Leicester 0-1 Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic’s strike makes it three wins in three for the Cottagers

Brendan Rodgers has called for reinforcements as his injury-hit Leicester side slipped to their third straight defeat since the Premier League restart.

Aleksandar Mitrovic’s first-half goal was enough to sink the Foxes, who lost Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to a muscular problem during the warm-up before Boubakary Soumare pulled up early in the match with a hamstring problem. That made it nine first-team players absent through injury, including their best player James Maddison and captain Jonny Evans.

With this win Fulham surpassed their points total for the entire 2018-19 season, and levelled their tally for the 2020-21 campaign. After their rapid improvement before the World Cup, these are troubling times again for Leicester, who have still not beaten a team in the top half this term.

Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after breaking the deadlock against Leicester on Tuesday

The Serbian forward has been in fine form this season and carried a threat again

Mitrovic collected a smart pass from Willian to finish brilliantly inside the box for Fulham

Mitrovic (left) celebrates with Willian after the two combine brilliantly in the 18th minute

‘Hopefully we can get some strength in January,’ said Rodgers, who would like a right-winger, a left-back and a centre-back. ‘There’s not a lot of money but maybe there is some to do what we want to do.

‘It’s a small squad and when we have a few injuries we are short in terms of the number we want. It makes it difficult but we have to keep fighting and hope we can get one or two players back and take it from there.’

Fulham were guilty of time-wasting throughout and rode their luck, especially in the second half, as Youri Tielemans hit the bar with a stunning volley and Ayoze Perez, Harvey Barnes and Jamie Vardy missed excellent chances, but Leicester were still booed off at half-time and full-time.

Vardy runs as hard as ever but turns 36 later this month and is struggling to find the old spark. Leicester have to back Rodgers in the market to give themselves the best chance of dodging a relegation fight.

Leicester suffered an early injury blow after Boubakary Soumare was forced off early on

Willian (left) holds off the challenge of Youri Tielemans in a tightly-contested match

Bernd Leno was superb in goal for Fulham and their fans were singing about European football throughout. Manager Marco Silva said: ‘The fans are dreaming about winning something and it’s important they can dream. We are here to achieve important things for the club.

‘Bernd Leno is a top goalkeeper and it’s not a surprise that he’s performing at a high level. We tried hard to convince him to come and we have to enjoy having a goalkeeper like him.’

Leicester were already missing seven players when Dewsbury-Hall had to be replaced before kick-off by Wilfred Ndidi and things went from bad to worse when Soumare came off after only eight minutes.

By that time, Willian had already wasted two good chances for the visitors and it was no surprise when the home side fell behind in the 17th minute.

Mitrovic had just had lengthy treatment following a heavy challenge on his ankle by Ndidi, but he had recovered in time to control Willian’s cross and guide home his 11th goal of the season from close range. It was a tidy finish by Mitrovic but the defending was appalling and it was no surprised when the boos from the home fans started after only 20 minutes.

Tielemans tries his luck at goal from a free-kick but the Fulham wall are able to block his effort

Referee Darren Bond was forced to brandish his yellow card several times in a fiesty affair

Tielemans tries his luck from range but fails to test Bernd Leno in the Fulham net

Leicester’s Wout Faes battles for possession of the ball with Fulham’s Harrison Reed (left)

Leicester did at least rally in attack. Perez somehow fired over from an unmarked position six yards out after fabulous work by Tielemans on the right.

A deflected shot from Barnes had Leno scrambling to concede a corner, before the German did well to palm away Vardy’s cross. The slight improvement did not spare Leicester from more boos when half-time came.

Leicester should have levelled when Barnes ran on to Luke Thomas’ long pass but failed to lift his shot over Leno, who stood up well. Perez set up Vardy for the sort of chance he takes with ease when in top form – this one was drilled against Leno’s legs. Tielemans looked the Foxes’ most likely source of inspiration and curled just wide from 20 yards.

Into the final quarter, substitute Kelechi Iheanacho teed up Perez to bring another important save from Leno. And when Leno was finally beaten by Tielemans’ ferocious effort from the edge of the box, the crossbar came to his rescue.

Substitute Harry Wilson could have made stoppage time a breeze for Fulham only to stab wide when one on one with Danny Ward.