Fulham

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, PA Media

Ryan Sessegnon made his senior debut for Fulham in 2016-17 as a 16-year-old and started to attract widespread attention the following campaign when scoring 15 goals in 46 Championship appearances.

That form saw him earn a move to Tottenham in 2019 for £25m but he was unable to kick on in north London with injuries stalling his progress.

After scoring just three times in 58 appearances across five seasons, Sessegnon returned to Fulham last summer.

His curling effort to ensure the Cottagers claimed victory against Tottenham after Rodrigo Muniz had opened the scoring was a reminder of what he can deliver.

Sessegnon showed desire and hunger to wrestle Ben Davies out of the way before curling beautifully into the far corner.

It was a rare moment of magic in a largely underwhelming London derby and helped to inject further belief into Fulham's pursuit of a European place.

Victory moved Fulham up to eighth and just four points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Fulham have never finished higher than seventh in the Premier League, achieving that position in 2008-09, but they are firmly in contention to better that this season.

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Fulham manager Marco Silva, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "All of the first half was in our offensive half. We had some good moments but of course the last pass, the last cross wasn't the best. At half-time the conversation was to be more patient."

On Ryan Sessegnon's goal with his weaker foot: "It is something he is practicing really hard. Hard work from him. Him and the other guys are doing extra work really hard every week. It is something he is improving. We know he is so good on the left but he is also improving on the right."

On expectations: "We wanted to finish in the top half of the table at the start of the season. And of course if you are there you can go up. We're not going to try to compromise for anyone.

"I don't like ifs in football. I like to look to the present and the future. For us it's game by game, not the end of the season. The next one is the FA Cup and then another game at Craven Cottage.

"Two days break now and after hard work for the players who will be with us."

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Fulham defender Ryan Sessegnon, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It puts us right up there for the European spots, and it's nice to get a goal as well.

"I was told to bring energy on the left-hand side. I was told to keep it tight but at the same time keep that threat going forward too.

"As a team we have one eye [on the European places] and we're taking it game by game, we just need to keep going.

"I enjoyed my time [at Tottenham], five years at the club. Playing-wise I didn't play as often as I'd have liked, mainly because of injuries, but I still respect the club."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Fulham's performance

What did you make of Tottenham's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Tottenham have got a few players back from injury but how much will Thursday's Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar have taken out of them?

Fulham have been very up and down at home, but I really fancy them here.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Earlier, we asked who was second behind Brede Hangeland when it comes to chalking up Premier League victories for Fulham.

Former captain Aaron Hughes has 60 wins to his name, just edging out Steed Malbranque who boasts 59.

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Tottenham at Craven Cottage (13:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva confirmed Adama Traore will be available for selection after missing the defeat by Brighton with a knock: "[He has] not [had a] full week with the team but the past few days he has been slowly integrated into everything we have been doing."

• Sasa Lukic remains suspended after picking up 10 yellow cards while "all the other long-term injuries are going to be the same".

• Asked if players could be distracted by the upcoming FA Cup quarter-final, Silva said: "Not at all because I feel that they are not going to play. If they are thinking of something else they are not in the right condition and I am not going to put them on the pitch."

• Silva feels his side could be higher in the table with their performances this season: "I cannot say this season has been a frustration at all because it has been another very good season from ourselves, but as an ambitious club and group of players and managers we always want more. More than that, we feel we should have more points in some moments."

• On the challenge posed by Spurs: "They are always dangerous. They have had a not good period but, in my opinion, there are reasons behind that. At their best level they are a very good side - a lot of individual quality with a clear idea of how to play."

• On responding to last weekend's last-minute defeat at Amex Stadium: "We want to bounce back. It is something we have been doing in a very good way so far this season. Some downs, some difficult ones to take - like the last-second penalty last week - but we want to bounce back. We want to go again in the right direction and nowhere better to do it than Craven Cottage with our fans behind us."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary of Fulham v Tottenham at 13:30 on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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This will be Fulham boss Marco Silva's 200th Premier League game as a manager, the second Portuguese to reach this milestone after Jose Mourinho (363).

Silva has the highest win rate of any Fulham manager in the competition (37.5% - W39 D24 L41).

Brede Hangeland has won the most Premier League games for Fulham with 72.

But who is second in the list with 60?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

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We asked for your views in one sentence on why Fulham will qualify for the Champions League this season

Here are some of your comments:

Charlie: Because Marco Silva is a brilliant manager and he's got the whole team behind him.

Will: Because mountains are there to be climbed.

Patrick: Only two more of our league games for the season are against teams below us but we have proven our worth against the elite teams and that mindset will allow us to make it into a Champions League position.

Luke: We have by far the hardest set of fixtures which I think favours Fulham because we play well against the best.

Peter: Because all of the other sides will implode even worse than us?

However, not everyone was sold on the idea so here is a flavour of the other side of the argumenbt:

Simon: We won't qualify for the Champions League so stop being silly.

Keir: We've wasted too many opportunities and lost too many points from winning positions.

Iain: Too many games/points lost when they should have had them in the bag, especially in the final minutes and during added time.

Ten games to go and we need your positivity.

It is looking likely the Premier League will be awarded an extra Champions League spot for the 2025-26 season, so finishing fifth will mean a seat at Europe's top table.

We want you to tell us, in just one sentence, why Fulham will qualify for the Champions League.

Let us know here

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

We can have no complaints about Saturday.

It was not the best game and there was not much between us on the day, but Brighton had the ball in the net twice - and those narrow escapes should have provided the wake-up calls we needed.

However, the loss is a tough one because before kick-off there was just one point between us. Now, Brighton's win has created a gap in the race for the top eight.

Many of us could see it coming. I spoke last week about narratives; we were unbeaten in nine games against the Seagulls and a lot of us thought it would be "Fulhamish" to lose when it mattered most.

And what a way to do it.

A 98th-minute penalty, conceded by Harrison Reed, who only came on 15 or so minutes earlier. It is unfair to level too much criticism at the midfielder - he was played like a fiddle by Joao Pedro, who won the penalty and duly scored it.

But Reed is an illustration of our current woes. Our squad is too thin and we lack the quality in depth. Harrison was a magnificent part of our march to the Championship in 2022, playing in 39 of our 46 league games.

But the 30-year-old is a level below where we want to be and will likely leave in May in search of the regular first-team football he deserves.

This points to a busy summer. If reports are believed, we are likely to lose Antonee Robinson at the end of the season, continuing the recent trend of losing our best player every summer and leaving us needing replacements or reinforcements across almost every position on the pitch.

Despite all this, we sit 10th in the league with more wins than losses. That is testament to Marco Silva.

So perhaps it is not so bad after all.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts on Brighton's Premier League game against Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Tim: Fantastic three points. Managed to find a way without playing our best. First win against Fulham in Premier League at such an important time. If we can keep winning against the teams around us who knows how high in the league we can finish. Come on Albion!

Oscar: What a game! Brighton were better than Fulham by a country mile. Definitely a pen. Joao Pedro slotted it home and gave us the win. Brighton marching on to Europe again.

Mike: Great to see us being so dogged to secure the win. That penalty was earned through sheer effort and determination not to accept a draw. Fulham are a good side and these are the games we used to lose and draw, so we are showing a side of us that we've struggled to find before.

Adrian: Brighton have a habit of playing well and not winning - switched now to winning without playing well! It's a great habit. I still don't know what our best team is, but that's not a bad thing either.

Fulham fans

Will: Absolutely heart breaking stuff. Harrison Reed has been with us for so long so it's devastating that he made the error. It's a big mountain for us to get Europe now but they are there to be climbed.

Graham: Why do refs not stick to the extra time as indicated at the end of 90 minutes? Brighton penalty was awarded at 96 minutes. Only five minutes extra time were indicated. Football should having timing the same as rugby union. At least it's fare and exact.

Ash: It's a terrible 'trait' passing the ball back towards your own goal when you have possession in the opposition half, happened too often against Brighton. Scott Parker team tactics were based around that. You can't hurt the opponents doing that. A wasted opportunity.

Bri: Sadly this result is summing up our season; one minute hope, next minute despair! Again the boys seemed sloppy, allowing Brighton too much space and depending almost on counter attacking. Mid-table security is OK, let's take that for now.

John: Terrible defending, a free header and a stupid tackle for the penalty. We will only ever be an average middle to bottom Premier League team if we play like that.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 3-1 Southampton

• Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham travelled to Brighton with high hopes of extending their fine away record and maintaining a push for European football.

The Cottagers had won five consecutive away matches across all competitions but struggled to impose themselves on an in-form Brighton.

Raul Jimenez did put Fulham in front but that was their only shot on target on a drab afternoon, although they did look like hanging on for a draw after Jan Paul van Hecke had equalised for the hosts.

A reckless moment from Harrison Reed deep into stoppage time handed Brighton a penalty and Joao Pedro converted to send Fulham packing with nothing to show.

Europe still remains in Fulham's sights but the dream of making an unlikely push for a Champions League spot is starting to dissipate.

Defeat leaves the Cottagers sitting ninth and five points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City.

Even if Fulham miss out on European football this season, they still have history in their sights with just 11 points required from their final 10 fixtures to seal a club-record points haul in the Premier League.

Image source, PA Media

Marco Silva spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Fulham's defeat against Brighton: "Very hard for us. The way we conceded both goals at the level we are playing against good sides, I really believe we are doing well. We are able to calm down and don't let them press as high as they like. We lost momentum and control in the game.

On the penalty: "A typical striker feels the touch and goes down. Nothing to complain about. he did his job. It's for the referee to decide. If it's for our side, I would want it too. It's about being calm in the box.

"I cannot say it was lack of energy at all that can make the two mistakes. It's not an excise for us. That game was finished last Sunday evening, we had enough time to prepare. We got punished.

"We showed the personality to have the ball and play our way in the first half. The second half wasn't at our best level.

On the fight for Europe: "It's going to be a big fight, many teams are there. we have to take some positives. Don't be nervous, express yourselves."

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham have dropped 22 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, with only Southampton (23) giving up more.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Brighton's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies