Lukic batters Maddison... and warns of Euros repeat
JAMES MADDISON will be hoping Gareth Southgate does not catch a glimpse of Tottenham’s video nasty at Craven Cottage.
The way he was stifled by Sasa Lukic not only disrupted the Spurs game plan, it could have wider repercussions with Lukic’s Serbia in England’s group at the Euros. Certainly, the Fulham midfielder — who also broke forward to score his first goal for the club — did not try to hide the significance.
‘I can’t wait for the England game,’ he said. ‘This was like a dress rehearsal because Maddison was there. I’m proud to play for my country — we haven’t been to the Euros for a long time and hope to do well.’ Maddison, so influential a week earlier against Aston Villa, was pressed and harried from the first minute, when he gave the ball away to present Andreas Pereira with a chance. Lukic got stuck into him throughout and, when Maddison kicked back, referee Rob Jones need a word with both men to calm them down. By the time a disconsolate Maddison trudged off midway through the second half, still limping from another war wound, Spurs were 3-0 down and their hopes of climbing into the top four already extinguished.
Credit has to go to Fulham, whose ninth home win is bettered only by the top five. They deserved to be in front long before Rodrigo Muniz broke the deadlock after 42 minutes. Lukic doubled the lead early in the second half with his knee and Muniz scored again to take his tally to seven in seven games. ‘I’m not surprised by him at all, I see him every day in training and how he works,’ said Lukic of the in-form striker. ‘When you play a big team here, the atmosphere is better and every player gets the best out of themselves.’ Fulham’s online team, fresh from teasing Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, posted a picture of Muniz that appeared to suggest he has Richarlison’s number in the Brazil reckoning. The Spurs forward is their starting centre forward while Muniz has so far been overlooked, though the Fulham man said: ‘The Brazil call is coming. I need to be ready.’
Spurs were so far off it that Son Heung-min looked close to tears in his post-match interviews. He does not want his team-mates to switch off from the pain even during the international break.
‘You go to the national team but also you have to think about it, you are representing Spurs and the Premier League,’ he stressed.
‘It’s very tough now, going away for two weeks with a bad result in your head.’
It was a tough first Premier League start for Spurs defender Radu Dragusin deputising for Micky van der Ven, but he was not helped by those around him.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno 6; Castagne 7 (Tete 82min), Bassey 7, Tosin 6, Robinson 7; Palhinha 6.5, Lukic 7.5 (Reed 81); Willian 6, Pereira 7.5 (Wilson 72, 6), Iwobi 7 (De-Cordova Reid 82); MUNIZ 8 (Jimenez 64, 5.5).
Scorers: Muniz 42, 61, Lukic 49. Booked: Palhinha, Reed.
Manager: Marco Silva 8.
TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Vicario 6.5; Porro 5, Dragusin 6, Romero 6.5, Udogie 6; Sarr 6.5 (Werner 66, 6), Bissouma 5 (Hojbjerg 66, 6), Maddison 5 (Bentancur 66, 6); Kulusevski 6, Son 5.5 (Lo Celso 87), Johnson 5.5 (Richarlison 80).
Booked: Bissouma, Johnson, Bentancur. Manager: Ange Postecoglou 5.5. Referee: Robert Jones 7.5. Attendance: 24,410.