Two for Berbatov in Fulham victory

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Fulham 3 West Brom 0

Dimitar Berbatov scored twice on his full debut as a new-look Fulham side ended 10-man West Brom’s unbeaten start to the season.

The man Martin Jol dubbed the club’s biggest ever signing following his deadline day switch from Manchester United opened the scoring with a typically classy-looking turn and finish after Alex Kacaniklic found him just inside the area.

Peter Odemwingie was shown a straight red card when he lashed out and kicked full-back Sascha Riether, but it was Billy Jones’ foul on Kacaniklic that gave Berbatov the chance to add his second from the penalty spot before half-time.

Steve Sidwell added the third late on after Hugo Rodellega’s header bounced back off the crossbar.

Fulham fans will have been relieved to see a tactical switch to 4-4-2 pay off and Jol’s much heralded new signing make an explosive start..

The departures of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey to Tottenham at the end of the transfer window were a blow for supporters and the manager alike.

Also missing from the side firmly beaten by West Ham a fortnight ago were Kieran Richardson and Mohammad Diarra, who are suffering with hip and knee injuries respectively, as well as forwards Mladen Petric and Bryan Ruiz.

So Rodellega partnered Berbatov up front but Fulham found it hard to feed the two strikers until Kacaniklic’s trickery beat right-back Jones wide on the left and he fed in the Bulgarian to turn and curl the ball into the far corner.

Kacaniklic again caused too much of a problem for Jones after Odemwingie’s moment of madness in front of the dugouts, and Berbatov was first to claim the ball before coolly slotting home.

Another new signing, Giorgos Karagounis, was on the bench but it was 20-year-old Alex Smith who made a late appearance and mounted the attack that led to Sidwell’s goal.

Fellow substitute Pajtim Kasami’s shot was parried into the path of Rodellega who headed against the bar but Sidwell was on hand to volley into the corner.

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Reither, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise; Duff (Smith 90), Baird, Sidwell, Kacaniklic (Kassami 84); Berbatov, Rodellega Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Karagounis, Briggs, Trotta.

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