Normally with Fulham in the Premier League, these post-season reports are post-mortems. They’re normally a bit miserable and are an exercise in some light-hearted self-flagellation before reality kicks in when the date for Rotherham United away creeps up in the calendar.
But not this year. This year has been really different.
Fulham have put two thumbs up to the preseason projections and strolled to a 10th-place finish in the 2022-23 Premier League. Head coach Marco Silva has demonstrated he can stay for more than one season at a club and bring them success, Tim Ream has shown that American defenders only enter their prime at the age of 35, while Aleksandar Mitrovic has erected a large billboard outside his front door reading: “I told you so.”
It has been a memorable year. Fulham have done away with their yo-yo status after spending so long hopping between the top two divisions, finished above Chelsea for the first time in 40 years, collected a record number of Premier League wins and finished just shy of their record Premier League points total (it’s 53 and Silva’s men got 52).
Burnley’s Trafford was definitely the busier of the two goalkeepers throughout, and he produced two key saves in the first half with the scoreline goalless.
The England Under-21s stopper did well to keep away Harry Wilson’s effort at the near post following a jinking move and pushed a deflected Alex Iwobi strike wide of the post.
A scuffle in the area shortly before half-time saw also Iwobi shoot at goal but Zeki Amodini managed to stop.
Burnley opened the second half on the front foot and their early endeavors was rewarded with a wonderful opening goal.
Odbert exchanged a nice one-two with Lyle Foster and then opened up his body to magnificently curl the ball beyond the diving Bernd Leno.
From then Burnley had a spring in their step and Norway midfielder Berge, afforded freedom by a Fulham defiance in retreat, blasted in a second from the edge of the box.
Fulham increased on the pressure but could not find a way past Trafford, who saved superbly from Timothy Castagne late on.
The result saw Burnley, bottom at kick-off, leapfrog Sheffield United up to 19th place – four points away of safety, as Fulham slid down to 12th.
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