Manager Marco Silva hailed the Serbia striker whose goals came either side of Neeskens Kebano's first Fulham goal since January.

Former Fulham schoolboy Djed Spence had set Fulham on their way inside the first 10 minutes when he turned Mitrovic's flick into his own net after Jean Michael Seri's corner.

"He started the game well," said Silva. "He had a good moment in the beginning where he could score and if you create, he's a very dangerous player, it's up to us to create the conditions for him to score.

"I don't always like to talk about one or two players but he has already scored 15 goals so he is clearly an important player.

"For him to be in the right spots, everyone is working really hard for him."

It was a third win on the bounce for Fulham after home victories against QPR and Cardiff in the last week and took the Cottagers back into the automatic promotion places.

The result signalled a first defeat for Forest boss Steve Cooper, who had won his opening four matches in charge of the Reds before coming up against a Fulham side in red-hot form.

"I'm not saying we deserved to win the game but the scoreline was tough to take," said the former Swansea boss. "I definitely don't think we deserved to lose 4-0, but some of it was self-inflicted.

Earlier two goals from Lys Mousset set Sheffield United on their way to a 3-2 derby win at Oakwell, despite a late fightback from Barnsley.

Frenchman Mousset fired the Blades ahead in the 51st minute and added a second two minutes later.

When Ben Osborn made it 3-0 in the 72nd minute there looked to be no way back for the home side.

But Devante Cole pulled a goal back in the 78th minute and fellow substitute Leya Iseka grabbed a second four minutes later to leave the Blades sweating.

"In the last 10 minutes or so, what happened is not acceptable," United boss Slavisa Jokanovic said. "We started to panic and we started thinking we cannot win the game.

"In this kind of moment, you need to be calm and try to finish the game in a better shape.

Australian Associated Press