Swansea 1-2 Fulham: Mitrovic brace keeps Fulham hot on the heels of Leeds

I've been Toby Bowles and I hope you enjoyed following tonight's events in the Sky Bet Championship. Stay tuned for more EFL action on VAVEL UK as the football never stops !

BIG WIN! 4️⃣ in a row.

[1-2] #SWAFUL pic.twitter.com/0HBBvNkixw — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 29, 2019

FT: Fulham hold on to a hard-fought away victory in South Wales and move to within two points of Leeds United in second place.

George Byers's deserved 65th minute headed goal ignited a spirited Swans comeback, though Fulham were too wily and savvy for the home side, seeing out the game very professionally in the final fifteen minutes.

Swansea's performance was very strong and much-improved, warranting much more than the zero points they received. The harsh reality, however, is that their underwhelming form continues, extending their wretched home run to just one win in fourteen.

90: There will be five additional minutes played at the Liberty Stadium.

85: Third and final substitution for Fulham as Anthony Knockaert replaces Ivan Cavaleiro.

84: Borja Bastón on for Sam Surridge in like-for-like replacement up front.

80' Change number two. Ten to go.

[1-2] #SWAFUL pic.twitter.com/Lz7K7FGfjl — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 29, 2019

79: Defender Cyrus Christie comes on for Josh Onomah as Fulham move to five at the back and look to see out the victory.

⏰ 74' | 🦢 1-2 ⚪️

🔁 Come on Tom! 👏

➡️ @tom_carroll92
⬅️ @Jayfultonn

💻 Match Centre 👉 https://t.co/3mLwomVxtu#SWAvFUL | @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/xlSEkus6YG — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 29, 2019

74: Tom Carroll replaces Jay Fulton.

72: The Liberty Stadium is rocking as Swansea pile pressure onto the Fulham penalty area ! Van der Hoorn slides and stretches out his right-leg, sweeping a cross into the path of Surridge. Seven or eight yards out, the 21-year-old's eyes lit up, but he just couldn't sort his feet out in time.

69: Swansea have their tails up now as the home fans get behind their trailing side.

⏰ 65' | 🦢 1-2 ⚪️

GET IN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙌🙌🙌

The #Swans pull one back as @BarrieMcKay's cross is headed in by @G_byers! 👏

💻 Match Centre 👉 https://t.co/3mLwomVxtu#SWAvFUL | @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/2OtE7FlcMc — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 29, 2019

65: McKay's free kick is initially blocked, but the winger does excellently to collect the rebounds and float a cross onto the head of Byers, who - after a number of quality efforts - finally gets his goal. We've got a game on our hands.

58: Ayew tees up Byers on the edge of the box, who whips his effort towards the top-right corner. Rodák, however, palms away once again.

56: A chipped ball down the wing puts Cavaleiro one-on-one with Wilmot, with the winger then skipping inside and back heeling into the path of Bryan. The left-back curls a low, rasping ball across the face of goal, but Mitrovic can't get his boot to it.

53: Fulham in control upon the beginning of the second half.

HT: Parker's men lead by two goals at half-time, but Swansea can feel extremely hard-done-by having been the much better side and creating a number of quality opportunities.

The away side have been ruthless in front of goal, however, with Mitrovic's finishing prowess digging Fulham out of a hole once again.

43: Onomah does excellently to stretch and intercept a Swansea pass, freeing Cavaleiro down the right-hand side. Cavaliero returns the favour and cuts back to Onomah on the edge of the box, who completely misses the ball, yet it runs beyond to Mitrovic who sweeps into to the top corner unerringly. So harsh on the Swans.

40: Swansea repeatedly carving the Fulham defence open, but unable to find the killer touch.

35: Surridge cuts back to Byers who opens his body up and guides the ball towards the far-right post, yet Rodák gets down well and is equal to the task.

22' MITTTTTTTROOOO!!!

[0-1] #SWAFUL pic.twitter.com/YMjgCHlvnL — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 29, 2019

22: Some neat, slick interplay on the edge of the box eventually makes it's way to Bryan on the left-flank, who sweeps a low, cross into the path of Kamara. Kamara half-vollies onto the crossbar, but the ball fortuitously rebounds to Mitrovic who heads home inside the six yard box. 

17: A bouncing ball breaks for Byers twenty yards out, who unleashes a superb first time volley that just misses the inside of the post. An electrifying start from Swansea

10: Both teams looking lively in the opening 10 minutes, but equally not wanting to completely commit  players forward early on.

6: Roberts cuts back for Ayew on edge of the box, who slices a guileful ball with the outside of his boot into the path of Surridge, with the youngster unable to direct the ball past Rodák.

1: Johansen get's the two sides underway

The fans are seeping into the Liberty as anticipation peaks here on the South Coast.

Fulham and Swansea are two attacking, unpredictable sides, a formula which will ensure a pulsating affair under the floodlights this evening, according to Scott Parker.

In his pre-match interview with Sky Sports, he said: "Both teams are going to go out and try and win the game tonight, and for the neutral that might be pleasing to see. Our aim is to come out here and get a result, a short turnaround but we've prepared the team as best as we can.

Swansea have won just one of their last 13 league matches at home this year, but Steve Cooper is relaxed and is confident the home results will improve should they stick to their principles.

He told Sky Sports: "We don't know, truth be told, [why home form has been so poor], but we just need to go for it tonight and try and play our way. So hopefully it will serve us well."

Three changes for the home side as Kyle Naughton comes in for Jake Bidwell, George Byers replaces Bersant Celina, and youngster Sam Surridge gets the nod ahead of Borja Bastón.

A solitary change for Fulham as Josh Onomah replaces Bobby Reid. In-form Aboubakar Kamara has been declared fit and will start.

📋 STARTING XI 📋

🔁 3⃣ changes from Tuesday... 🔁

Brought to you by @LowCostVans... 👇 pic.twitter.com/rykrJna1qa — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 29, 2019

🔢 Team news is in! Here is your team to face @SwansOfficial tonight under the lights in South Wales. #SWAFUL pic.twitter.com/5p09lIuEAH — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 29, 2019

Decent form ahead of our next challenge 🤩#SWAFUL pic.twitter.com/DMImNTLjUq — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 28, 2019

⏰ 2⃣ hours until kick-off! ⌛️

🌍 Where will you be watching from? 📍 pic.twitter.com/9WqRN7AA9h — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 29, 2019

If you want to watch the game on TV, your options are: Sky Sports.

If you want to watch it on the internet, VAVEL UK is your best option .

Manager interviews and much more to come !

Fulham predicted XI: (Rodak [GK], Odoi, Mawson, Ream, Bryan, Johansen, Cairney, Knockaert, Reid, Cavaleiro, Mitrovic)

Predicted XI: (Woodman [GK], Naughton, Wilmot, Cabango,  Bidwell, Grymes, Fulton, Routledge, Celina, Dyer, Ayew)

For the away side, attacking duo Aboubakar Kamara and Bobby Reid are both doubts having both been forced off through injury in the 3-0 win over Derby County on Tuesday. 

Swansea will be closely monitoring the fitness of Mike van der Hoorn after the Dutch defender picked up an ankle injury in Tuesday's draw at Huddersfield. Jordon Garrick and Joe Rodon will watch from the stands with their respective hamstring and ankle injuries.

Fulham, unlike their opponents, head into the clash buoyed by a rich vein of form that has seen them take maximum points out of their last three matches against Birmingham City, QPR and Fulham. They sit in 3rd place, two points ahead of the Swans.

However, a playoff spot is not a mere target for Fulham - it is an expectation. Scott Parker boasts an embarrassment of riches in his arsenal, with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Alfie Mawson, Anthony Knockaert and Tom Cairney playing in a division below what they would consider 'their level'. The real goal is automatic promotion, and Friday's clash presesents an opportunity to reduce the gap from Leeds United in 2nd to just two points.

Very few would have touted the Swans as promotion candidates, but Cooper has done fantastically to propel the limited resources at his disposal into the playoff spots, and instil a modern, aesthetically-engaging philosophy into his players in the process. 

A win against an in-form Fulham side would not only  lift the Swans into third place, but potentially alleviate the rut that has besieged them since mid-September and kickstart that blistering early season form into life again.

Despite a recent dire run of form that has seen the Swans suffer insipid defeats at home to Brentford, Millwall and Stoke City, Steve Cooper can take take great pride from his first footsteps in management on the coast of South Wales.

His side are perched in 6th place after eighteen matches, a pleasantly surprising return for Swansea fans considering the key departures of star-winger Daniel James, talismanic goalscorer Oli McBurnie and, of course, manager Graham Potter. 

The Swansea vs Fulham match will be played at The Liberty Stadium, in Swansea, Wales. The kick-off is scheduled for 7:45 BST.

Welcome to VAVEL.com's LIVE coverage of the 2019 Sky Bet Championship match: Swansea City vs Fulham ! My name is Toby Bowles and I'll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.