Raul Jimenez bags brace as five-star Fulham dismantle Nottingham Forest

After ending up on the losing side of a seven-goal thriller with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, Silva made four changes to his starting XI, allowing Timothy Castagne to return at right-back at the expense of Kenny Tete, whilst Tosin Adarabioyo made his first league start of the campaign alongside Calvin Bassey in the centre of defence.

Under-pressure Cooper made five alterations to his side from the limp display at the City Ground against Everton on the weekend, allowing Divock Origi to make his full debut in the Premier League for the Tricky Trees, with Morgan Gibbs-White dropping out of the team for the first time since October 1.

Liverpool's cult hero Origi was the main protagonist alongside Fulham defender Bassey in the early stages as both enjoyed physical battles for the ball, however it was the hosts who assumed control of the proceedings from the first minute, with Nottingham looking to hit their opponents on the break.

Silva's men struggled to create much in the first 25 minutes but nearly took the lead when Andreas Pereira saw his free-kick effort cannon off the post and behind for a corner, and it was questionable whether the outstretched Odisseas Vlachodimos had the shot covered if it had been on target.

The game burst into life from a Fulham perspective after Pereira went close from that set-piece, and it was not long before the Cottagers were ahead in West London, when Willian's inswinging delivery from the left found the run of Iwobi, who evaded the attentions of Toffolo and produced a side-footed finish into the Forest net.

Heads appeared to drop immediately in the Nottingham camp following Fulham's first punch of the evening, and under five minutes later Silva's charges had doubled their advantage against their East Midlands opponents, with forward Jimenez bagging his first goal in front of the Craven Cottage faithful.

A loose ball found its way to Iwobi on the right flank, and the Nigeria international was quick to find Pereira in a pocket of space in the middle, before the former Manchester United man picked out the run of the Mexican, who fired a strike into the top-right corner past the onrushing Vlachodimos.

Considering Forest had never previously come from two goals down to win a match in the Premier League, Cooper and his side had a mountain to climb in the second period, and the Welsh head coach opted to make two substitutions at the break, allowing Gibbs-White and Ryan Yates to enter the play at the expense of Ibrahim Sangare and Nicolas Dominguez.

Unfortunately for those of a Forest persuasion in the capital, the visitors' half-time changes did not have the desired effect, and Fulham were quick to sail into a three-goal lead just nine minutes after the interval, as Jimenez rolled back the years to his Molineux days to seal a brace.

Pereira was afforded acres of space in the middle of the park to pick out the towering presence of the Mexican, who peeled off Forest centre-back Felipe, shrugged off the attentions of Ola Aina and calmly rounded the goalkeeper, before producing an audacious backheel finish into an empty net.

Following the third goal, the mood around Craven Cottage turned into one of celebration for the home supporters, whilst the away fans from the East Midlands were singing the name of under-pressure boss Cooper, who could pay for tonight's result with his job over the next few days.

On an evening when Fulham players were breaking individual records, Iwobi bagged his second of the game to seal his first-ever brace in club football, with a delicately-placed cut-back from Welshman Harry Wilson allowing the former Arsenal and Everton attacker to finish past the Forest keeper.

The Cottagers club captain Cairney was the next name onto the scoresheet in an enjoyable second half for the hosts, with the 32-year-old scoring his first league goal of the 2023-24 season against his boyhood side.

More to follow.