Fulham 0-3 AFC Bournemouth: Callum Wilson heaps misery on struggling hosts

Wilson now has five goals and four assists in the Premier League this season

Callum Wilson scored twice to help Bournemouth continue their fast start to the Premier League season - and inflict another damaging defeat on Fulham.

In an open game at Craven Cottage, the visitors opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Wilson was clumsily fouled by Timothy Fosu-Mensah early on.

The hosts had chances throughout but were never as clinical as the visitors - a fact highlighted when the Cherries turned defence to attack before David Brooks' composed finish for their second.

Fulham's Kevin McDonald was sent off for a second bookable offence late on, and Wilson scored his second and Bournemouth's third to wrap up victory and condemn the Cottagers to their fourth straight defeat, having conceded 15 goals along the way.

Weary sections of the home support met the full-time whistle with jeers and the defeat means the Cottagers' remain 18th and in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe's men stay sixth and have closed the gap on Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham - the teams above them - to one point.

• Relive Fulham's defeat to Bournemouth as it happened

• Reaction to Saturday's Premier League matches

The home side did have their moments, but mustered just a single effort on target, which came when Andre Schurrle stung the palms of Asmir Begovic from outside the box after Bournemouth's opener.

Aboubakar Kamara and Denis Odoi went wide with headed efforts as Fulham tried to find a way back, but when Wilson set Fraser away to set up the second goal, it was effectively game over.

Moments later, a sloppy pass from Odoi saw goalscorer Brooks intercept before McDonald brought him down to earn a second yellow from referee Andre Marriner.

Kamara, who often cut a frustrated figure, could have joined McDonald when he kicked the ball away when on a yellow, but he was given a reprieve.

However, it was little help to Fulham's cause. Bournemouth completed the victory when Fraser fed Wilson in space before the Englishman struck his fifth goal of the season.

Woe and worry for Fulham

Fulham have conceded 28 goals in 10 Premier League games this season

In many respects, Bournemouth are the template that promoted Premier League sides would like to copy - exciting to watch and watertight at the back.

At times, Fulham fulfilled the first part - but their porous defence stands to prohibit their chances of remaining in the top flight next season.

Having conceded four in defeat to fellow strugglers Cardiff last time out, Jokanovic appeared to go back to basics with a 4-4-1-1 formation. But from the outset, the visitors stifled any attempt at game management from the home side.

It can't help confidence that Fulham are the only side to have conceded in every league game this season.

But just as Cardiff's purposeful start rattled the Cottagers last week, so too did Bournemouth's this time. When Wilson was felled, there were no appeals against the penalty decision and a sense of inevitability crept in.

That mood that was briefly lifted by captain Tom Cairney's return as a substitute on the hour after two months out injured, but when Brooks added a second the point of no return was reached.

Jokanovic said before this game that "seasons are full of good and less good afternoons" - and it's becoming easy to forget that this is a club who enjoyed the ultimate high of winning a Championship play-off final just a few months ago.

If the Londoners can't stop the rot at Huddersfield on Monday week, though, the questions about how many more afternoons Jokanovic will see as Fulham boss will intensify.

Bournemouth in bloom

It is probably fair to assume that Sunday's papers will focus on forlorn Fulham, rather than Howe's buoyant Bournemouth.

Perhaps just as well then, that the visitors' and their 2,500-or-so-strong support made sure to come together and savour this result at the final whistle.

The Cherries are now in esteemed company at the top of the table, just behind the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham who play on Sunday.

On showings like this, it feels patronising to say Howe's side are greater than the sum of their parts, but even without the injured Joshua King, this was a professional job well done - and evidence that their league position is merited.

In attack, their front men are potent, with Wilson stating afterwards his belief that Bournemouth are "flourishing" this season.

The sweeping nature of their two goals from counter-attacks in the second half served as a case in point, while in defence they have now kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for just the second time.

If Howe's side can play in the same way against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United a week from now, aspirations of a tilt at qualifying for European football in 2019-20 will start to feel far from fanciful.

Man of the match - Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)

There were impressive performances from back to front in this Bournemouth victory, but Wilson deserves due credit for playing a part in all three goals - including the decisive second

'I'm not thinking about my future' - what they said

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic: "We have enough quality to score but we can't find a way to find a clean sheet. The Premier League is tough not just for us but for many clubs. We are making expensive mistakes.

"I am not thinking about my future. I will be ready for the next challenge. I am living my present and that is today a very hard defeat. I must be brave and keep going and encourage my team."

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "We knew it would be tough against a good side. They have good players who can hurt you.

"We were defensively very good. It was a better performance than the Watford one [a 4-0 away win] where we also played well and got a lot of plaudits."

Success at both ends for Bournemouth - the stats

• Fulham have lost four consecutive league games for the first time since August 2014, when they were in the Championship.

• Bournemouth have won four of their last six away games in the Premier League (L2), as many as they had in their previous 27 away trips in the competition.

• Fulham have conceded 28 goals in the Premier League this term, the joint-most after 10 games in the division's history (tied with Barnsley in 1997-98 and Southampton in 2012-13).

• Bournemouth have won six penalties in the Premier League this season (5 scored), already twice as many as they did in the whole of the 2017-18 campaign (3 won, 3 scored).

• Callum Wilson has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 11 appearances in the Premier League (six goals and four assists).

• Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks has scored three goals in his last four league appearances, as many as he had in his previous 35.

• Bournemouth have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for just the second time, last doing so in November 2017.

What's next?

Both sides feature in next week's fourth round of the EFL Cup, with Bournemouth hosting Championship club Norwich City on Tuesday, 30 October (19:45 GMT) and Fulham on the road at Manchester City on Thursday, 1 November (19:45).

The Cherries then welcome Manchester United in the early Premier League kick-off on Saturday, 3 November (12:30), with the Cottagers next in league action away at Huddersfield on Monday, 5 November (20:00).