Fulham 3-0 Aston Villa: Steven Gerrard leaves Midlands club following comprehensive defeat
Villa #Villa
Thursday’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham was Steven Gerrard’s final game in charge of Aston Villa
Steven Gerrard was relieved of his duties as Aston Villa manager after Fulham secured a comfortable victory at Craven Cottage.
Gerrard leaves the Midlands club in 17th place, level on points with 18th-placed Wolves but above their Midlands rivals on goals scored.
Harrison Reed put the home side ahead, drilling home after Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had punched a corner into the midfielder’s path.
Andreas Pereira went close on two occasions, while Aleksandar Mitrovic had a far-post header cleared off the line by Tyrone Mings as Fulham dominated the first half.
Villa’s evening went from bad to worse just after the hour mark, when Douglas Luiz was shown a straight red card after being adjudged by the video assistant referee to have head-butted Mitrovic in an off-the-ball altercation.
The home side wasted little time in capitalising on their numerical advantage, Mitrovic doubling their lead from the penalty spot after the striker’s shot had struck Matty Cash on the arm. Martinez managed to get both hands on Mitrovic’s effort but was unable to keep it out.
The visitors’ misery was complete when Mings diverted Neeskens Kebano’s low cross into his own net – a goal which was greeted by chants of “Steven Gerrard, get out of our club” by sections of the away end.
Villa fans turn on Gerrard
Having booed their players off the field following Saturday’s home defeat by Chelsea, the Villa supporters once again made their feelings known as the visitors traipsed off the Craven Cottage pitch at half-time – and again in the latter stages of the contest.
Unmistakable chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” echoed around the ground following Mings’ own goal, which capped a desperate performance from the away side in west London.
Only the goal-line clearance from Mings and several impressive saves from Martinez kept the scoreline down in the first half.
It could have been much worse for Villa, who afforded Marco Silva’s team far too much space in the final third – particularly down Fulham’s left – while offering precious little as an attacking threat.
The decision to replace striker Danny Ings with Leander Dendoncker following Luiz’s dismissal was met with derision from the away supporters, many of whom shouted “we want Gerrard out” in the direction of the Villa dugout.
Former Liverpool and England captain Gerrard said before the game that his side were “a lot closer to where we want to be” in terms of performance levels – but Thursday’s defeat was one too many for the Villa hierarchy.
Fulham return to winning ways in style
Silva cut a frustrated figure after Fulham’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday, but his only qualm with the Cottagers’ first-half display here will have been that it should have yielded more than Reed’s well-taken opener.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian, who was reinstated to the Fulham side after making his comeback from injury against Bournemouth, was particularly lively in the opening stages as the hosts took the game to their opponents.
The Brazilian had a fierce shot blocked by the foot of Martinez before fizzing a low ball across the penalty area which evaded everyone inside the box.
The impressive Pereira then saw two spectacular long-range efforts deflected off target before Mitrovic was denied by Mings.
The hosts added gloss to the scoreline through Mitrovic’s penalty and Mings’ late own goal, ending a run of three league games without victory in emphatic style.
The win is Fulham’s biggest in the Premier League in nine years – since a 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace during the 2013-14 campaign.
Player of the match
WilsonHarry Wilson
Fulham
Squad number8Player nameWilson
Squad number38Player nameHarris
Squad number6Player nameReed
Squad number21Player nameJames
Squad number10Player nameCairney
Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
Squad number20Player nameWillian
Squad number17Player nameLeno
Squad number33Player nameRobinson
Squad number30Player nameCarlos Vinícius
Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
Squad number13Player nameReam
Squad number7Player nameKebano
Squad number31Player nameDiop
Squad number9Player nameMitrovic
Aston Villa
Squad number1Player nameMartínez
Squad number18Player nameYoung
Squad number35Player nameArcher
Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
Squad number11Player nameWatkins
Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey
Squad number10Player nameBuendía
Squad number9Player nameIngs
Squad number4Player nameKonsa
Squad number5Player nameMings
Squad number20Player nameBednarek
Squad number2Player nameCash
Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
Squad number31Player nameBailey
Line-ups Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
17Leno
14De Cordova-Reid31Diop13Ream33Robinson
6Reed26Lobo Alves Palhinha Gonçalves
20Willian18Pereira7Kebano
9Mitrovic
Substitutes
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-2-1
1Martínez
4Konsa20Bednarek5Mings18Young
41J Ramsey6Douglas Luiz7McGinn
31Bailey11Watkins
9Ings
Substitutes
Live Text
Match ends, Fulham 3, Aston Villa 0.
90’+4′
Second Half ends, Fulham 3, Aston Villa 0.
90’+4′
Daniel James (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90’+4′
Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa).
90’+3′
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Ashley Young.
90’+1′
Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía.
90′
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Issa Diop.
89′
Foul by Luke Harris (Fulham).
89′
Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
87′
Substitution, Fulham. Luke Harris replaces Andreas Pereira.
86′
João Palhinha (Fulham) wins a free kick on the left wing.
86′
Foul by Cameron Archer (Aston Villa).
85′
Foul by Carlos Vinícius (Fulham).
85′
Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85′
Substitution, Fulham. Carlos Vinícius replaces Aleksandar Mitrovic.
85′
Substitution, Fulham. Harry Wilson replaces Neeskens Kebano.
83′
Own Goal by Tyrone Mings, Aston Villa. Fulham 3, Aston Villa 0.
81′
Substitution, Aston Villa. Cameron Archer replaces Jacob Ramsey.
81′
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Antonee Robinson.
81′
Attempt blocked. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Young with a cross.
