Another example of predatory finishing from Aleksandar Mitrovic secured Fulham’s third win in a row at Leicester City this evening and lifted the Whites up to seventh in the Premier League table. The Serbian striker superbly controlled a beautiful ball from Willian to fire his eleventh goal of the season beyond Danny Ward – demonstrating a ruthlessness that Brendan Rodgers would probably kill for. The Leicester manager is under increasing pressure, with his Foxes side looking toothless despite dominating possession in the second half.

The home side are hampered by a lengthy injury list and lost Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the warm up and Boubakary Soumaré after eight minutes, but they looked well off the pace and intensity that was set by Marco Silva’s side from the outset. Fulham were fluent in their football and exploited Leicester’s lack of organisation, with full backs Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson to the fore. The American fashioned the first chance, and when Andreas Pereira’s effort was blocked, Willian lashed over the bar.

Tete continued to terrorise the Foxes throughout, with one terrific run from deep allowing the Dutchman to slip in Willian, who cut in on his right foot and shot just wide. It was one way traffic at this point, with Pereira finding oceans of space in front of the Leicester back four. It felt like a matter of time before Fulham went in front but the goal that decided this contest was one of exquisite quality. Willian found half a yard of space and lifted a lovely ball beyond a flat City back four, allowing Mitrovic to control and fire past Danny Ward with a modicum of fuss.

The Cottagers could very easily have doubled their lead three minutes later when brilliant work from Bobby Decordova-Reid located Mitrovic in the box, but for once the Serbian number nine couldn’t find a telling finish. That seemed to wake Leicester from their slumber with the outstanding Youri Tielemans cutting a cross back from the byline that took Bernd Leno out of the game – only for Ayoze Perez to blaze over from six yards. Leno then leapt from line to intercept a cross from Vardy before Harvey Barnes could finish. A cross-cum-shot from substitute Marc Albrighton drifted across Leno’s goal but the Whites wer good value for their half-time advantage.

Leicester had the clearest opening after the restart when Leno superbly thwarted a chip from Barnes after the winger had latched on to a through ball from Perez. Vardy than outstripped Ream for pace and saw a lot shot saved by Leno. Tielemans then drove an effort wide of goal from distance before the German goalkeeper got a strong hand to a strike from Perez. Such superb goalkeeping and consistent defending are a massive reason why the travelling support felt so confident to sing about the possibility of Fulham perhaps embarking on a new European Leno campaign, twelve years after the first,

Tielemans crashed a venomous half-valley as Leicester laid siege to the Fulham goal, but Silva’s side stood firm even in the face of a prolonged period of pressure. It was slightly ironic then that the Whites looked the likelier to trouble the scorers in the closing stages, with Harry Wilson racing onto a perceptive pass from fellow substitute Tom Cairney. The Welsh winger lifted a finish over Ward but it trickled just wide. It didn’t matter as the Whites survived seven minutes of stoppage time to clinch another victory.

LEICESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ward, Thomas (Iheanacho 72), Amartey, Castagne, Faes, Soumaré (Albrighton 8), Tielemans, Pérez, Barnes, Ndidi (Mendy 72), Vardy. Subs (not used): Iversen, McAteer, Vesterg, Iversen, Söyüncü.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, C. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; De Cordova-Reid (Wilson 66′), Andreas Pereira (Cairney 59′), Willian (Diop 82′), Mitrovi? Subs: Carlos Vinícius, Kurzawa, Chalobah, Wilson, Rodák, James, Solomon.

BOOKED: Adarabioyo, Palhinha, Cairney, Tete, Mitrovic.

GOAL: Mitrovic (17)

REFEREE: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

ATTENDANCE: 30,813