Aleksandar Mitrovic has the last laugh after Ivan Toney mocks his celebration before having his goals ruled out on Saturday.
The Serbian continues to prove doubters wrong, getting a 98th Fulham goal to earn a 3-2 victory over their west London rivals Brentford.
Mitrovic had missed a number of chances in both halves before he finally produced the match winner when rising above Yoane Wissa for a trademark back-post header to settle the first top-flight meeting between these two.
There were just 44 seconds on the clock when Bobby Decordova-Reid got the opener after full debutant Jay Stansfield had saw his effort hit the bar.
Joao Palhinha extended the hosts’ lead with a header from Andreas Pereira’s superb corner, before the Bees finally had their first shot of the afternoon in the 27th minute.
Even as the Cottagers’ dominance faded they still looked in full control until Christian Norgaard volleyed home Mathias Jensen’s corner a minute just prior half time to stun Craven Cottage.
Ivan Toney thought he had brought Brentford level just four minutes into the second period as Thomas Frank’s team came out as a different prospect. Although he was denied by a tight VAR offside call, he got his goal from Yoane Wissa’s square ball with 20 minutes left.
There was still time for twists and turns, Mitrovic becoming the man to make it happen, getting the winner for Fulham in the 90th minute.
A first win of the season sees Fulham move up to fourth in the Premier League table after maintaining their unbeaten start to the season, while the Bees drop to fifth.
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. pic.twitter.com/M6U02HqOrd
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 20, 2022
Fulham matchwinner Aleksandar Mitrovic: “Amazing feeling. I think it was a good derby. Lots of goals, turnovers and in the end we managed to get the win. We made it difficult for ourselves and in the end I managed to get a goal after missing a couple of chances.
“He [David Raya] made it so hard for me today. I missed a lot of chances and lots of ups and downs but I never gave up. I stayed calm and kept believing.
“The manager [Marco Silva] has changed the club, the way we play and the way we believe. We never give up. Today we deserved three points. We are happy to get that first three points and be still undefeated after three games.”
🗣 “We never give up.”
Aleksandar Mitrović says this current Fulham side feels different to the last one he was part of when they were relegated from the Premier League previously. pic.twitter.com/3C7kG2xBKm
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 20, 2022
Brentford forward Ivan Toney: “It’s disappointing. That one hurt. The first 30 minutes we were way off it. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and we did but then gave the goal away at the end.
“We have to learn from that. I think we were on top in the second half and were all over them but we could have played into our hands more than theirs.
“You have to keep playing and doing what you do best. At times we needed a bit of composure to play round them especially in the last 20 minutes.”
🗣 “That one hurt.”
Brentford striker Ivan Toney says losing to Fulham at the end of the game hurt. pic.twitter.com/kBeJueN7dS
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 20, 2022
🗣 “We’ve just got to learn from that.”
Brentford striker Ivan Toney says the team need to learn how to manage games better after losing 3-2 to Fulham late on. pic.twitter.com/UPGxzOv9Cf
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 20, 2022
Fulham manager Marco Silva: “Fantastic feeling. We knew it’d be tough but I think we deserved the win with the way we started, controlled, scored the goals, pressed them and did not let them create chances.
“The first goal from them took some confidence from us and the start of the second half was our worst moment. They changed their formation, the way they played and they caused us some problems.
“I have to congratulate our players for the reaction when it went to 2-2. It is always special when you win a derby at home.
“If you deliver for Mitro [Aleksandar Mitrovic] he is really strong in those types of situation. We are working with him to improve in other situations.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “Football is cruel, especially when you lose in the last minute. Maybe even more when you recover from 2-0 down. Apart from the first 20 mins and the last five minutes we played a good game. The mentality and desire got us back into the game. We always want to try and go for the win, and that is our offensive mentality.
“They scored before 60 seconds and that made them on top in the game. We could have maybe done something differently and then it was a ricochet and it went to them.
“It was a local derby and they came with an unbelievable intensity but it’s football and it happens in the game.
“Coming down from 2-0 to 2-2 is extraordinary in the Premier League and we have done that twice. I’m pleased with a few things even though we lost. It is a maximum of 24 hours of celebrating or being down but tomorrow we need to focus and go again.”
Twitter users reacted as Mitrovic has the last laugh after Ivan Toney mocks his celebration before having goals ruled out…
@utd_Ben18v3: Ivan Toney must really hate Mitrovic. smashed his goalscoring record in the championship to smithereens last season, had a goal ruled out v fulham this afternoon. and then Mitrovic scored a last minute winner.
@DembaBaSyrup: Toney taking the piss out of Mitro here. Then lost. Ex team mates at Newcastle United obviously. Stinking bad egg Toney like
@mrtripleb: He got clowned twice, once by VAR and then the second time by the man himself 🤣🔥
@rossccore: ivan toney trying to be a shit house and doing mitrovic’s celebration when he scored, only for mitrovic to score a last grasp winner is the karma we love to see
@urghbusani: Ivan Toney using Mitro’s celebration for his offside goal, then Ivan Toney scoring a legal goal, then Mitrovic scoring the last minute winner. Cinema✨
@arhyelcantwin: Loving the violence in this league 😂
@CharWastell: 😂😂😂😂 what a plonker
@COYWhites_com: Aleksandar Mitrović told Ivan Toney to come outside.
@JakeSadler_: Toney done the Mitro celebration twice, only to lose to a Mitro last minute winner. Levels to it 💁🏻♂️💁🏻♂️
@AngusKelly12: Toney doing the mitro celebration for mitro to go and win it in the 90th. If Carlsberg did Saturdays 💉💉
@ffcyevrah: Toney copying Mitros celebration just for Mitro to dunk on Brentford last minute looool come at the king you better not miss
@CareyNicholas: Toney doing the Mitro celebration to take the piss for Mitro to bag the last minute winner, the stuff of dreams💉😍
Mitrovic after seeing toney hits his celebration pic.twitter.com/kV0m2QEKgf
— Tempahboi (@Tempahboi) August 20, 2022

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