Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze all featured prominently for Fulham, but the Cottagers were edged 1-0 by West Ham United in a tight Premier League encounter at Craven Cottage.
The game was decided in the second half when Crysencio Summerville capitalised on a defensive misunderstanding. A mix-up between Bernd Leno and Bassey inside the area left the ball invitingly placed, and Summerville reacted quickly to take control before curling a left-footed effort beyond the Fulham goalkeeper into the far corner. That proved to be the only goal of the contest.
Bassey saw plenty of the ball in defence, finishing with 81 touches and completing 69 of his 76 passes as Fulham attempted to build from the back. He also made four defensive contributions and won two of his four tackles. While largely composed in possession, he was unfortunate to be involved in the sequence that led to the decisive goal.
Iwobi operated at the centre of Fulham’s midfield play and was equally influential in terms of involvement. The Super Eagles Midfielder registered 79 touches, completed 49 of his 62 passes and attempted two shots. He also contributed five defensive actions, underlining his responsibility in linking play and tracking back when required.
Chukwueze provided width and attacking movement in the final third. He recorded 48 touches and completed 24 of 37 passes, in addition to one shot as he looked to create openings. Though he showed intent on the ball, Fulham were unable to turn their possession into a breakthrough.
The result leaves Fulham in 10th place, eight points adrift of the top six, as attention now shifts to their next outing.
