Birmingham City 1-4 Fulham: Cottagers beat Blues to return to the top of the Championship

Marco Silva’s Fulham beat Birmingham City comfortably at St Andrew’s to return to the top of the Championship.

Aleksandar Mitrovic then drilled home a 44th-minute penalty after Nathaniel Chalobah – their deadline-day signing from Watford – got bundled over in the box.

Fulham debutant Chalobah was then also involved in Fulham’s third with a superb pass for Wilson to run on and score on 54 minutes.

Jean Michael Seri then set up a second for Mitrovic on 83 minutes – the Serb’s sixth goal of the season.

His brace takes him to within one goal of Reading’s John Swift as Championship top scorer this season.

Blues did pull one back on 87 minutes when second-half substitute Troy Deeney scored his first goal for Blues – at the Tilton End too – from the penalty spot, after he had been dragged back by Odoi.

In stoppage time, Deeney had another header saved and Gary Gardner hit the bar. But, despite that late rally from Lee Bowyer’s men, Deeney’s goal was scant consolation for Blues, who had previously only conceded three goals in six games this season, on a night when victory could have lifted them third.

Birmingham City striker Troy Deeney told BBC Radio WM:

“Hopefully this is just a bump in the road. This is the best team we’re going to play in this league by far. We had chances but they were just a bit better with their quality and calmness in the final third.

“You can turn things rounds really quickly in the Championship. You haven’t got a week to sulk like you have in the Premier League.

“The majority of the fans stayed and that was a huge positive for us. And it was nice to get off the mark, You don’t want to be waiting five or six games for your first goal.

“The last game I started was for Watford here against Coventry in January. That’s two games now coming off the bench and I’m only going to get better the more I play.”