The void Harry Wilson will leave if he quits Fulham at the end of the season looms larger with every game as the queue forming for his signature must grow by the goal.
Wilson’s contract expires in June, exquisite timing for the 28-year-old in his prime after the season of his life.
The Wales international has scored 10 of the 43 goals scored by Marco Silva’s team.
Most of them strikes of exceptional quality. Even if he does not score again, he can organise his own Goal of the Season competition.
And most have been crucial to the result. Opening goals in the game, late winners, goals to haul his team level or fire them ahead. Rarely does he waste a goal.
Here, it was the second in a 3-1 comeback win to put Fulham ahead in the 73rd minute, revive hopes of European qualification and nudge Burnley a little closer to what is becoming an inevitable relegation.
Harry Wilson shone again as he scored his 10th goal of the season in Fulham’s 3-1 win over Burnley
Josh King and Raul Jimenez (C) were also on the scoresheet as Fulham came from 1-0 down
There was a hint of Arjen Robben about it as Wilson collected a pass in space wide on the right, burrowed along the edge of the penalty area and drove a left footer low through a crowd beyond Martin Dubravka.
‘He’s been incredible,’ said Silva, who admits there is no news on a new deal for Wilson. ‘Top, top, top level. The best season of his career. Hopefully he can go and do something special for his country and come back full of confidence and we can see more goals from him in the last seven games.’
Fulham’s equaliser was scored by Josh King, his first Premier League goal and a simple finish for the 19-year-old.
Sander Berge angled a pass forward into the penalty box and King missed an attempt to meet it on the volley but did enough to confuse Dubravka, who had made some wonderful saves, but this time raced from his goal and failed to clear the danger.
As it bounced around, King had the presence of mind to turn and hook the ball into an open net.
King deserved his good fortune, 203 days after what should have been his first goal against Chelsea was ruled out by a VAR intervention for a foul in the build-up, which was later agreed to be the wrong call.
Zian Flemming had given Burnley the lead, his eighth goal of the season and the Premier League vultures circling Turf Moor are sure to have eyes on him.
Flemming has adjusted nicely to the top flight. The Dutchman has a quick mind and a goal instinct. He claimed a penalty in the opening minutes when a low shot crashed into Calvin Bassey’s left arm as he slid into a block.
Flemming also forced a good save from Bernd Leno midway through the first half with a diving header from Quilindschy Hartman’s bouncing cross.
For his goal, he held his run and let the centre halves leave him and applied a clean first-time finish from a low cross by Lyle Taylor.
The disappointing defeat moves Burnley closer to another relegation from the Premier League
There were chances for the Clarets to level at 2-1 down. Josh Laurent was denied by a late block by Timothy Castagne and Hartman by a fine Leno save before Fulham’s third was scored by Raul Jimenez from a penalty in stoppage time.
Jimenez was adjudged to have been pushed from behind when clean through on goal by Laurent who was sent off for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity and misses the next game against Brighton through suspension.
Jimenez, who never misses from the spot, stuttered up to the ball and hooked it high past Dubravka. It was an emotional moment for the Mexican, his first goal since the death of his father.
For Burnley, it was the 61st goal conceded in 31 games this season. No team had leaked more. And they seem resigned to their fate.
