Player ratings as Foxes collapse at Craven Cottage

Leicester City’s survival hopes took a major hit as Fulham ran out 5-3 winners in a pulsating Premier League clash at Craven Cottage.

The Foxes looked utterly hopeless defensively, with Marco Silva’s Cottagers creating chances at will throughout the 90 minutes in west London.

Fulham started the game brightly and deservedly took the lead in the 10th minute through Willian. The former Chelsea winger whipped a dangerous set piece into the heart of the penalty area but, with no Fulham player on hand to get onto it, the ball skipped off the turf and past Daniel Iversen in the Leicester goal.

Conceding that goal would somewhat spark the Foxes into life, almost equalising five minutes later. The chance would fall to Harvey Barnes who ran across his marker to get his foot on the end of a low driven cross from James Maddison, but he was unable to divert the ball on target.

Shortly after missing that chance, Leicester almost conceded another set piece goal. This time a Fulham player was on hand to get onto Willian’s set piece delivery, but the unmarked Tosin Adarabioyo headed over the crossbar from just six-yards out.

The disappointment of that spurned opportunity didn’t last too long however, as in the 17th minute Fulham made it 2-0. Carlos Vinicius got the goal, latching onto a clever through ball from Harry Wilson to fire low and hard past Iversen.

The home side continued to dominate thereafter and, just before half-time, they capitalised on some sloppy play from Leicester to go three goals up. Fulham‘s high press resulted in the Foxes losing possession in their own defensive third, then after some neat interplay between Harrison Reed and Vinicius, the ball found its way out to Tom Cairney on the left of the penalty area. The midfielder was able to cut in from the left and fire brilliantly into Iversen’s net.

Despite a slight tactical switch from Dean Smith at half-time, Fulham brought that dominance into the second half with them to bag a fourth goal in the 50th minute. A brilliant counter attack led by Kenny Tete on the right culminated in the right-back driving the ball perfectly into Cairney’s path on the edge of the box. After controlling the ball, Cairney fired into the bottom corner with aplomb.

Leicester finally showed a bit of fight around the hour mark when Barnes made it 4-1. The wide player was teed up well by Maddison inside the box and subsequently fired into the roof of the net.

Soon after it Smith’s side were gifted an opportunity to make it…