Fulham have registered their eighth successive home win with a 2-0 victory over Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday's clash at Craven Cottage.
Ryan Sessegnon gave the home side the lead during the closing stages of the first half before Aleksandar Mitrovic's second goal since his loan move from Newcastle United confirmed victory for Slavisa Jokanovic's side.
Wolves remain nine points clear of Cardiff City - who face Bristol City on Sunday - while Fulham now sit just a point behind fourth-placed Derby County in the table.
Both teams started relatively brightly in West London but it was Fulham who created the first opportunity with Mitrovic flicking the ball over the head of John Ruddy before Conor Coady got back to make the clearance.
Moments later, Floyd Ayite dragged a shot wide of the near post from distance, before Wolves got their first real effort on goal when Alfred N'Diaye fired just over from 25 yards.
As the first half progressed, however, it was all Fulham and the home side finally went in front with seven minutes remaining when Sessegnon tapped home from close range after Ruddy had made a save down to his right to deny Mitrovic.
Wolves almost netted an immediate equaliser through Ivan Cavaleiro, who saw his 25-yard strike kept out by Marcus Bettinelli down to his left, but the visitors were fortunate to survive Ruddy spilling Matt Targett's low effort before claiming at the second opportunity.
The opening minutes after the restart belonged to Wolves with Cavaleiro seeing Bettinelli make another stop to deny the Portuguese from distance, but the visitors were still struggling to create anything of note in the final third.
Fulham were also failing to apply constant pressure to the Wolves goal but there was a feeling that the Cottagers were in full control of the contest as long as Wolves continued to make the wrong decisions in the final third.
Jokanovic's side eventually doubled their advantage with 19 minutes remaining. Mitrovic comfortably held off Coady on the edge of the area before managing to find the bottom corner of Ruddy's net from 20 yards out.
Fulham appeared to be coasting through to the full-time whistle but Wolves should have halved the deficit with five minutes left when Benik Afobe rolled the ball to Diogo Jota to convert from 10 yards, but the Atletico Madrid loanee fired over in front of an empty net.
That proved to be Wolves' final chance and Nuno Espirito Santo will be grateful for a free midweek in order to prepare his side for fixtures with Reading, Leeds United and Aston Villa at the start of March.
FULHAM (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, Targett; McDonald, Johansen, Cairney (Odoi, 92'); Ayite (Ojo, 64'), Sessegnon, Mitrovic
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (3-4-3): Ruddy; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Saiss (Afobe, 77'), N'Diaye (Gibbs-White, 63'), Douglas; Cavaleiro, Costa (Jota, 63'), Bonatini
Darren Plant
