Fulham’s late win over Sunderland at Craven Cottage drew strong praise from Wayne Rooney and Rob Green on Match of the Day, with both pundits pointing to the hosts’ superior aggression, intensity and willingness to swarm the penalty area.

Rooney argued that Fulham’s constant forward bursts unsettled Sunderland from start to finish. He highlighted how often the home side overloaded the box, saying their powerful, determined runs “caused problems all afternoon,” with multiple players repeatedly committing themselves into dangerous positions.

That approach finally paid off when Raúl Jiménez tapped in the winner from Samuel Chukwueze’s excellent right-wing delivery. Rooney called it the kind of chance every striker hopes for: sharp movement, a perfect cross and a simple finish from point-blank range.

Jiménez’s goal arrived after a dominant display in which Fulham created chance after chance, eventually scoring with their 18th effort of the game. Chukwueze, introduced at half-time in place of the ineffective Kevin, was a constant outlet and produced the decisive moment the match had been missing.

Green was equally struck by Fulham’s proactive attitude, noting that when they play on the front foot and commit numbers forward, they become a genuinely dangerous side. He contrasted that with their flatter performances earlier in the season, where a more passive approach had cost them. Against Sunderland, he said, Fulham “took the game by the scruff of the neck” and refused to ease off.

The victory lifted Fulham to 14th, three points above the relegation zone. Kevin had wasted their clearest first-half opening with a weak header at Robin Roefs, while Sunderland almost punished that miss when Enzo Le Fée flashed an effort wide straight after the interval. But Le Bris’ side struggled to create anything meaningful, slipping to sixth after a subdued afternoon in London. Fulham, however, were rewarded for their persistence as Jiménez secured only their second league win in seven matches.