It says much for Fulham’s progress under Marco Silva that they dropped their standards and still reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. There were a few wobbles, a few worrying moments, but the final score felt right. Leeds United had simply not done enough in the final third and, although there were some encouraging signs for Javi Gracia, he will demand better finishing when they return to west London to face Chelsea on Saturday.
Gracia will know that Leeds need more of an edge if they are going to stay in the Premier League. Their away form remains wretched – only two wins on the road all season – and they still lack oomph in both boxes. Fulham were far more decisive. They could rely on two moments of class, one from João Palhinha, the other from Manor Solomon, and are one game away from a trip to Wembley.