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Leicester strengthened their position in the Premier League’s top four with victory over Fulham, whose survival hopes suffered a further blow at Craven Cottage.
James Maddison played a key role in both the visitors’ goals, delivering a delightful in-swinging cross for Kelechi Iheanacho to head home before teeing up James Justin to double the Foxes’ lead on the stroke of half-time.
Brendan Rodgers’ side had three goals disallowed – Caglar Soyuncu’s first-half header was ruled out for a push on Tosin Adarabioyo before Iheanacho and Ricardo Pereira were denied by the linesman’s flag in the second half.
Fulham had chances too – notably when Adarabioyo’s header was palmed over the crossbar by Kasper Schmeichel moments before the visitors’ second goal.
That header, however, was the Cottagers’ only effort on target in the entire 90 minutes.
The result lifts Leicester two points behind second-placed Manchester United, while Fulham remain seven points adrift of safety in 18th.
Maddison the key for Leicester
Rodgers admitted his team “weren’t good enough” in Sunday’s defeat by Leeds United – a result that saw them miss the chance to move two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.
The Foxes were without injured defenders Timothy Castagne and Wesley Fofana at Craven Cottage, while key duo Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy were also still sidelined.
Leicester had earned just one point from their past four league fixtures without Vardy, while winning only six of their 22 league matches without Ndidi since the Nigerian’s debut in January 2017.
However, two superb assists from Maddison steered the Foxes to victory in west London.
The 24-year-old’s teasing delivery from the right gave Iheanacho the simple task of directing a close-range header past Areola, while he showed great composure to tee up Justin for the visitors’ crucial second goal.
Leicester were happy to contain their opponents for the majority of the second half, as Fulham struggled to penetrate their resolute, well-drilled defence.
Only Manchester United have collected more points on their travels this season than Rodgers’ side, who have now won eight of their 11 away league matches in 2020-21.
Toothless Fulham in deep trouble
Fulham came into Wednesday’s game without a win since beating Leicester 2-1 at King Power Stadium on 30 November.
The Cottagers have proved tough to beat in recent weeks, but their failure to convert chances into goals has seen them lose ground on the teams above the drop zone.
They carved out the first opportunity of the game after 12 minutes, but Justin produced a fine block to deny Aleksandar Mitrovic after a marauding run from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa down the left.
Adarabioyo forced Schmeichel into an outstanding one-handed save late in the first half, only for Justin’s goal moments later to leave Scott Parker’s side with a mountain to climb.
Parker brought on Mario Lemina and Ivan Cavaleiro at half-time and the latter went close to halving the deficit within minutes of the restart, dragging a low shot wide of Schmeichel’s left-hand post.
But that was the closest the hosts came to a route back into the match, as their winless league run stretched to 11 games.
What’s next?
Fulham welcome West Ham to Craven Cottage in their next league match on Saturday, 6 February (17:30 GMT), while Leicester travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers the next day (14:00).
Player of the match
TielemansYouri Tielemans
Fulham
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Squad number17Player nameCavaleiro
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Squad number1Player nameAreola
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Squad number21Player nameReed
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Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
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Squad number15Player nameLoftus-Cheek
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Squad number16Player nameTosin
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Squad number5Player nameAndersen
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Squad number34Player nameAina
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Squad number18Player nameLemina
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Squad number19Player nameLookman
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Squad number33Player nameRobinson
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Squad number2Player nameTete
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Squad number9Player nameMitrovic
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Squad number29Player nameZambo Anguissa
Leicester City
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
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Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
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Squad number2Player nameJustin
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
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Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
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Squad number6Player nameEvans
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Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
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Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
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Squad number20Player nameChoudhury
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Squad number18Player nameAmartey
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Squad number24Player nameMendy
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Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
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Squad number15Player nameBarnes
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Areola
- 34AinaBooked at 59mins
- 5Andersen
- 16Tosin
- 2TeteSubstituted forCavaleiroat 45′minutesBooked at 89mins
- 21ReedBooked at 24mins
- 29Zambo AnguissaSubstituted forLeminaat 45′minutes
- 33Robinson
- 15Loftus-CheekSubstituted forDe Cordova-Reidat 71′minutes
- 9Mitrovic
- 19Lookman
Substitutes
- 3Hector
- 4Odoi
- 12Rodák
- 13Ream
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 17Cavaleiro
- 18Lemina
- 23Bryan
- 25Onomah
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 6Evans
- 4Söyüncü
- 2Justin
- 8Tielemans
- 20ChoudhurySubstituted forMendyat 61′minutesBooked at 72mins
- 17PérezSubstituted forAlbrightonat 61′minutes
- 10Maddison
- 15BarnesSubstituted forAmarteyat 76′minutes
- 14Iheanacho
Substitutes
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 18Amartey
- 19Ãœnder
- 24Mendy
- 28Fuchs
- 33Thomas
- 38Leshabela
- 46Daley-Campbell
Live Text
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Match ends, Fulham 0, Leicester City 2.
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Second Half ends, Fulham 0, Leicester City 2.
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Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
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Daniel Amartey (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Ivan Cavaleiro (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Ivan Cavaleiro (Fulham).
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Harrison Reed (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).
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Offside, Leicester City. James Maddison tries a through ball, but Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.
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Foul by Ola Aina (Fulham).
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Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Harrison Reed with a cross.
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Corner, Fulham. Conceded by James Justin.
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Attempt blocked. Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aleksandar Mitrovic with a through ball.
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Foul by Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham).
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Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Daniel Amartey replaces Harvey Barnes.
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Corner, Fulham. Conceded by James Justin.
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Harrison Reed (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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