Fulham 2-1 Sunderland

Moussa Dembele fired the decisive strike as Fulham beat a lacklustre Sunderland at Craven Cottage.

Sunderland looked a tired side as they struggled to test the Fulham defence for the vast majority of the game and Fulham were worthy winners in the end. After Lee Cattermole foulded Mahamadou Diarra, Clint Dempsey put the home side into the lead after just 12 minutes as he curled a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner. Phil Bardsley pulled the visitors level somewhat against the run of play after 33 minutes. James McClean teed up the full-back who fired a spectacular effort into the net from long range. Fulham were back in-front after less than a minute however. Dembele was allowed to stride forward from halfway before his deflected shot sailed into the top corner. The second half was a very pedestrian affair with very few chances created. Substitute Nicklas Bendtner might have netted the equaliser with 17 minutes remaining but his curling effort went narrowly wide of the post. The result sees Fulham move above Liverpool in the Premier League while Martin O'Neill's Sunderland remain in the bottom half with just one game remaining.