STEFAN ON AUTO PILOT

STEFAN JOHANSEN has emerged as Fulham’s unsung hero in their push for automatic promotion.

While the in-form Aleksandar Mitrovic and youngster Ryan Sessegnon are taking the plaudits, former Celtic midfielder Johansen has been quietly going about his business.

And the Norwegian scored his eighth goal of the season at just the right time after Fulham had looked like coming unstuck last night.

The Cottagers, on a 19-game unbeaten streak before the game, had struggled in the opening stages with Tim Ream clearing an early effort from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson off the line.

They lacked their usual fluency but Johansen was in the right place at the right time to slot home from Matt Targett’s low cross from the left in the 25th minute.

It was a huge moment and seemed to settle the nerves of the men in white.

They went into the game knowing that victory and Cardiff ’s failure to win at Aston Villa would take them into the top two – but they played like a side with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

After the goal Mitrovic seemed to be everywhere and must have wondered how he did not score. The on-loan Newcastle star missed FOUR decent opportunities before the break.

He could only nod straight at Vito Mannone from Targett’s corner and was then desperately unlucky to see his diving header from a Johansen free-kick go just wide.

He blazed over on the half-volley after good play by Sessegnon had set up the opportunity and then headed over off balance following Targett’s cross from the left.

The Serbian also hit the post from 20 yards at the start of the second half but it would not have counted due to a linesman’s flag.