Fulham bottom after another home defeat

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Fulham 0 Southampton 3

Fulham suffered another home defeat – their eighth of the season – to leave them bottom of the Premier League.

The Whites defenders were once again left embarrassed after they conceded three excellent second-half goals, the first smashed home by Adam Lallana.

Rickie Lambert steered in the second from inside the box before Jay Rodriguez finished the rout with a fine solo effort, cutting in from the right-hand side and curling into the top corner from distance.

After wins for Cardiff and West Ham, Fulham’s 17th league defeat in 24 matches leaves them in serious relegation trouble.

Deadline-day signings Lewis Holtby and William Kvist could not improve them and they lacked any real presence up front after losing striker Dimitar Berbatov to Monaco.

Darrent Bent, who returned to the side in place of the departed Bulgarian, should have done better with two efforts in the first half that were both saved well by Artur Boruc.

Rodriquez also missed a fine chance to put the visitors into a half-time lead when he headed wide from close range.

But Southampton improved in the second half and exposed defensive incompetence, with Lallana finishing excellently when he was put through by Lambert.

Substitute Nathaniel Clyne exchanged passes that baffled Kieran Richardson before crossing well for Lambert to make it 2-0.

And Brede Hangeland stood off Rodriguez before allowing him time and space to pick his spot and fire beyond the reach of Maarten Stekelenburg.

Fulham (4-3-3): Stekelenburg, Riether, Hangeland, Burn, Richardson; Sidwell, Kvist (Tankovic 83), Parker (Kasami 74); Holtby, Bent, Duff (Dempsey 65)
Subs not used: Stockdale, Kacaniklic, Rodallega, Passley.

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