FULHAM 2-1 LEEDS: Illan Meslier has a day to forget after two costly errors hand Fulham win at home

Travelling Leeds fans chanted ‘Sack the Board’ after two more blunders by goalkeeper Illan Meslier left the club in deep relegation trouble.

Meslier, selected by manager Javier Gracia despite conceding 11 goals in his previous two home games, performed well for an hour before he needlessly palmed a Willian cross into the path of Harry Wilson for the breakthrough goal.

For an encore, the young Frenchman then made the same mistake for a copycat second. This time Antonee Robinson’s centre was diverted by a diving Meslier straight to Andreas Pereira who let the ball hit him and roll over the line.

The double setback was greeted badly by Leeds supporters who sang the name of former manager Marcelo Bielsa and called for Director of Football Victor Orta to ‘get out of our club’.

Illan Meslier had a day to forget, and has now conceded 13 in his last two matches for Leeds

For Fulham it was another happy afternoon watched on by owner Shahid Khan as they close in on a record Premier League points total which currently stands at 53, though Leeds made it a nervy finish when Patrick Bamford pulled back a late consolation.

Gracia responded to the 6-1 mauling against Liverpool by recalling skipper Liam Cooper for his first start since February though Italian international Wilfried Gnonto was again surprisingly on the bench,

Fulham used Bobby De Cordova-Reid as a false nine with Aleksandr Mitrovic continuing to serve and eight-match ban for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh.

Leeds were in feisty mood and glad that referee Peter Bankes was in lenient mood, letting off Max Wober and Marc Roca for late tackles before finally brandishing a yellow when Fulham’s Joao Palhinha chopped down Crysencio Summervile.

Fulham ‘keeper Bernd Leno palmed away Roca’s curler heading towards the top corner while Meslier received a confidence boost with a hat-trick of saves to deny Pereira, including a fist off the line when the Brazilian’s corner threatened to curl straight in.

But it all started to go horribly wrong for him after 58 minutes. Willian’s cross from the left flank would have been harmless if left alone because Fulham didn’t have anyone at the far post.

But a jittery Mesliers stretched to divert the ball into the path of Harry Wilson who adjusted his body position and hooked in from eight yards.

That was the second consecutive game in which the Wales international has scored and Fulham doubled their advantage after 72 minutes having already struck the crossbar through Pereria’s free-kick.

Robinson was allowed to cross from the same position Willian had done and Meslier dived to put the ball on a plate for Pereira.

By that stage Bamford had been brought on from the bench and his poacher’s instinct helped the visitors reduce arrears after 79 minutes though the final touch came of Palhinha.

Crysencio Summerville’s initial dig in the area was blocked and Bamford reacted first to poke the rebound in off the unfortunate Fulham midfielder.

Gnonto was immediately summoned by Gracia though Leeds fans had wanted the winger on a lot earlier.

Fulham thought they’d scored a third when Willian’s free-kick was brilliantly tipped onto the woodwork by Meslier. But with still only one goal in it, the signal for eight minutes of injury-time increased the urgency in Leeds ranks – aware they hover just aware they hover just above the relegation zone

The final whistle confirmed Fulham’s third win this season against the same opposition and there was a standing ovation for late substitute Neeskens Kebano as he returned for his first action since October with an Achilles injury.