The one moment of true quality came when Raúl Jiménez stood 12 yards from goal and looked at John Victor. It was a battle of wits but there was only going to be one winner. Jiménez stuttered, moved towards the ball at a leisurely pace, waited for Nottingham Forest’s goalkeeper to move left and then set Fulham on the path to a vital victory by sending a clinical penalty into the opposite corner.
This was Jiménez in his element. The Mexican is not the quickest striker around but the 34-year-old is still one of the game’s sharpest thinkers. Few, after all, can match Jiménez for accuracy from the spot. He is calmness personified in those situations and, remarkably, is now joint top with Yaya Touré when it comes to players with a 100% conversion rate from penalty kicks in the history of the Premier League.
This was Jiménez’s 11th conversion out of 11 – Dimitar Berbatov, the former Manchester United and Fulham striker, is next best on nine from nine – and it was enough to pull Fulham 10 points clear of the bottom three. “In that moment he was cold,” Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, said. “He’s a great penalty taker. He is not at his best but the last four games at home he scored twice and both goals gave us wins.”
Silva was honest enough to admit that his side were not exactly flowing with confidence on the ball. For Fulham, though, it was one of those occasions when the result mattered far more than treating Craven Cottage to an evening of thrilling football. Silva’s options were limited by the absence of several key players and he was entitled to be pleased with how Fulham battled to their second consecutive win, nullifying Forest and denying Sean Dyche’s side the chance to increase their five-point lead over 18th placed West Ham.
There was plenty of huff and puff from Forest but they did not play with enough attacking intent and never looked like scoring. Their passing was pedestrian and they did not do enough to disturb Fulham’s outstanding centre-backs, Joachim Andersen and Jorge Cuenca.
“It was a low-level game quality wise,” Dyche said. “We started well and had a couple of decent chances. Second half we had more control but didn’t really penetrate. It’s hard to break teams down when they camp in. We shouldn’t be losing that game.”
Dyche did not bother complaining about a poor game being decided by Anthony Taylor, the referee, penalising Douglas Luiz for tripping Kevin just before half-time. Forest deserved nothing. Their creative players all disappointed and they fizzled out after a couple of early efforts from Igor Jesus raised false hope.
Fulham, whose small squad has been stretched by Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, shaded it. Kevin was lively on the left, running at Nicolò Savona and delivering dangerous crosses. Sasa Lukic shot narrowly wide. Jiménez also went close, meeting Antonee Robinson’s cross with a header that flew into the side netting.
Fulham were pressing as half-time approached. Five minutes were added on, partly because of Kevin needing treatment on an earlier head injury, and the winger took advantage. The 22-year-old darted into the area from the left, drawing defenders towards him, and was sent tumbling when Douglas Luiz caught him. It was a foolish tackle from a player of his experience. The Brazilian pleaded innocence but it was a clear foul and Jiménez punished him by sending John Victor the wrong way.
Forest had to wake up. They had a chance at the start of the second half, Igor Jesus lobbing over. Neco Williams threatened next, recording Forest’s first shot on target when he tested Bernd Leno from 20 yards.
Fulham, sinking back, invited pressure. Unable to keep the ball, they asked for trouble. Forest, though, could not create anything clear. Murillo and Morgan Gibbs-White were overly optimistic when trying to score from improbable distances. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Omari Hutchinson were ineffective on the flanks. Kenny Tete bullied Hudson-Odoi.
Forest were blunt. Yet Fulham were passive. Silva sensed the shift. It was not a surprise when he altered the flow by introducing Tom Cairney’s perceptive passing in midfield. Cairney gave Fulham more balance with the ball. Driving forward, he almost made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute. It took a fine save from John Victor to push the midfielder’s shot wide.
Forest slipped away. Dyche responded – Taiwo Awoniyi, Nicolás Domínguez and James McAtee coming on – but Fulham held firm and were the more threatening side during the closing stages.
It was a night to forget for Forest. They remain in peril and know their away form must improve if they are to stay up. They had no answer for Jiménez’s cool.
