QPR 0-2 Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic double keeps leaders eight points clear

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic and Queens Park Rangers' Jimmy Dunne battle for the ballImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic (right) has the record for the most goals in a Championship season

Two goals from the Championship's top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic were enough for league leaders Fulham to see off London rivals Queens Park Rangers.

The Serb scored in each half to take his tally to 37 league goals for the season as the Cottagers cruised to victory at Loftus Road.

Mitrovic tapped in from six yards out to give Fulham the lead in the first half before burying a second-half penalty to claim all three points.

The league leaders remain eight points clear of Bournemouth and 14 ahead of third-placed Huddersfield, while QPR drop to ninth, three points outside the play-off places.

Having not scored for two games, Mitrovic was involved right from the start, sending a half-volley wide of the post inside three minutes.

He did not need to wait long to score his 36th league goal of a record-breaking season, finishing off a fine team move as captain Tom Cairney played in Fabio Carvalho whose cross was tucked away by the striker.

Fulham were denied a second by the woodwork when Carvalho's deflected effort looped up and bounced back off the post.

Mitrovic went in search of his second in the second half, first seeing an effort cleared off the line by Yoann Barbet before attempting an audacious flick.

And he was gifted the perfect opportunity when the referee blew for a penalty for handball against Lee Wallace, stepping up to send QPR keeper Keiren Westwood the wrong way and make the points safe.

QPR mnager Mark Warburton told BBC Radio London 94.9:

"We keep getting apologies, but when the linesman doesn't give it [the penalty] and the referee does. And you see his [Wallace's] hand doesn't come up, he just runs and it hits him there on the shoulder, and straightaway he gives the penalty and it kills the game.

"The momentum goes. Our fans, who have been tremendous, it sucks the life out of them and galvanises the Fulham fans.

"You've got to be 100% sure to give a penalty, especially in a game of this nature."

Fulham boss Marco Silva:

"We reacted like a big team should [after defeat to West Bromwich Albion]. We wanted to come here and win to show a reaction, we knew that they wanted the same.

"They come from four defeats in the last five games and they were like us, under pressure to win this football match, but I think from the first minute we showed that we were the best team on the pitch and we deserved the three points.

On Mitrovic: "He's doing a fantastic season. [It was] great to see him more dynamic this afternoon and fresher again."

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