Roy Hodgson complained about his greying hair and on Match of the Day, Mark Lawrenson called the Fulham manager a wily old fox. Stealthily, Fulham have climbed the table with the best home record in the division. But the cunning and experience of Hodgson will truly be tested in the January transfer window. Jimmy Bullard, the fans’ favourite, is widely expected to depart if he cannot secure an improved deal.

“He’s got a year and a half left on his contract,” Hodgson said. “He’s not a free agent. My hope and aim is that at the end of January we will have the same squad of players as we have now.”

Hodgson knows that to lose Bullard would be hugely detrimental. “He [Bullard] makes things happen,” Danny Murphy, the Fulham captain, said. “But unfortunately if a bigger and better club came calling, I wouldn’t stand here and say he would definitely stay because everyone has ambition.”

Bullard opened the scoring. The Middlesbrough defence had stoically coped with the pressure created by their underperforming midfield until Bullard reacted quickest to Bobby Zamora’s parried shot. A harsh handball decision allowed Murphy to place a near perfect penalty past Ross Turnbull and a thoroughly deflated Middlesbrough left Clint Dempsey unmarked to score the third.

Like Hodgson, Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, faces a potentially tricky January with Stewart Downing and Tuncay Sanli linked with other clubs. “We can’t afford to lose them,” Emanuel Pogatetz, the Middlesbrough captain, said. “We have to keep hold of our best players.” Hodgson knows exactly what he means but he also knows that patience is the best course.

Fulham nursed Bullard though an horrific knee injury. The happy ending might be one of symmetry, with Bullard repaying the club’s patience with some more of his own time.

Fulham (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 6 — J Paintsil 6, A Hughes 6, B Hangeland 7, P Konchesky 5 — Z Gera 4 (sub: R Zamora, 31min 6) J Bullard 7 (sub: L Andreasen, 85), D Murphy 7 (sub: D Etuhu, 80), S Davies 5 — C Dempsey 6, A Johnson 6. Substitutes not used: P Zuberbühler, E Nevland, F Stoor, T Kallio. Next: Tottenham Hotspur (a).

Middlesbrough (4-4-1-1): R Turnbull 6 — A McMahon 5, R Huth 5 (sub: A Taylor, 85), C Riggott 5, E Pogatetz 5 — A Johnson 5 (sub: M Emnes, 80), J Arca 3 (sub: Mido, 46 4), M Shawky 4, S Downing 4 — Tuncay Sanli 4, J Aliadière 4. Substitutes not used: B Jones, Afonso Alves, D Wheater, J Walker. Booked: Arca, McMahon. Next: Everton (h).

Referee: K Stroud Attendance: 23,722