A double from 16-year-old sensation Ryan Sessegnon inspired in-form Fulham to a 3-1 win at Championship leaders Newcastle on Saturday boosting their hopes of making the play-offs.
Left-back Sessegnon — who has aroused the interest of several Premier League clubs — took his tally for the season to six to make it a disappointing anniversary for Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez, who took over a year ago.
Newcastle still top the table — on goal difference from Brighton who hammered Derby 3-0 on Friday — but only six points clear of third-placed Huddersfield, who beat Brentford 1-0.
Benitez admitted his side — who have lost five times at home this term — had been outplayed by Fulham but expressed concern his players hadn’t reacted better when they went behind.
“When you are under pressure and you know you have conceded goals and you have to score and the time is against you, then that is when you have to have more experience and character and make the right decision, and we didn’t do it,” said the 56-year-old Spaniard.
Victory — Fulham’s fifth in seven games — took them to within two points of Sheffield Wednesday, who occupy the final play-off spot and the ‘Cottagers’ have a game in hand.
“It is a great step for us, everything is open, although some teams have more points than what we have right now,” said Fulham’s Serbian manager Slavisa Jokanovic.
“We are not in a position to think about being a promoted team, but we are going to push hard for the top six.”
Wednesday, who lost in the play-off final last year, went down to a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa with the losers manager Carlos Carvalhal being sent to the stands after he argued over the dismissal of Vincent Sasso.
Huddersfield look the only threat to stopping the top two from gaining the automatic promotion spots as fourth-placed Leeds were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers and Reading slumped to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Preston.
Reading are just four points up on Fulham and having played a game more — their manager Jaap Stam called on his players to use their heads more.
“Sometimes if you can’t play nice or in a certain way that you want to do it, then just launch that ball into the stands,” said the former Manchester United central defender.
“You need to be decisive and we don’t do that and that’s why we give goals away and we make it difficult for ourselves.”
Norwich began life without Alex Neil, who was sacked on Friday, with a 2-2 draw at home to struggling Blackburn.
There was a sense of satisfaction too for Nigel Clough whose Burton side beat Nottingham Forest, the side who his late father Brian coached to two European Cups, 1-0 to gain vital points in their battle against relegation — he had turned down an approach from them earlier in the season.
from Punch Newspapers http://ift.tt/2lOeI0G
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