Collins John's two headed goals saw Fulham come from behind to beat rock-bottom 10-man Sunderland 2-1 in an entertaining encounter at Craven Cottage.
Sunderland midfielder Liam Lawrence stunned the hosts with a splendid seventh-minute volley before Dutch striker John equalised with a 43rd-minute header.
Black Cats defender Stephen Caldwell was dismissed in the 57th minute, and John nodded in his second four minutes later for the Cottagers' sixth win of the season.
Sunderland were unlucky to lose at home to a last-minute Everton goal on Saturday and Fulham ensured the visitors started the new year with more of the misery they hoped to leave behind them in 2005.
The Cottagers' victory after losing 1-0 at Portsmouth two days ago eases their relegation fears but leaves sorry Sunderland staring down the barrel with just six points from 20 games.
Lawrence, the pick of the bunch against Everton, shocked the hosts with a superb volleyed finish.
England international Zat Knight's weak header from Anthony Le Tallec's left-wing cross fell perfectly for Lawrence, 25 yards out, and the right-winger belted a first-time, right-foot volley curling high into Tony Warner's goal.
Lawrence made his name in lowly League Two by inspiring Mansfield Town's run to the 2004 play-off final, but he chipped onto the bar in the penalty shoot-out against Huddersfield, costing the Stags a League One place with his final kick in an amber shirt.
Shell-shocked Fulham then attacked the visitors with a sense of urgency.
Captain Luis Boa Morte surged into the box and squared the ball across the goalmouth but Tommy Miller's last-ditch slide diverted it out under pressure from Papa Bouba Diop.
Fulham and Harrods department owner Mohamed Al Fayed looked on anxiously from the directors' box as the crowd grew restless.
Sunderland striker Jonathan Stead tested Warner with a low effort 27 minutes in and had Scotland defender Caldwell to thank for heading clear a stinging Brian McBride drive from a free kick.
Fulham boss Chris Coleman replaced the struggling Diop with Iceland striker Heidar Helguson five minutes before the interval.
The Cottagers then got the break they desperately needed in the 43rd minute, John equalising with a far-post header from 12 yards after McBride flicked on a Tomasz Radzinski cross.
Sunderland keeper Kelvin Davis pulled off a magnificent save from a McBride free kick in the 57th minute, seconds before Caldwell was dismissed for bundling Helguson over just outside the box.
It took Fulham just four minutes to take the lead, Helguson crossing from the left for the stooping John to nod a powerful downward header past Davis.
Fulham were reduced to 10 men themselves in the 75th minute, Miller's knee-high tackle ending substitute Steed Malbranque's afternoon just six minutes after he replaced matchwinner John.
With all their substitutes used, the Cottagers were never comfortable at 2-1 up and pressed forward while Sunderland also attacked in search of an equaliser that, unfortunately for them, never came.
