Fulham manager Scott Parker has praised Aleksander Mitrovic after his hat-trick helped his side to a 3-2 win over Luton Town in the Championship last night, but stated that it's the players around him who make him so prolific.

It was a welcome win for Fulham after their weekend defeat at Stoke, and another reminder of Mitrovic’s quality.

The Serb scored either side of half-time to give Fulham the lead before the hour mark, but Luton’s Dan Potts pegged one back when the clock struck 60.

Mitrovic restored his side’s two-goal lead soon after, and scored his first-ever hat-trick in English football to take his Championship tally to 11 for the season.

Kazenga LuaLua scored a late consolation for Luton but it was too late to stage a comeback, and Fulham finished as 3-2 victors.

The win takes Fulham to 7th in the table, level on points with Preston in 6th.

Speaking about his talisman after the game, Parker said:

“I think we all realise the quality Mitro has, certainly in this division, he scores goals. 

“I think Mitro would be the first to say it’s the supporting act around him as well, and I thought the players around him, how we build this team and the positional way we play, ultimately Mitro is at the end of it to finish it off.  

“Of course nine times out of ten if we get the ball in the right areas or the right place then the ball goes in the back of the net. 

“I think he would be the first to say the players around him are a massive supporting act as well for him to achieve that.”

Mitrovic, 25, has now scored nine goals in his last six appearances for Fulham.

He scored 12 for Fulham at this level in their promotion winning campaign in 2018, before signing permanently for the club that summer.

Although his side were relegated last season, Mitrovic still recorded 11 goals in the Premier League for Fulham and has already hit that mark in the Championship this season.

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The verdict

Parker simply had to win the game last night.

After the Stoke defeat, some questions were raised over his managerial ability and although it wasn’t the most convincing win last night, Fulham still took maximum points to keep themselves within touching distance of the play-offs.

Mitrovic is a quality asset to have at this level and he could be the man who fires Fulham back into the top-flight, giving Parker what'd be an unprecedented promotion in his first full-season as a football manager.