Marco Silva suggested in the build-up to this game that he would only enjoy Christmas if Fulham followed up their impressive December home form by picking up three points against Burnley. If the Portuguese adopts a Scrooge-esque persona around Motspur Park after this dismal defeat, his players will only have themselves to blame – they were outfought, outwitted and outplayed over the course of ninety minutes as the Clarets ground out only a third league win of the campaign to climb off the foot of the table and give Vincent Kompany hope of an incredible escape act.

Burnley’s first away clean sheet was the basis of a surprise success with dogged defiance and the terrific James Trafford in goal keeping out a trio of Fulham efforts in an otherwise forgettable first half. He spread himself well to palm away Harry Wilson’s shot after the Welshman had wriggled past three defenders on a solo right infield from the right before reacting well to deny Joao Palhinha when the powerful midfielder had latched onto a header from Rodrigo Muniz. Trafford thwarted Alex Iwobi with his legs when the Nigerian found himself clear of the Burnley back four – and a penalty shout on the stroke of half-time came to nothing when it was ruled that Iwobi’s shot had inadvertently Zeki Amdouni’s arm.

The visitors, looked lively on the counter throughout. They caused plenty of nervousness in the first twenty minutes even if their best opening before the break saw Lyle Foster’s intelligent run curtailed by a last-ditch intervention from Tosin Adarabioyo. Kompany’s side competed for every ball, quietly nullified the effectiveness of Tom Cairney in central midfield, and disrupted Fulham’s rhythm. The hosts badly missed the banned Raul Jimenez with neither Muniz, who hit a rasping drive into the side netting from an acute angle in the first half, or his eventual replacement Carlos VInicius making much of an impression on a well-drilled Burnley back line.

After Trafford had narrowly escaped playing a pass straight to Cairney as he sought to find his centre halves, Amdouni skewed a shot wide from ten yards out. It felt like the sort of chance a struggling side couldn’t afford to pass on, but Burnley were about to ruthlessly punish the home side’s failure to finish off their own opportunities. Teenager Wilson Odobert conjured up a spectacular opener, curling a fabulous finish around Bernd Leno having worked a one-two with Mike Tresor, after Amdouni had pinched possession from Cairney.

Fulham probed patiently in response with two substitutes almost combining for an equaliser moments after entering the fray. Bobby De Cordova-Reid cross for Vinicius, but Trafford was equal to the Brazilian’s header. The home fans howled for a penalty against Foster for handball, but their desperation only intensified when Sander Berge was allowed to run 40 yards through the middle of the park before rifling a low shot past Leno to send the travelling fans wild.

Silva’s side continued to dominate possession but found no way through a resolute Burnley rearguard. They struggled to create much despite throwing caution to the wind in the closing stages, with Trafford only called upon to block a shot from Timothy Castagne before Kompany could defiantly punch the air after the final whistle.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson (Ballo-Toure 82), Adarabioyo, Bassey; Palhinha (Reed 82), Cairney; Wilson, Iwobi, Pereira (De Cordova-Reid 65); Muniz (Vinicius 65). Subs (not used): Rodak, Tete, Lukic, Harris.

BOOKED: Bassey, Palhinha.

BURNLEY (4-4-2): Trafford; Vitinho, Taylor, O’Shea, Beyer; Brownhill, Berge, Bruun Larsen (Tresor 45; Delcroix 89), Odobert (Roberts 80); Foster (Rodriguez 65), Amdouni (Redmond 80). Subs (not used): Muric, Zaroury, Cullen, Obafemi.

BOOKED: Beyer.

GOALS: Odobert (47), Berge (66).

REFEREE: Rebecca Welch (Tyne and Wear).

ATTENDANCE: 23,598