Match ends, Fulham 0, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane said a team meeting helped them get back on track with a narrow win at Fulham.
The England captain scored the only goal with a sweet strike into the bottom corner from just outside the box, to equal Jimmy Greaves' record as Spurs' all-time top scorer with 266 goals.
It was only Spurs' second Premier League win in six games and came after back-to-back losses against Arsenal and Manchester City.
They are back to within three points of the Champions League places after only a second league clean sheet since October.
"We are a little bit behind where we want to be but tonight was important," said Kane, who played despite having an illness.
"We had a good talk amongst ourselves, just to get back to what we are good at, clean sheets, being compact and hard to break down. Then we know we will have a chance to score and have players who can do that.
"It was a really important win for us, especially after the last couple of games, to get back to winning ways."
Boss Antonio Conte, whose future is uncertain, said: "I had a good answer from my players. I asked them for the solidity of last season and the will and desire to fight and to be resilient.
"We showed when you play as a team it is difficult to play against us. Today has to be a starting point for us to give everything then we will see what happens at the end."
Kane could have broken the record in the second half but his close-range header was tipped over well by Bernd Leno.
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Fulham had plenty of chances to score before Kane's opener with Hugo Lloris keeping out Bobby Decordova-Reid's long-range drive and Harrison Reed's snap-shot.
But this is now a second defeat in a row and a missed chance to go above Spurs into fifth place.
The game had kicked off 18 minutes late following travel problems for fans in the area and then issues with referee Paul Tierney's communication devices.
Big night for Kane and Spurs
It has felt inevitable for a long time that Kane would become Spurs' top scorer if he did not move to another club first.
His 199th Premier League goal for Spurs in exactly 300 games means he has matched that 266-goal Greaves record, which stood for 53 years.
It was an expert Kane strike, taking Son Heung-min's pass with his back to goal, turning a defender and then picking his spot from outside the box.
Spurs have started so many games slowly this season, and this match was no exception. They did not get going until the 30th minute and could easily have trailed before Kane's opener.
The second half was better, though, and Kane headed at Leno and then hammered a shot wide late on.
Lloris, who conceded six goals in his past two games - including his own goal against Arsenal - kept a much-needed clean sheet with five saves.
Fulham still flying despite loss
Consecutive defeats for surprise European chasers Fulham have come after they won five in a row. They should not be concerned, though, as those losses were against two of the only six teams in the country above them.
Marco Silva's side were unlucky to lose to Newcastle and were narrowly edged out here by one of the greatest strikers in English football history.
As well as saved first-half chances for Decordova-Reid, Reed and Willian, Aleksandar Mitrovic headed on to the roof of the net and Manor Solomon's curling effort was tipped wide by Lloris.
They had a good crack at it in six minutes of injury time but fell just short.
"Our goal is clear from the first moment and people have said we were favourites to go down again," said Silva. "We are here to fight and staying in the Premier League is what we want to do. Our position in the table is something to be proud of, but the Premier League is really tough."
Player of the match
KaneHarry Kane
Fulham
Avg
- Squad number13Player nameReamAverage rating
6.05
- Squad number20Player nameWillianAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number31Player nameDiopAverage rating
5.79
- Squad number18Player nameAndreas PereiraAverage rating
5.61
- Squad number26Player nameJoão PalhinhaAverage rating
5.51
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
5.47
- Squad number2Player nameTeteAverage rating
5.44
- Squad number9Player nameMitrovicAverage rating
5.43
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
5.38
- Squad number6Player nameReedAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number17Player nameLenoAverage rating
5.22
- Squad number10Player nameCairneyAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number8Player nameWilsonAverage rating
4.25
- Squad number11Player nameSolomonAverage rating
3.83
- Squad number30Player nameCarlos ViníciusAverage rating
3.00
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating
6.60
- Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating
6.54
- Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number30Player nameBentancurAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
5.85
- Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
5.62
- Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating
5.59
- Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
5.57
- Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating
5.57
- Squad number14Player namePerisicAverage rating
5.49
- Squad number38Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
5.07
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17Leno
- 2TeteSubstituted forSolomonat 80'minutes
- 31Diop
- 13Ream
- 33Robinson
- 26João PalhinhaBooked at 16mins
- 6ReedSubstituted forCairneyat 65'minutes
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forWilsonat 87'minutes
- 18Pereira
- 20WillianSubstituted forCarlos Viníciusat 87'minutes
- 9Mitrovic
Substitutes
- 1Rodák
- 3Kurzawa
- 4Tosin
- 8Wilson
- 10Cairney
- 11Solomon
- 12Chalobah
- 21James
- 30Carlos Vinícius
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Lloris
- 17RomeroBooked at 70mins
- 15Dier
- 33Davies
- 12Emerson Royal
- 5Højbjerg
- 30BentancurBooked at 78mins
- 14Perisic
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forBissoumaat 90+1'minutes
- 7Son Heung-minBooked at 28minsSubstituted forRicharlisonat 76'minutes
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 4Skipp
- 6D Sánchez
- 9Richarlison
- 19R Sessegnon
- 20Forster
- 25Tanganga
- 34Lenglet
- 38Bissouma
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 24,190
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fulham 0, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury João Palhinha (Fulham).
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Delay in match because of an injury Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Foul by João Palhinha (Fulham).
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Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Yves Bissouma replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Antonee Robinson (Fulham).
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.
Post update
Attempt saved. Manor Solomon (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Harry Wilson replaces Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Carlos Vinícius replaces Willian.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
Post update
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur).
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Manor Solomon replaces Kenny Tete.
Post update
Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Eric Dier with a headed pass.
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BBC, why is there no HYS on Darvel’s giant killing victory over Aberdeen tonight? That was epic.
1 European Cup Winners, winners medal
1 World Cup winners medal.
Jimmy Greaves turned up in the biggest games for club and country, he delivered and he brought home the bacon.
Great striker.