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An embarrassed Raul Jimenez struggled to celebrate his second goal as Fulham defeated Nottingham Forest 5-0 – because his backheel could well put Steve Cooper in charge.
Jimenez blushed in reaction to former Fulham loanee Ola Aina’s attack before unleashing a cheeky backheel into the net at Craven Cottage.
Alex Iwobi tapped home Willian’s cross, Jimenez lashed in from Andreas Pereira’s dinked pass – then the former Wolves forward’s flourish-filled second proved the killer blow.
Iwobi found time to score his own brace and Tom Cairney also headed home, in what could well become Welsh manager Cooper’s last game at Forest’s level.
It’s Jimenez’s first Premier League brace in nearly four years, with his last top-flight brace coming in Wolves’ 3-2 win at Southampton on Jan. 18, 2020.
The 32-year-old now boasts three goals in his last four Premier League matches, having started the season with a 10-game league drought.
Iwobi meanwhile was left to plunder the first-ever top-flight brace of his career.
Fulham’s second win in three league games eased the pain of Sunday’s brawl but ultimately led to a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
Forest, on the other hand, suffered their fourth defeat in the league.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis had an ominous face of thunder in the directors’ box.
The maritime magnate has had plenty of practice shipping out managers, having sacked three already this season at his other club Olympiacos.
Cooper may be next, and based on this depressing evidence, there may be little argument for whether Forest voted for change.
Fulham spent the first 15 minutes almost because of the visitors’ lack of bite, quality or accuracy.
Then star man Pereira shaved the post with a smart free-kick, and suddenly the home men realised they could win this at a canter.
Orel Mangala’s pocket was so easy to pull out that it might as well have turned around, so Jimenez still had no choice to please him.
The Mexican flicked Fulham onto the break, Willian whipped in a bouncing cross – and Iwobi ghosted in at the far post to deliver a first-time tap-in.
Iwobi was the instigator of the second game, sending a ball down the sideline.
An adorable strike from Pereira dragged Vlachodimos off his line and Jimenez tossed the ball into the top of the net.
A flattened Forest shrugged and slumped their way to the break, but not before Iwobi curled just wide from 20 yards.
Cooper’s team’s discussions at halftime and two substitutions brought considerable improvement.
Pereira set up Fulham’s third by dropping a ball between Murillo and Aina, the latter closing Jimenez’s moment of the night.
Jimenez smashed former Fulham loanee Aina into the box and then sliced back into the net.
The 32-year-old had a face at the end, and it wasn’t because of the effort.
Jimenez’s celebration was almost against his better nature, such was Aina’s clanger.
In some ways, Forest fared worse. Iwobi won his moment and Fulham’s fourth with a cross from Harry Wilson.
It is not explained why the replacement was successful in the former Arsenal and Everton player, but Forest seemed almost indifferent.
When captain Cairney scored the fifth, from whom else it was a pass from Pereira, referee John Smith stopped the fight.
Cooper’s fight at Forest may come to an end in the next few days, while Fulham hopes to box well enough to start the table.