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- Relegation candidates at the start of the campaign, sixth-placed Fulham have been one of the season’s biggest surprises
- They remain firmly in contention to qualify for the Europa League
LONDON: Manor Solomon extended his hot streak as the Fulham forward came off the bench to rescue a 1-1 draw against Wolves in Friday’s Premier League clash.
Marco Silva’s side trailed to Pablo Sarabia’s first goal in five appearances for Wolves since his January move from Paris Saint Germain.
But Israel international Solomon netted after halftime to stretch Fulham’s unbeaten run in the league to four matches.
Solomon made a quiet start after joining Fulham on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, but the 23-year-old now has three goals in his last three appearances.
Solomon is the first Israeli player to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances since Liverpool’s Ronny Rosenthal in 1992.
“It’s not for sure that he will start next time. He doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs yet,” Silva said of Solomon.
“He has been really important but let’s hope he continues doing it.”
Tipped as relegation candidates at the start of the campaign, sixth-placed Fulham have been one of the season’s biggest surprises and they remain firmly in contention to qualify for the Europa League.
“We have to prove our quality on the pitch. Of course I’m proud of my players and our position in the table,” Silva said.
Wolves were bottom of the table going into the World Cup break, but have lifted themselves out of the relegation zone.
Julen Lopetegui’s 15th-placed side are four points clear of the bottom three.
“We have the need to get a lot of points to stay out of relegation. It’s going to be a hard task but we have one more (point) today,” Lopetegui said.
After a scrappy opening, Wolves took the lead from the first serious chance for either team in the 23rd minute.
Raul Jimenez guided a deft header back to Sarabia and the Spanish midfielder controlled with his left foot before using his right to drive a clinical finish into the far corner from eight yards.
Ruben Neves should have doubled Wolves’ lead when the Portugal midfielder headed wide from Matheus Nunes’ cross.
Andreas Pereira was inches away from equalising in spectacular style on the stroke of halftime as Jose Sa tipped over the Fulham midfielder’s 30-yard free-kick.
Jimenez nodded just wide from Sarabia’s cross before Wolves forward Matheus Cunha was stretchered off after lengthy treatment following a seemingly innocuous challenge.
Solomon has been in fine form of late, coming off the bench to net the winner against Brighton last weekend.
Reprising his super-sub role after coming on at half-time on this occasion, Solomon equalized in the 64th minute with a superb curler that arrowed into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Chasing a winner, a Fulham penalty appeal was rejected after a VAR check when Joao Palhinha went down under an apparent push from Mario Lemina.
Sa preserved Wolves’ point deep into stoppage-time when he plunged to his right to keep out Carlos Vinicius’s towering header.