Aleksandar Mitrovic strike ensures Fulham keep up promotion pressure on Cardiff with impressive win over Leeds

With six games to go, Fulham know their chances of automatic promotion are almost out of sight. But it certainly hasn’t stopped them doing everything they can in the meantime.

A lucky first-half deflection and a slick move on the counter helped them to a victory over Leeds they had to work for on Tuesday night.

The home side’s stunning form is a force to be reckoned with – they’re still unbeaten at Craven Cottage since October and won all but one of their last 11 games here.

Positivity may be at its highest, or at least it may have peaked a few weeks ago, but they’re still a seemingly unshakeable five points from Cardiff in second place – despite the Welsh side dropping two points at Sheffield United the night before.

Chances came thick and fast early on for Floyd Ayite and Newcastle loanee Aleksandar Mitrovic, who hit the post and nudged a shot just wide respectively. The momentum was all white.

Leeds United fans had come down to London in force, and were far louder until the first goal silenced them. The cheers then shifted as the home crowd finally found their voices, building through the game into a cauldron of noise.

All the possession and the pressure from Fulham meant something had to give, and the moment eventually came just after the half-hour mark from a corner. Pin-balling around the Leeds penalty box, the ball ricocheted off Kevin McDonald’s lower back into the bottom corner. The midfielder hadn’t noticed until he heard the cheering, but grinned cheekily as he realised.

Up until the hour, the scoreline didn’t do the quality much justice, with just the one goal to Fulham’s name. They’d had over 10 chances to Leeds’s two, and looked likely to finish with each attack. The hosts were solid defensively, and although their distribution was getting sloppy at times in the middle, they had a clear grip on the game.

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Ryan Sessegnon could have helped himself to a brace, as he was allowed time and space down the left wing. If it weren’t for Mitrovic getting in the way of one shot, and Bailey Peacock-Farrell getting his gloves behind another, Fulham's top scorer would have had more to celebrate than just his multiple nominations for Championship Player and Young Player of the Year.

Leeds had started to get more time on the ball in the second half, and when Caleb Ekuban was put through on goal he saw a golden chance to equalise. Marcus Bettinelli spread himself wide though, and the home side suddenly sprung into life. Fulham drove straight up the other end at pace to double their lead. Mitrovic combining with captain Tom Cairney to complete an efficient counter attack that left Ekuban with head in hands.

Fulham then maintained control, despite a few shaky moments towards the end. Leeds had a penalty appeal turned down when Stuart Dallas went to ground as he rounded Bettinelli in the far corner of the box. The replay showed referee Peter Bankes made the right call though.

When substitute Jay-Roy Grot then missed another sitter with 12 minutes to go there was the feeling it clearly wasn’t Leeds’s night. Although they did make a fighting attempt to get back into the game, they just couldn’t get past the Fulham back four.