What a difference ten days makes. Fulham, previously laboured and predictable in the final third, have now scored eleven goals in their last three outings. The headlines after a thrashing of Nottingham Forest will focus around the future of Steve Cooper after a fourth consecutive defeat pushed the Welshman closer towards the exit door but the transformation in Marco Silva’s side as an attacking force is noteworthy. The zip in their play, so evident on their return to the top flight has term has returned and Raul Jimenez looked rejuvenated after scoring twice to secure a thumping victory.

It was always a stretch to suggest that the Mexican striker, who has done remarkably well to return to playing Premier League football after his horrific head injury, would replace Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goals but the former Wolves forward visibly grew in stature after drilling his second goal for the club past Odysseas Vlachodimos with real venom to double Fulham’s lead after the accomplished Alex Iwobi had finished a flowing move to put the hosts in front on the half hour. Jimenez scored a sumptuous second with a beautiful backheel having beaten former Fulham full back Ola Aina at the start of the second half – and from there it was just a matter of how many Silva’s side wanted to score.

Forest defended as if the final scoreline was irrelevant. Iwobi steered in his second of another excellent evening from Harry Wilson’s cross before Tom Cairney, who orchestrated the home side’s attacks from central midfield, sauntered through on goal after playing a one-two with Pereira before slotting home to the delight of the Hammersmith End. Silva had spoken of the need for his time to find their consistency after a challenging first few months of the campaign and the topsy-turvy nature of Sunday’s heartbreaking defeat at Liverpool. They couldn’t have picked more suitable opposition to get back in the groove.

It took a while for things to fire with the early signs looking promising for Forest, whose strong side to the season seems a distant memory. Cooper’s cause has not been helped by the absence of top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi after groin surgery and the Nigerian international’s replacement, Divock Origi, almost marked his first start for the club with a low drive that crept wide of goal after a peach of a pass from Nicolás Domínguez.

That sparked Fulham into life. Jimenez prodded a shot at Vlachodimos after Cairney had rode a challenge to put him in the clear before Pereira clipped the post with a curling free-kick that had the Forest keeper beaten. Just four minutes later and the Whites were in front. Calvin Bassey seized upon Sangare’s careless pass and carried the ball forward. Cairney cantered away from Luiz Felipe and found Willian who measured a wonderful cross to the back post where Iwobi, who glided beyond Harry Toffolo, caressed home from close range.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Palhinha slid in to win possession back, allowing Pereira and Iwobi to link up in midfield before the Brazilian’s precise pass through the Forest defence put Jimenez in the clear. The once shot-shy striker powered a finish into the top corner – and suddenly Fulham were rampant. Iwobi almost made it three right on half time with a lovely curler, but the interval only provided a temporary respite for Forest.

Cooper sent on Ryan Yates and Morgan Gibbs-White at the start of the second half but it failed to turn the tide. Anthony Elanga summed an inauspicious evening by running the ball out of play soon after the restart. Jimenez sent a curler wide of goal and was inches away from connecting with an Iwobi cross but he got his second two minutes later, surging onto a Pereira pass, showing strength to hold off Aina and backheeling in the net after going around Vlachodimos.

Chris Wood spurned a decent chance to reply for the visitors, but by the time Bernd Leno bailed his defenders with a strong save from Elanga, Forest were four down. Wilson took just ten minutes to make his mark with a pinpoint cross that was finished with aplomb by Iwobi. Cairney rounded off a masterful display with a well-taken goal that was far too easy for the boyhood Forest fan to score. The Fulham skipper, restored to the starting line-up, had too much time to swap passes with Pereira and stroll through a porous Forest rearguard, rounding off the scoring with four minutes left.

Cooper, who was second on Fulham’s shortlist to replace Scott Parker, castigated his players for their lack of application. Evangelos Marinakis had left the Cottage with twenty minutes to play – having seen enough on a chastening evening. The Forest fans sung in praise of the man who took them from the bottom of the Championship back to the promised land, but their passion will probably not be enough to save him. The ease of Fulham’s victory was encapsulated by a beaming Silva in the technical area long before a bedraggled Forest were put out of their misery.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson (Ballo-Toure 75), Adarabioyo, Bassey; Palhinha (Lukic 79), Cairney; Iwobi (De Cordova-Reid 76), Willian (Wilson 63), Pereira; Jimenez (Vinicius 79). Subs (not used): Rodak, Tete, Reed, Ream.

GOALS: Iwobi (30, 73), Jimenez (34, 54), Cairney (86).

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Aina, Toffolo, Felipe (Niakhaté 76), Murillo; Mangala, Sangaré (Yates 45); Hudson-Odoi (Danilo 58), Domínguez (Gibbs-White 45), Elanga; Origi (Wood 58). Subs (not used): Turner, Omobamidele, N. Williams, Kouyaté.

BOOKED: Yates.

REFEREE: Josh Smith (Sheffield).

ATTENDANCE: 24,105