Fulham move out of Premier League bottom three despite Brighton draw
Fulham moved out of the bottom three following a hard-fought goalless draw with Brighton at Craven Cottage.
Adam Lallana thought he had scored his first goal for Brighton since joining the club in the summer, but it was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up.
Scott Parker’s men went into the game having taken four points from their last three games against Leicester, Manchester City and Liverpool and another point against the Seagulls saw them move out of the relegation places on goal difference.
It was a cagey game of few chances, which resulted in just eight shots on target – four from each team – as neither side was able to find a decisive breakthrough.
Both sides were reduced to long-range efforts in the opening 20 minutes, with Yves Bissouma and Bobby Decordova-Reid trying their luck from distance, but both efforts were saved easily by the respective goalkeepers.
Roberto Sanchez was forced into his first real save of the match in the 42nd minute to keep out a well-struck drive from Ivan Cavaleiro, with the following corner also tipped over the crossbar.
Brighton looked to have taken the lead at the start of the second half, with Lallana tapping the ball into the back of the net after Danny Welbeck controlled a Solly March cross. But the goal was ruled out by the video assistant referee for a handball by Welbeck.
Moments later, the game was stopped for another VAR review at the other end for a challenge from Adam Webster on Ademola Lookman, but nothing was given.
The Seagulls piled on the pressure, with Webster’s close-range header bouncing off the underside of the crossbar and away.
Sanchez made another good save in the 68th minute to deny Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who turned expertly from a throw-in to run at goal and get his shot away.
But neither team was able to produce a game-changing piece of quality and both sides had to settle for a point.