Ryan Sessegnon does not turn 18 until May, by which point Fulham could well be, on this evidence at least, celebrating their return to the Premier League. Sessegnon’s seventh goal in eight matches kick-started an impressive victory over Aston Villa before Floyd Ayité’s stunning effort from the halfway line after an error by the goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone, ensured the visitors’ seven-match winning run came to a grinding halt by the Thames.
“He [Sessegnon] played fantastic at 16 and 17 and he is probably going to be better at 18,” Slavisa Jokanovic said. Since Jokanovic mooted that the club should sack him given a difference of opinion on the need for recruits at the start of last month, his side have drawn once and racked up five league wins, the latest of which moves them to within touching distance of Villa. The magnitude of this win remains to be seen, with Jokanovic keen to stress that three points is just that.
“We cannot think the job is done. It is simple, we are fifth in the Championship and at the moment we must show responsibility, solidarity and work together,” he said. Asked if victories of this nature suggest Fulham, unbeaten in 10 league matches, can chase down second-placed Cardiff City, Jokanovic added: “For us it is going to be a big surprise if we finish in the top two. We are going to try to push them without any pressure, because all the pressure is for the team that is in front of us.”
Aleksandar Mitrovic excelled on his full debut for Fulham while Tom Cairney returned to police the midfield. The captain relished the responsibility to execute the telling pass, twice in search of Sessegnon as he ghosted down the left, while joining supporters in shielding his eyes from the sun over the Riverside Stand.
Steve Bruce sorely missed the injured Jack Grealish and Albert Adomah, meaning Axel Tuanzebe, the on-loan Manchester United defender, started at right-back. He had a daunting task on his hands, too – containing the relentless Sessegnon – but coped excellently before tiring. “We lacked that creativity and penetration which we have had in abundance the past few weeks,” Bruce said.
Mitrovic, though, had a bucketful of pent-up energy to unload on a back line marshalled by the captain, John Terry. Within two minutes the Serbia striker dribbled upfield, eventually charging into a Villa roadblock before the ball fell to Matt Targett, who sent a dipping shot wide of Johnstone’s goal.
On the opposite flank the marauding Ryan Fredericks found some early joy against Alan Hutton, prompting a move that finished with Mitrovic heading over from Ayité’s cross. Mitrovic’s physical presence proved a handful for Chester, while Scott Hogan, again leading the line for Villa, should have tested Marcus Bettinelli, the Fulham goalkeeper.
Both teams traded blows as a frenetic second half began – Hogan’s header was too tame for Bettinelli before Tuanzebe stepped in to cut out Sessegnon’s pass after Fulham burst forward on the attack.
A few minutes later the Roehampton-born teenager stormed into the box once more, only this time the damage was lasting. When Fredericks surged down the right flank, he picked out Sessegnon, who arrived centrally before coolly sweeping home.
Mitrovic left to a standing ovation after Bruce introduced Lewis Grabban but, as Villa, too blunt in attack, huffed and puffed, Fulham added a second. Johnstone’s free-kick from deep inside his own half, close to the touchline, fell at the feet of Ayité, who trapped the ball before steadying himself and promptly launching it into an unguarded net from 45 yards.
Fulham peppered Johnstone’s goal in vain search of a third but by then Villa had imploded and the winners had already issued quite a statement.
