Norwegian Johansen fires Fulham’s EPL dreams with brace in big win
LONDON: A double by Norwegian international Stefan Johansen inspired in-form Fulham to a 4-1 thumping of potential English Championship playoff rivals Huddersfield, boosting their chances of a return to the elite after a three-year absence.
The Cottagers’ fourth successive win – which has seen them score 13 goals – lifted them three points clear in sixth place of fading Leeds, who lost 2-1 to struggling Burton on Saturday.
Burton’s win means they are almost certainly safe from relegation with two games remaining – no mean feat for manager Nigel Clough working on a shoestring budget compared to many of his rivals.
The club his father Brian turned into unlikely two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest also did their hopes of staying in the second tier a world of good by beating playoff hopefuls Reading 3-2.
Meanwhile, Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale could well appear in a “next” question in years to come after an almost identical brace of own goals as the Seagulls – having perhaps celebrated too much since their promotion was assured last Monday – lost 2-0 to Norwich on Friday.
Both goals from Alex Pritchard strikes saw the ball go in off the back of the head of the unfortunate goalkeeper after coming back off the bar and post respectively.
“I don’t think that’ll ever happen again – but I’ll
Leave it to me: Norwegian international Stefan Johansen inspired an in-form Fulham to a 4-1 thumping of potential English Championship playoff rivals Huddersfield on Saturday.
take the assists!” smiled Pritchard, whose side failed to register a shot on target in the whole match as efforts which hit the woodwork don’t count.
For Pritchard – who like the other players sported black armbands out of respect for former England international defender Ugo Ehiogu who died earlier on Friday aged just 44 – it was an especially poignant night.
The 23-year-old had been at Tottenham until last year’s close season where Ehiogu had been Under-23 coach.
Whilst the defeat will do little to dampen the ecstasy of the Seagulls’ first-ever promotion to the Premier League it ended their five-game winning run.