SLAV BACKS CALLS FOR TEEN STAR SESS TO GO TO RUSSIA

Lucky 13 helps Cottagers march on

TEEN sensation Ryan Sessegnon fired another shot over Gareth Southgate’s bows as Fulham leapfrogged Derby into fourth place.

After Aleksandar Mitrovic poached the opener, Sessegnon plundered his tenth goal in 12 games to seal victory and extend the Cottagers’ unbeaten run to 13 matches.

Only Sergio Aguero has outscored the 17-year-old wonderkid in 2018, who earlier this week admitted he dreams of emulating Michael Owen and Theo Walcott by going to the World Cup as a teenager.

Manager Southgate is keeping schtum about the winger’s prospects, but Sessegnon – linked with a £35m switch to Spurs in the summer – is proving increasingly difficult to ignore.

“He is ready,” said Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic. “I believe he can be part of the England team for the World Cup.

“I cannot make the choice. I can only recommend. But you cannot make a mistake with this kid. In fact, he is not a kid now. He is a man. A coach only needs to work with him for two weeks and he will see.

“Some players are 38. Some are 17. What matters is how good they are.

“This player has shown his quality for us again and again.

“So I repeat – he is ready. That is evident. If he doesn’t play in Russia then he will play in the next tournament. Without major problems, he will be a top, top player.”

England – who play friendlies against Italy and the Netherlands this month – could certainly do worse than Sessegnon, whose fearsome finish and intelligent movement belied his tender years. The true architect of Fulham’s victory, however, was Tom Cairney, another player who is likely to be plying his trade in the Premier League next season.

Cairney plays like a meerkat; head up, alert, intrinsically aware of where danger lies. Not once did the 27-year-old concede possession and his capacity to operate in the tightest of spaces was a joy to behold.

Though Derby matched Fulham for 70 minutes – and saw an early Andreas Weimann goal ruled out for offside – the Cottagers were devastating in the period before half-time.

First, the Rams failed to clear a Stefan Johansen shot, allowing Mitrovic to prod home his third goal in three games since arriving on loan from Newcastle.

Johansen was involved in the second, too, craftily backheeling another duff clearance into the path of Sessegnon, whose accurate, speared finish into the far corner epitomised the youngster’s booming confidence.

Between those two goals, Fulham – who have now won ten of their last 13 games – repeatedly sliced Derby apart.

At that stage, Gary Rowett said his players “looked a bit sorry for themselves”. One win in eight has plunged the Rams out of automatic contention and a smattering of half-time boos suggested Pride Park fears