Wolverhampton Wanderers missed the chance to move further clear of the relegation zone as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham.

The visitors went in front after just a minute after Ryan Sessegnon was put clean through to slot home.

But the home side weren’t behind for long, getting level in the 18th minute through a crashing strike from Joao Gomes after Fulham failed to clear their lines.

Fulham got in front again just 63 seconds into the second half after Rodrigo Muniz applied a cool, lofted finish to hand the away side all three points.

Wolves remain 17th in the table, five points clear of Ipswich Town having played a game more while Fulham move up to ninth, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference.

How the match unfolded

Fulham took the lead in the first minute of the match, as Andreas Pereira threaded a pass through for Sessegnon and he finished coolly past Jose Sa to stun Molineux.

The home side responded well to going behind so early and equalised in the 18th minute as Gomes smashed an effort into the roof of the net after the away side failed to deal with a dangerous cross from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

Both sides went close during the remainder of the half, with Santiago Bueno making a superb block to deny Muniz’s goalbound effort while Bernd Leno acrobatically tipped over Matheus Cunha’s stinging shot.

The Cottagers made a similarly fast start in the second half, going ahead again as Adama Traore fizzed a ball through for Muniz who delightfully chipped the ball over the onrushing Sa.

Wolves struggled to create opportunities as the half wore on, with the away side going close twice in the final 10 minutes through Raul Jimenez, but he squandered both chances.

Wolves fail to back up away win

Wolves were hopeful of backing up their impressive away win at Bournemouth and further bolstering their survival prospects but were dealt a huge blow after going behind with just a minute on the clock, as the visitors made light work of their defensive line.

There was a positive response to going behind, with Bellegarde threatening at points and Gomes already going close just two minutes before his goal with a shot that whistled over the bar from a tight angle.

The home side started the second 45 with similar sloppiness, as a breakdown in possession within the first minute of the half contributed to Fulham taking the lead once more.

The inclusion off the bench of Jorgen Strand Larsen offered more of a focal point for the home side but they still failed to muster much of a threat in the attacking areas during a desperate second half.

Their attention now moves to the FA Cup, as Vitor Pereria’s men travel to Bournemouth once again on Saturday, hoping to advance to the quarter-final of the competition for the second year in a row. In the Premier League, meanwhile, they host Everton on 8 March.

Fulham return to winning ways

A rare misstep at home to Crystal Palace saw Marco Silva shuffle his pack for tonight’s match, with five changes and perhaps one eye on the crucial FA Cup fifth-round tie away to Manchester United on Sunday.

Despite the change in personnel, Silva’s men made a stunning start with three of the players drafted into the side combining. Muniz held the ball up before finding Pereira, who in turn set up Sessegnon to score his first Premier League goal since rejoining the club in the summer.

It was a fantastic moment for the travelling Fulham fans, though they quickly surrendered that lead and remained under the cosh at various moments of the first half.

Traore, playing against his old side, went close with a strike in the first half and was integral to the second goal. His fine, curling pass set Muniz clean through with the Brazilian finishing beautifully to give Fulham the lead once more.

Silva’s men professionally saw out the rest of the half to make it four successive away wins in all competitions.

The Cottagers now travel to Old Trafford for a repeat of the 2023 FA Cup quarter-final, then have a Premier League game away to Brighton and Hove Albion on 8 March.

Club reports

Wolves report | Fulham report

Match officials

Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Nick Hopton, Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Derek Eaton.