The chance to move above Aston Villa – who they thoroughly dispatched 4-0 last weekend – into the top-four looked to have gone to Tottenham’s heads early on, as the home side attempted to spring a surprise.
Their ferocious play perhaps warranted a goal, with Andreas Pereira’s effort in the opening two minutes brushing the outside of the post, followed by Guglielmo Vicario getting down smartly to thwart Saša Lukić.
Given that they had scored in each of their first 27 league games this season – equalling a club record – Spurs looked surprisingly toothless in attack, and chances were limited throughout the first half.
James Maddison went closest, rolling one just past the Bernd Leno’s near post, but Fulham got their just rewards for their endeavour with the opener just prior to the break.
Antonee Robinson created it with a fantastic early cross, and man-of-the-moment Rodrigo Muniz took it under control and cut his finish across goal and into the bottom corner.
The Brazilian’s sixth goal in his last seven league matches inspired his team to continue their dominance after HT, and it was mere minutes before they doubled their lead.
Timothy Castagne found enough space on the right-hand side to whip in a wicked ball, which was guided in off the thigh of Lukić for the Serbian’s first Fulham goal.
Spurs would have been expected to respond to that, but they did the exact opposite, and Muniz was soon on the scoresheet again, pouncing on the rebound from Calvin Bassey’s effort to bundle in a third.
Despite their record this campaign, the visitors never really looked like finding the net, and it was a comfortable final half hour for Fulham.
Any remote hopes of European qualification for the home side could be rekindled by this result, which marked their first win against Tottenham in the last 10 attempts.
A disappointing day for Spurs, meanwhile, as they failed to break into the top-four, although home games against Luton and Nottingham Forest after the international break will surely give Ange Postecoglou’s men hope of a resurgence.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Timothy Castagne (Fulham)
