Aleksandar Mitrovic on target again as Fulham win to deny Brighton top spot

Brighton were denied temporary top spot but defeat to this Fulham side should not, when the season is done, feel like an embarrassment.

These are early days but things feel different down by the Thames: Marco Silva is building a team that, unlike some of their predecessors, look at least equal to the sum of their parts and they deserved to inflict a first loss on their visitors.

A mainly clever, composed performance brought goals early in the second half from Aleksandar Mitrovic and, with an unfortunate own goal, Lewis Dunk. Alexis Mac Allister’s spot kick made matters nervy but, even then, Fulham were largely dominant.

Fulham’s confidence was reflected in their start. They have been operating with a cohesion and certainty that evaded them in their past two relegation campaigns, perhaps in part due to the fact they have thus far prioritised coaching over panicked trolley dashing.

How that holds up when the transfer deadline has passed, with Willian and Layvin Kurzawa among those likely to sign in the coming days, remains to be seen but Marco Silva’s existing crop began by some way the sharper.

Within seven minutes Bobby Decordova-Reid had crossed just ahead of a poised Andreas Pereira; from the resulting corner João Palhinha’s flick was clawed away by Robert Sánchez with Decordova-Reid waiting, and Brighton’s characteristic composure was largely absent.

Neeskens Kebano was another to cause danger early on, twisting Joël Veltman in knots with runs inside from the left; the Congolese forward is among several of the current starters to have been bit-part performers during Fulham’s previous top-flight spell in 2020-21 but looks at home so far this time.

Another who is thriving in the present environment, Mitrovic, charged