Fulham finally got over the line to win their first match under Alvaro Arbeloa, earning precious breathing space for their under-pressure boss.

Arbeloa was facing serious questions over whether he was cut out for the role after six Premier League games without a win.

Yet this was a confident performance that eased the pressure, with Fulham dominating Hull, who had lost just once before travelling to Craven Cottage.

In fact, the performance was best encapsulated by Hull manager Sergej Jokanovic: ‘It was men v boys out there. They ate us alive.'

Jokanovic was right. This was a transformative Fulham performance, a far cry from the team that has lacked balance and looked fragile.

Fulham did not give Hull a sniff. They dominated possession, enjoying 76 per cent of the ball.

Throughout the season, they have been caught in transition and overcommitted but that evaporated - limiting Hull to eight touches in their penalty area and denying them a shot on target or an attempt inside the box.

That said, there is a caveat: Hull did not offer much. Yes, Fulham were brilliant and outclassed their opponents but it is worth being cautious about hailing their defensive display because Hull were so sloppy.

There is reason to be concerned in attack. Although Fulham were free-flowing and registered 18 shots, they lacked a clinical edge and missed four big chances.

Gonzalo Garcia, in particular, should have scored when Alex Iwobi put a delicious ball on a plate for him in the 74th minute but his header struck the crossbar from eight yards.

'I’ve seen this movie before,' Arbeloa replied when asked what he was thinking as Fulham squandered their chances. 'I never felt like we were in danger, but in football you never know. One moment and a goal can be scored.

'It was so important to see the players' commitment. For the players on the bench, not on the bench, they are so important for us, working for the group. We need to keep working, it's going to be a long season.

'I am happy because I think we deserved victories in games before, we lost some games where I didn't think the team was better than us. Today, was a perfect day where we dominated. We were almost perfect, I can't believe the game finished 1-0.' 

On the whole, this was a drastic improvement from Arbeloa’s side and seems to have saved his job for now. He must now find a way to knit together the defensive and attacking performances.

Fulham played entertaining football with a strong defensive platform but if they do not take their chances, games like last weekend’s will continue to haunt them. Against Ipswich, they conceded twice in four minutes, throwing away three points having squandered three big chances.

After all, the matchwinner was comical. Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s lazy clearance fell to Oscar Bobb before eventually landing with Sander Berge, who spotted Alex Iwobi on the edge of the box and played the ball into his path.

Iwobi’s first-time effort rifled into the bottom corner and underneath goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Meanwhile, they failed to take the chances they are expected to put away.

That winner, though, was scored with over an hour remaining. Fulham had previously cracked in winning positions, dropping eight points. But this demonstrated they do have the required mentality.

With Arbeloa’s job on the line, this was an encouraging response.