Venables on brink as passion dies away

Fulham 1 Leeds United

Following Leeds' fourth successive Premiership defeat, Terry Venables was asked where he could possibly go from here? "To Elland Road to play Malaga on Thursday [in the Uefa Cup]," came the trademark jokey answer, although the Yorkshire club's League position is hardly a laughing matter. Leeds are now hovering just above the relegation zone, and could conceivably drop into the bottom three if results in other games do not go their way today and tomorrow.

Despite their Premiership standing and another abject display, particularly in the first half, Venables bizarrely refused to accept that his team were involved in a relegation scrap. But then, the Leeds manager did also insist that "the spirit in the camp is good", a statement that will leave many people confused. The truth is that Leeds were dreadful for most of this must-win game, lacking any passion or commitment. "We started poorly," Venables admitted, "but then did better. We tried everything to get back in the game." If that is the case, then Leeds really are in serious trouble. They produced only two chances in the entire match, and never really looked like scoring. Alan Smith's withdrawal at half-time because of a stomach upset only added to the drama of Leeds' attacking woes.

The striker was not the only one with butterflies in his belly, as the chairman Peter Ridsdale spent much of the second half with his head in his hands. Meanwhile, the club's fervent supporters made their feelings known. Needless to say that the words "Terry" and "bye-bye" featured prominently. "I've no idea how long I have to put things right," Venables said, "but I'm going to keep working hard."

Leeds were poor, but Fulham deserve credit for the way they took the game and fought for every ball. It was certainly no surprise when Jean Tigana's men took a deserved lead inside 10 minutes. Martin Djétou lost Smith and found himself in acres of space to power home an excellent header from Pierre Wome's corner. Too easy. And too familiar a failing in Leeds' case. Jonathan Woodgate has not spoken to his defensive partner, Michael Duberry, since their trial, and it shows.

The visitors spent the entire first period entrenched in their own half, and can thank the crossbar as well as Paul Robinson's agility for not falling further behind before the interval. Just before the half-hour mark, Luis Boa Morte embarked on a run on goal from the centre-circle. Woodgate tried his level best to push the him wide, but was instead turned inside the area and could do nothing as the former Arsenal striker shot at goal. Duberry blocked the effort but the rebound fell to Steed Malbranque, who somehow contrived to find the bar when the entire goal was at his mercy from five yards.

The Leeds back four had barely regained their breath when Steve Finnan was given the freedom of Loftus Road to run down the right flank and deliver an inch-perfect cross on to Sean Davis' head. The England hopeful's looping header looked odds-on to end up in the far corner of the goal, but another international wannabe leapt up to produce one of the saves of the season. Paul Robinson was at it again moments before half-time when he pushed away Wome's 20-yard drive and then got a brave hand to Malbranque's follow-up.

Venables has always enjoyed the reputation of being a progressive manager, but he clearly resorted to more old-fashioned methods during the interval because his troops emerged from the dressing room with a little more vigour. Leeds also resumed the match with Smith on the bench and Robbie Fowler up front alongside Michael Bridges. This was the latter's first start since October 2000, and only Fowler's second appearance since returning from a six-month lay-off. No wonder, then, that they were both rusty. Bridges, in particular, will still be wondering how he managed to steer Ian Harte's low cross wide when he had only Edwin van der Sar to beat.

At least Leeds had created an opening. On 73 minutes, Fowler could, and probably should, have equalised when he headed a cross by the substitute James Milner – who, by the way, became the Premiership's youngest ever player at 16 – straight at Van der Sar.

With Leeds pouring forward in search of salvation, the game was now wide open, and Fulham should have profited to make the game safe. First, Boa Morte skipped past the lunging Duberry, before trying to curl a shot around Robinson. His effort was palmed away but only as far as Davis, who shot high into the stands from all of four yards. Moments later, it was Malbranque's turn to miss a good opening, when he failed to make any convincing contact on a through-ball from Sylvain Legwinski. In the dying seconds, Davis was again guilty of spurning a sitter, this time crashing Boa Morte's pull-back onto the bar and out to safety.

No matter. Leeds were neither smart nor hungry enough to make Fulham pay for their lack of finishing.

Fulham 1 Leeds United 0
Djétou 10

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 17,494