JEAN MICHAEL SERI and Andre Schurrle both scored their first goals as Fulham got off the mark on their return to the Premier League with a 4-2 win over Burnley.
Aleksandar Mitrovic also netted a three-minute brace for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, who confidently shrugged off the disappointment of successive defeats back in the top flight to pick up all three welcome points.
Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick struck six minutes after Seri’s spectacular early opener and a close-range James Tarkowski finish late in a five-goal first half gave Burnley hope they could yet add to the lone point they have managed in a sluggish start to the new season.
But Mitrovic scored twice with his head in between Burnley’s goals and a deserved late strike for Schurrle left Sean Dyche – who knows his side are teetering on the edge of Europa League elimination after a 3-1 first-leg defeat at Olympiacos on Thursday – with mounting problems to solve.
An entertaining first half began with Seri lashing a rising 25-yard drive beyond Joe Hart in the fourth minute, only for Hendrick to hastily respond by capping off a counter-attack at the second attempt.
Burnley are not the defensive force of last season, though, and were unable to stop Fulham scoring twice from crosses in quick succession, Mitrovic proving a menace with commanding headers past Hart.
The Clarets did battle back into the contest when Ben Mee rose to meet a corner that led to Tarkowski turning home amid suspicion of offside four minutes prior to the interval.
Fulham responded to the challenge by continuing to control possession after the break and Schurrle, denied earlier by the crossbar, eventually got his reward in the 83rd minute, the Germany international drilling home the rebound from Mitrovic’s initial attempt to seal the result.
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