...By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Leicester City suffered a damaging 5-3 defeat against Fulham in their English Premier League encounter on Monday.
The loss saw them slip further into relegation trouble and end their three-game unbeaten run.
Fulham started the game outside of the bottom three on goal difference but completely dominated their opponents in the first half.
Willian, Carlos Vinicius, and Tom Cairney all took advantage of shambolic defending to bury Leicester before the break.
Cairney got his second and his team’s fourth early in the second half before Willian completed a brace of his own.
Harvey Barnes scored two and James Maddison tapped in a penalty, but the result was never in doubt.
Fulham scored their first goal with their first chance of the game, although it was more by luck than design.
Willian’s cross evaded everybody inside the box before bouncing up into the top corner past Daniel Iversen.
Despite sensing the severity of their predicament, Leicester failed to make sufficient contact to turn the ball home.
Fulham’s second goal started with a Leicester mistake, and Vinicius had the simple task of striding into the box and rolling it low past the exposed goalkeeper.
Although Leicester threatened immediately to half the arrears, it was Fulham who remained in control, going close to a third after half an hour when Reed fired straight at Iversen from Willian’s cut-back.
Fulham came again when Robinson fizzed a cross straight across goal that failed to find a touch before Vinicius headed inches wide as the ball came back in.
Fulham continued to dominate the game, and by halftime, they had three goals, with Leicester looking buried.
Leicester came out for the second half with some attacking urgency, but defensively, they remained as disorganised as before the break.
Cairney scored his second and Fulham’s fourth after a powerful run by Kenny Tete down the right.
Barnes scored a consolation off the underside of the crossbar just before the hour, and the visitors were offered further encouragement when Leno brought down Vardy inside the box, and the referee awarded a penalty.
However, the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a two-handed save low to his left.
The final score of 5-3 in favour of Fulham saw them deservedly take all three points.
Leicester lacked courage when it mattered, and their woeful defensive organization was exposed again and again.
Fulham’s head coach, Silva, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, but he also highlighted the need to keep improving.
The match was an impressive performance by Fulham, which highlighted their attacking prowess and the challenges that Leicester faces in their fight against relegation.
