A Raul Jimenez penalty fired Fulham to a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest to condemn Sean Dyche’s side to Christmas in the relegation mix.
Jimenez struck late in the first half after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have fouled Brazilian winger Kevin.
Forest had travelled to west London knowing a victory would have lifted them above Fulham into the relatively calm waters of 15th place.
But after a fourth defeat from four Premier League trips to Craven Cottage, the Reds remain just one place above the drop zone, albeit with a healthy five-point cushion between them and West Ham.
Forest’s best chance of the first half fell to Igor Jesus after Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White combined to send Neco Williams clear down the left.
Williams fizzed in a low cross which found the Brazilian striker, who illustrated why he only has one league goal to his name this season by blazing high over the crossbar.
The watching Paul Clement, Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant for the Brazil national team, is unlikely to have been impressed.
Fulham defender Joachim Andersen suffered a painful injury after challenging Jesus midway through the first half. Some of the crowd winced, but the Dane barely flinched when his dislocated finger was reset on the pitch.
Fulham eventually began to threaten as half-time approached, with Antonee Robinson overlapping and pulling the ball back for Sasa Lukic, who dragged his shot wide.
They came even closer moments later when another Robinson cross was headed into the side-netting by Jimenez.
Then, in first-half stoppage time, the grounded Luiz attempted to hook the ball away from Kevin, only to catch the winger on the heel.
The incident looked similar to one at Everton on Saturday, when Arsenal defender William Saliba caught Thierno Barry but no penalty was given.
However, “the contact was sufficient for a foul” was the VAR’s verdict this time and Mexican frontman Jimenez duly stepped up and then stuttered before sending Forest goalkeeper John Victor the wrong way. It was Jimenez’s fourth goal of the season and his 11th successful Fulham penalty from 11 attempts.
After the break Cottagers keeper Bernd Leno got down well to fend away a stinging drive from Williams and held another from Murillo.
But it was Fulham who came closest to finding the net again, with Jimenez glancing Kenny Tete’s inviting cross wide when it looked easier to score.
