Tottenham slump deepens as Wilson and Iwobi sink Spurs in 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage
Fulham's 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage on 1 Mar, 2026 left tottenham with fresh reasons for concern after another damaging result in the Premier League. The west London side took the game early and added a decisive second-midfielder strike before Spurs staged a late reply that ultimately proved insufficient; the match was played at Craven Cottage with an attendance of 27, 439.
How the scoreline unfolded at Craven Cottage
Fulham went ahead inside the opening quarter of an hour when Harry Wilson rifled in a half-volley after a cross from Oscar Bobb, with that strike continuing Wilson's run as his 10th goal of the season. The visitors were furious about contact in the buildup, with Raúl Jiménez nudging Radu Dragusin, but the goal stood. Fulham doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Alex Iwobi produced a first-time effort from range into the bottom corner. Tottenham pulled one back after 65 minutes when Mathys Tel drove forward, found Archie Gray and Richarlison headed home, but the late rally could not prevent Fulham claiming a 2-1 win.
Tottenham tactical choices and substitutions
Interim head coach Igor Tudor abandoned his favoured 3-4-2-1 shape and switched to a back four for the London derby; a slightly surprising 4-4-2 deployment was also noted. The change did not stem Fulham's early momentum: Spurs conceded after seven minutes. Tudor later made a triple substitution in the 58th minute, sending on Pape Sarr, Mathys Tel and Richarlison, while Conor Gallagher, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani were all withdrawn just before the hour after underwhelming displays.
Refereeing controversies deepen Tottenham concerns
Refereeing decisions were a focal point of frustration. The push by Raúl Jiménez on Radu Dragusin in the buildup to Harry Wilson's opener was not penalised: Thomas Bramall did not give a foul, and the VAR official in the chair at Stockley Park decided not to intervene. Observers compared this to a slight push by Randal Kolo Muani on Gabriel in a previous match that led to a Spurs goal being ruled out; that push had been judged a foul by the on-field referee in that earlier fixture. The incidents were described as similar, with Kolo Muani's contact characterised as one-handed and Jiménez's as using two hands, but the match official and VAR took different views on each occasion. Tudor and captain Micky van de Ven implored Bramall to give the push during the game.
Fulham control, missed chances and key interventions
Fulham were described as more aggressive, decisive and coherent, creating a string of chances, particularly after half-time. They missed several gilt-edged opportunities: Kenny Tete scuffed a chance off target, Emile Smith Rowe fired wide when played in by Oscar Bobb and Calvin Bassey hooked over in first-half stoppage time to prevent a larger interval deficit. Fulham also saw Raúl Jiménez given opportunities that were either denied by Micky van de Ven or kept out by crucial saves, including an important stop by Guglielmo Vicario later in the match.
