Fulham 2-1 Aston Villa: Anthony Knockaert and Harry Arter both score screamers

Super sub Harry Arter scored a stunning first goal for well over two years to help Championship Fulham dump Premier League Aston Villa out of the FA Cup.

Midfielder Arter smashed a sensational winner into the top corner from 30 yards just two minutes after coming on to fire Fulham into the fourth round.

Not only was some way for the midfielder to open his account for Fulham following his loan arrival in August but also to end his goal drought having last scored in November 2017 for Bournemouth.

And you know it’s a good goal when even a member of your family is surprised, as boss and brother in law Scott Parker was, raising his eyebrows as he joked with the fourth official seconds after the strike.

Arter managed to top Anthony Knockaert’s second half effort which gave Fulham the lead only to be cancelled out by Anwar El Ghazi.

Crashing out to Championship opposition was not ideal for Aston Villa and manager Dean Smith but his team selection said everything about where his priorities were.

After losing Tom Heaton and Wesley to season-ending knee injuries this week and John McGinn to a long-term ankle injury before Christmas it was no surprise Smith took as many key players as he could out of the firing line as he could.

He made nine changes to his starting XI and the likes of captain Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings weren’t even on the bench as insurance.

They are far too important to Villa’s bigger priorities, Premier League survival and even Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final against Leicester.

Parker spared a number of his Championship promotion-chasing stars too, making five changes to his team with top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic watching on from the stands.

Neither of these mix-and-match sides looked particularly up for the cup in the first half hour which they spent not far off going through the motions.

Jonathan Kodjia and Ahmed Elmohamady ahd chances to break the tedium before Anwar El Ghazi fired narrowly wide.

Fulham were confident and comfortable in possession but unable to test Orjan Nyland, Heaton’s replacement in Villa’s goal.

And the visitors ended the half with two decent sights of goal. Jota volleyed the first just wide after Fulham debutant Michael Hector’s clearing header fell his way.

Seconds later, Kodjia wriggled away from Alfie Mawson put El Ghazi through on goal but Marek Rodak’s excellent reaction save down low to his left kept the scores level at the break.

Knockaert, a lively performer in the opening period, had Fulham’s first effort of the second half and it proved a sign of things to come when he cut in from the right and fired just wide.

In the 55th minute he repeated the trick and found the top corner with a sumptuous bending strike.

A combination of Nyland and Bjorn Engels denied Joe Bryan and Cyrus Christie a second for Fulham whose lead ended up lasting just nine minutes.

Defender Hector had waited a long time for today having joined Fulham from Chelsea in September but not been able to play since. His last game was actually back in May for Hull.

He had been a commanding presence at the heart of Fulham’s defence and not put a foot wrong, sensed danger well and looked composed on the ball. It had been an encouraging debut. That was until the 63rd minute when he tried to step in front of Kodjia to cut out Jota’s pass but misjudged the bounce which allowed the striker to lift the ball over Rodak and, he thought, into the net, celebrating wildly as if the goal was his. Except El Ghazi got a touch just before the ball crossed the line and nicked the equaliser off his teammate.

Now the game was back in the balance and the replay neither side wanted a possibility again.

Arter’s introduction changed that. He came on in the 72nd minute and let fly two minutes later, when little else appeared on as Stefan Johansen’s pass rolled his way, and his decision paid off handsomely when his effort flew into the net to send Fulham through.