 appearances in the Premier League (six goals and four assists).
What's next?
Attentions turn to the EFL Cup for both teams, with Bournemouth entertaining Championship side Norwich City on Tuesday and Fulham heading to defending champions Manchester City two days later.
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