As it happened - Fulham relegated after Westwood and Wood take Burnley to safety

FULL TIME. Well that's it from me. 

It is a sombre night really, it is not nice to see any team go down but Fulham just haven't been that great all year long so it isn't all that of a shock. 

That being said, they have it all there to bounce back immediately, and the key is keeping hold of Scott Parker. 

If they do that, they have every chance of being back in the Premier League after next season. 

Great for Burnley though, staying in the Premier League on their budget and squad size. 

They will be hoping to improve on that next season, the new owners have to increase the squad size and hopefully keep the club progressing. 

Now it is just about finishing as high as possible, technically 11th is still possible, but the job is done.

Thanks for joining me. Like I say, not a very pleasant evening in one corner but one of joy in the other. 

Fulham will be back.

As will I! I will see you next time and as always stay safe out there as things reopen in the next week.

Goodnight!

FULL TIME. On the other side of the pitch, Burnley are celebrating and rightfully so. 

They have been hit hard with injuries this season and, with a thin squad, have named a lot of youngsters on the bench all season long. 

And performances haven't always been great either, but they have ground out results in trademark Burnley fashion and survived quite comfortably in the end. 

Wood's goals in recent weeks have kept the team going and have propelled them to safety.

They can start to look forward to a sixth successive season in the big time. 

FULL TIME. Scott Parker holding back the emotions as he trudges off the pitch with the rest of his players. 

They haven't been good enough this season, it is a shame because they have some quality players, albeit most of those were on loan. 

They were not good enough going forward and haven't scored enough goals, particularly at home. 

A reaction was needed after the first half and, to be fair, they started to create more but the final pass or the final effort on goal just wasn't clinical enough. 

FULL TIME. GAME OVER, SEASON OVER.

Fulham are relegated after just one season. 

Burnley are safe after goals from Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood in the first half give them a 0-2 win. 

 

90. Four minutes of added time. 

It is coming to a slow, painful end for Fulham here. 

86. Wood's goal pushed the game out the reach of Fulham really, it was a horrible time to concede. 

Four minutes or so left now, with added time of course.

85. Substitution for Burnley. 

Chris Wood is replaced by Ashley Barnes. 

83. Mario Lemina is booked for clearing through Taylor as the Clarets broke away. 

82. Plenty of crosses coming into the box now, but nothing comes from any of them. 

There is a corner now, but Mee heads it behind for a second corner in quick succession. 

It doesn't beat the first man and Burnley bring it away. 

80. Lowton fouls Robinson on this Fulham left side. 

Pope punches well and Burnley regroup.

79. Cavaleiro puts it into the area, and Loftus-Cheek heads it tamely wide of the far post. 

77. Aguissa slices an effort well wide of the goal. 

Getting desperate. 

76. 15 minutes to play, and Fulham's good spell seems to have ended, Burnley are regaining a bit of shape in the middle making it hard for them to play. 

74. Fulham substitution. 

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is on, Tosin Adarabioyo is off. 

73. Rodriguez has a chance to kill the game off.

He fizzes an effort straight at Areola. 17 to play for Fulham to save themselves.

70. OFF THE BAR FROM ANGUISSA!

Can't get much closer than that, a placed effort rattling the bar.  

Pope makes a save from Lookman, but y the 'keeper is fouled from the resulting corner.

69. Substitution for Fulham also, I missed a few things in the VAR mess. 

Josh Onomah has come on, Bobby Decordova-Reid has been withdrawn. 

68. Well Jay Rodriguez has popped up out of nowhere!

There was a sub! Rodriguez is on for his 200th Burnley appearance, replacing Matej Vydra. 

67. He could very easily have been sent off for that and, on reflection, he probably should have been. 

I am sure there has been a substitute here at some point...

65. Now at the other end, Vydra races onto a long ball from Mee.

The striker heads it against an on-rushing Areola's arm. 

VAR check is complete, and no further action. 

Lucky, lucky boy. 

64. Another challenge in the box from Burnley, this time from Taylor.

Looked dangerous, but VAR has said check complete. 

63. Lookman, Mitrovic and Maja play some neat one-touch football around the area.

Lookman surges into the box, Tarkowski starts to dive in but pulls out of it but it is enough to put the midfielder off. 

60. Time is running out for Fulham. 

They are on the front foot and are starting to create openings. 

They are going to need a goal soon. 

58. Mitrovic goes closer this time!

Good build up from Fulham, Reid whips in the cross and Mitrovic hits the side netting. 

I think Pope is struggling there if it is on target.

Missed opportunity. 

57. Anguissa shoots and it goes behind for a corner. 

Mitrovic heads the corner towards goal, straight at Pope. 

55. Change of formation for the hosts, seems that Lemina has dropped in as a third centre back.

Cavaleiro is at right wing back and Maja has joined Mitrovic at the top. 

Is it working? Fulham do have a corner a minute after. 

54. Fulham make the first substitution of the game. 

Kenny Tete is replaced by Josh Maja. 

53. Burnley deal with the corner. 

52. Tarkowski clears through Reid 40 yards from goal, he isn't booked though much to the disgust of the Cottagers bench.

The free kick goes for a corner off of Taylor. 

50. Lowton is crunched by Lemina, the referee gives nothing but eventually he stops it so Lowton can get some treatment. 

He is fine to continue.

46. Fulham get us back underway - they have 45 minutes to save their season.

The goals

BURNLEY LEAD

Westwood finishes it off and that could be the goal which sends Fulham down

📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
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📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/r9ql21wL3D

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2021

CHRIS WOOD 🔥

The man firing Burnley to safety

📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
📱 Follow #FULBUR here: https://t.co/SlskS1kPgD
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/A8k6vhcIKw

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2021

HALF TIME. The referee blows for half time.

Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood scored in the last ten minutes of the half to all but condemn the hosts to relegation. 

Fulham have been okay but haven't created much.

They need a miracle in the next 45 minutes. 

See you in 15. 

45+1. Two added minutes.

44. Chris Wood might have just condemned Fulham to the drop. 

The ball drops kindly for Brownhill and he delicately plays it through to Wood who smashes the ball into the top corner past Areola. 

Burnley have been excellent in the last 25 minutes. 

AN EXCELLENT GOAL FROM CHRIS WOOD, HIS 50TH FOR THE CLUB!

41. Chance for Vydra!

Mee's header drops over the defence and from a tight angle, the striker volleys wide. 

Quite wide in the end to be fair. 

40. Andre-Frank Anguissa is booked for a late stamp on Cork's foot. 

35. Lowton pings a long diagonal to Vydra, who gets by Anderson inside the box to be able to cut it back.

Ashley Westwood gets on to it and slides it home for the visitors. 

The worst possible news for Fulham fans.

ASHLEY WESTWOOD GIVES THE CLARETS THE LEAD.

FULHAM ARE DOWN AS IT STANDS

33. Best chance of the game so far and it falls to exactly who Burnley would want it to. 

Taylor's delivery from the left is met by Wood who dives a header towards goal, it deflects of Tosin for a corner, just going past the post. 

From the resulting corner, Tarkowski heads it down towards goal and Wood can't direct it goalwards.

31. Fulham play some nice football down the left, Lookman is tackled by Lowton though.

28. Cavaleiro cuts onto his weaker left side and flashes a shot at Pope. 

England's number one holds on well.

23. Fulham have a corner. 

Pope fluffs his punch but it is hacked away by Wood. 

21. Burnley are getting a foothold in the game now. 

Lowton floats it into Wood, who heads it back across looking for Vydra, but Tosin got there first. 

20. GOAL FOR BURNLEY?

Nope.

The ball just rolls out of play before Vydra squares it for Wood, who finished nicely nonetheless. 

18. Areola claims and this time is calm enough to hold it and get his side playing again. 

16. The resulting free kick is met by Mee but it was simple for Areola.

He inexplicably hoofs it out of play straight away.

Burnley go long on the throw and win a corner. 

15. Burnley win a free kick inside their own half, but just before it gets floated up, Mitrovic grabs hold of Tarkowski and pulls him down. 

So it is another free kick, this time it is 30 yards out. 

13. The corner is headed away only to Lowton on the edge of the box, who scuffs his volley. 

He has scored some beauties before so he might be slightly disappointed with how he hit that. 

12. Burnley can't keep hold of it and a bit of sustained pressure gives Fulham another chance. 

Cavaleiro volleys it back across and Tarkowski brilliantly gets there ahead of Lookman, who then heads a following cross over. 

Up the other end, Wood wins a corner.

10. Fulham seeing a lot of early possession, but yet to create a serious chance to threaten Pope. 

They fly out on the counter, but it eventually comes to nothing

7. Tosin flicks it on for Tete but it bounces out of play before the right back hooks it into the box. 

Goal kick Burnley

7. Lookman wins a free kick from Brownhill just inside the Burnley half. 

A first chance to pump this into the box for Mitrovic. 

6. Anguissa finds a bit of space just inside the D on the edge of the box, easy save for Pope.

3. Lookman got in behind Lowton and Tarkowski, pulls it back but Cavaleiro's touch lets him down and McNeil nips in.

The former Everton star was offside before he played the pass anyway

1. Early pressure from the visitors. 

Brownhill fizzes a volley into the area, it is blocked and Tosin just gets ahead of Vydra.

Had to get that right.

1. The players take the new before kick-off, there is no room for racism in football or society as a whole. 

Ashley Westwood gets us underway for Burnley.

Before kick-off, we pay our respects to Alan Slough, who passed away recently.

Kick-off is moments away!

Fulham: 

Areola; Tete, Anderson, Tosin, Robinson; Lemina, Anguissa, Lookman, Reid, Cavaleiro; Mitrovic

Burnley:

Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Brownhill, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Wood, Vydra

20 minutes until kick-off at Craven Cottage. 

Remember, Fulham need to avoid a defeat to stay up tonight. If it is a draw at full time, Fulham need to win all three of their final games, and hope Burnley lose all of theirs. 

Nervy 90 minutes ahead...

Congrats to the pair! 

The gaffer's 350th league game in charge of the Clarets tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/EBOYltD1mk

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 10, 2021

And the skipper's 350th Burnley appearance 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rlpR1o2soH

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 10, 2021

It’s the last chance saloon for Scott Parker and this game is a must win. Fulham have done so much right over the course of the campaign but it looks like their efforts will be in vein. They lacked the knowhow and experience to hang on to points and, in attacking areas, a lack of cutting edge has taken its toll on more than one occasion. A Burnley win would mathematically keep them in the Premier League but Sean Dyche’s men have had a habit of not quite getting the job done throughout this challenging season. 

Prediction: 1-1

By Jonny Bentley

The lads take a look at the pitch 🌱 🚶#FULBUR | #UTC pic.twitter.com/Y1eUpOnu5x — Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 10, 2021

🏡#FULBUR pic.twitter.com/w2JrL6PI4L — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) May 10, 2021

Burnley field an unchanged starting 11, despite last Monday's defeat at home to West Ham United. 

Dale Stephens is fit again and on the bench, as is Ashley Barnes, who made his return from injury as a substitute last week. 

Fulham make two changes to the side who lost at Chelsea last time out.

Out go Ola Aina and Josh Maja, and in come Kenny Tete at right back while Aleksandr Mitrovic comes in up front.

Aina and Maja are on the bench alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek, available again after missing the defeat against his parent club. 

The selected XI for #FULBUR: pic.twitter.com/rrziCFSvWi — Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) May 10, 2021

LINE-UP | Here is how the Clarets line-up against Fulham tonight. ⬇️

Come on, lads 👊#FULBUR | #UTC | @eToro

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 10, 2021

Welcome to matchday!!

It is Fulham vs Burnley at Craven Cottage in a crucial game at the bottom of the table.

A Burnley win here will relegate Fulham back to the Championship after just one season in the Premier League. 

Team news is live in five minutes!

I will see you right here tomorrow night. 

The game is live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event on Monday Night Football, but if you can't watch then I would love to have your company.

The relegation conundrum could be complete tomorrow night, so I hope to see you here at 7pm for the team news. 

See you then!

“We’ve got four games to go.

“We have to stay focused on the next one, while also allowing ourselves the reality that there are four games to go.

“That’s something we have to factor into our thinking – although the next one’s the most important.

“We’ve had lesser runs of form and created a lot more points on the table.

“Our actual form has been good. I didn’t think it was a bad performance, remotely, against West Ham. I thought they were very good.

“Our performance level was still high. Our physical level was brilliant that night, so I think the players are in good shape to take on the next four games.”

“Is it in our hands? No, but what is in our hands is the next four games and can we win four? That’s the aim. But in the real real short term we need to win on Monday night.

“After Monday, if we don’t win that then my belief or where I see it is going to be very very different. Of course it is.

“But over the course of the season I always looked at a team that have been competitive, I’ve always looked at a team indifferent at times and inconsistent and of course that’s why we are where we are but it’s certainly a team that can win games and that’s what we need to start on Monday night.

“That’s the main focus from me, I’m not willing to indulge or look at anything different other than that at this present moment in time and that may change in the future or in the near future but at the moment that’s not the case.”

Fulham: 

Areola; Aina, Anderson, Tosin, Robinson; Lemina, Reed, Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, Reid; Maja.

Burnley: 

Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Brownhill, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Wood, Vydra. 

In-form Chris Wood should be available after he was withdrawn against West Ham United last time out with a dead leg. 

There are no other fresh injury concerns, but Robbie Brady and Kevin Long are still out. 

Wood will likely be partnered again by Matej Vydra but Ashley Barnes is back from injury and could be in contention to go from the start. 

Ruben Loftus-Cheek will return to the line-up after being unavailable last time out against his parent club, Chelsea. 

Terrence Kongolo is still missing but midfielders Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney have recently returned to training. 

It is unlikely that the latter will feature, though. 

A defeat for Fulham here would relegate them back to the Championship after just one season in the top-flight - and guarantee The Clarets survival.

A win for Fulham would take them to 29 points, seven behind Burnley with three to play. 

If West Bromwich Albion beat Arsenal tonight, an away win here would see them relegated as well. 

The game kick's off at 8pm, live from Craven Cottage. 

Hello and welcome to VAVEL's live matchday coverage of Fulham vs Burnley!

My name is Luke Williamson, I will be providing live updates for the game at Craven Cottage. 

A VITAL game at the bottom end of the table.