CHAMPIONSHIP: MITROVIC CONTINUES RED-HOT FORM

Fulham striker AleksandarMitrovic has been one of the most in-form players in European football this season and he showed his quality once again to propel the Cottagers to the top of the English Championship. He scored the opening goal of the game as Fulham thrashed struggling Barnsley 4-1 at home to take the Championship summit from previous leaders Bournemouth.

Serbia national team all-time leading goalscorerMitrovic scored the first goal of the game on 24 minutes to take his goal tally to 21 goals and five assists in 18 games. The Serbia international is the leading goalscorer in the Championship, the second tier of club football in England. Young winger Fabio Carvalho added a second goal for the Cottagers ten minutes after the strike from Mitrovic as Fulham were able to establish a two-goal advantage at the half-time break.

NeeskensKebano scored the third Fulham goal on 72 minutes before Victor Adeboyejo pulled one back for the visitors six minutes later. Welsh international Harry Wilson was able to restore the Cottagers’ three-goal lead nine minutes from time. The big win was able to take Fulham to the top of the English Championship table after 18 games.

Bournemouth started the latest set of matches in the Championship with a two-point lead over Fulham. The West Londoners were able to move one point ahead of Bournemouth with the straightforward victory over Owls on Saturday, but the Cherries could not return to the summit when they played hosts Derby County on Sunday. The Rams came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2 at home thus denying them the chance to return to the summit.

Fulham have 41 points from 18 matches this season in the Championship, while Bournemouth have 40 points from the same number of games.

Mitrovic made his biggest contribution of the season in the colours of Serbia as he scored the goal that took his country to the World Cup tournament in Qatar next year.