By Daily Sports on April 3, 2019
Fulham have been relegated from the Premier League with five games still to play after being hammered by Watford at Vicarage Road.
The Cottagers needed to avoid defeat to put off their inevitable demotion for another week and were level at half-time, Ryan Babel having equalised after Abdoulaye Doucoure's stunning opener for the Hornets.
However, second-half goals from Will Hughes, Troy Deeney and Kiko Femenia condemned them to an immediate return to the Championship.
Fulham spent more than £100m on 12 new players last summer but the quality has been lacking all season.
Their players looked dejected as the final whistle confirmed they will be playing Championship football alongside Huddersfield next season, making 2 April the earliest date two clubs have been relegated from the Premier League.
Fulham had lost their previous eight Premier League games and, with just two points away from home all season, a visit to high-flying Watford always seemed to be a tall order.
Caretaker manager Scott Parker has overseen five defeats since replacing Claudio Ranieri and now relegation is confirmed, it is clear a significant rebuilding job will be required.
The Cottagers impressed in the Championship last year, coming up through the play-offs, and were tipped by many to make a positive impact in the Premier League.
However, it has turned into a nightmare with two managers sacked and 76 goals conceded so far - 17 more than Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Burnley.
Fulham had, briefly, looked like delaying the drop, when Babel rounded Ben Foster to coolly equalise from Ryan Sessegnon's clever pass 12 minutes before half-time.
Babel, Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic all had chances to put the Cottagers ahead in a dangerous spell after that but the break halted their momentum and they fell apart in the second half.
Parker will hope that they can restore pride in their final five games before another hard season in the Championship. (BBC)
•Photo shows Fulham players
Source Daily Sports
Posted April 3, 2019
You may also like...
Miller tips Wilder to KO Joshua
Fans pray for injured Nwabali
PSG beat Man City to seal Dani Alves...
Kayode gives hint he will quit Austrian club...
New era! Toure tips Haaland-Mbappe rivalry to replace...
Ex-Eagles Star Yisa Shofoluwe Dies Of COVID-19

Khan warns Paul ahead ‘life-threatening’ Joshua fight
Emery's perseverance & belief key to Villa resurgence
Agu backs Okoye for Eagles No. 1 spot
PFL contract ends soon - Ngannou
'No-one downing tools' - Alonso's stay of execution despite loss to Man City
Zaha in Ivory Coast Afcon squad but Adingra left out
UCL: Mbappé doubtful for Manchester City clash after missing training
'Give Alonso time' - but Man City visit could be pivotal
Fifa accused of breaching own rules with Trump award
Son, Simons and mini Spurs revival lift Frank's spirits
Finidi challenges Rivers United players’ mentality
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,402 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,646 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,587 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,221 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,194 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,105 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (51,950 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,535 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,676 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,224 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,618 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,090 views)