Fulham relegated after lopsided defeat to Watford
Fulham joined Huddersfield Town as the second side in swift succession to be relegated from the Premier League following a 4-1 loss to Watford on Tuesday.
It's been a long time coming for the Cottagers, who've conceded a league-high 76 goals over the course of the 2018-19 season.
Ryan Babel briefly canceled out Abdoulaye Doucoure's opener before Watford ran riot with three goals in a 12-minute span.
We’re beaten here by Watford, as relegation is confirmed. #WATFUL pic.twitter.com/MVr3EjqyDF
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) April 2, 2019
"Obviously bitterly disappointed, devastated for the football club and fans," caretaker manager and former captain Scott Parker told the BBC's Match of the Day. "We always knew it was a tough task. It's the way we lost the game which was most disappointing for me.
"The five- or 10-minute spell from 2-1 onwards ... that was our season in a snapshot."
It was supposed to be so different. Fulham spent £100 million to improve their squad after being promoted from the Championship last year, but most of those signings failed to perform. Only Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has 10 Premier League goals this season, produced anything close to a tangible return.
Not even two changes of manager could spark a turnaround. Slavisa Jokanovic, who guided Fulham to the Premier League, was fired in November, and his successor, Claudio Ranieri, lasted just 16 league matches. Neither Jokanovic nor Ranieri could solve Fulham's defensive woes.
Tuesday's shellacking at Watford extended Fulham's longest losing streak of the season, handing the west London side its ninth consecutive defeat.