Fulham

Sammy James
Fan writer

With nine games of the season remaining, Fulham are one of the most - if not the most - comfortable teams in the league. Safety is assured and much of the fanbase is content with a mid-table finish.

Getting into Europe would be amazing, but that comes with its own pitfalls. While the trips away would be incredible, is this team ready for the added pressure of playing twice a week?

That being said, going sideways in this league often means you are going backwards - so here are the three things I would like to see happen before the end of the campaign:

Adarabioyo's contract renewed

Time is running out to try to entice Tosin Adarabioyo to stay at Craven Cottage once his deal expires this summer. According to reports, we have put a big offer on the table, but at the time of writing he is yet to accept. His partnership with Calvin Bassey should be the foundation that we build next season upon.

Beat Brentford

While this season has been one to remember, August's 3-0 home defeat by Brentford stung. It is even worse when you see how poor they have been since.

It was an off-day for Fulham that desperately needs avenging. We play the Bees in early May, and a win at the GTech would be the icing on the cake of a brilliant campaign.

Freeze season ticket prices

There has been incredible harmony on the pitch, but the relationship between the club and fans is arguably at rock bottom. This is because of high ticket prices, huge delays in opening the new Riverside Stand and poor facilities elsewhere in the ground.

Crystal Palace announced a price freeze for season ticket-holders last week, and given that they are probably Fulham's most comparable club, there is increased pressure to do the same.

After an 18% rise last year, it is a gesture match-going fans would massively appreciate.

Sammy James can be found at Fulhamish, external

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown will be answering your questions, giving his insight and opinion around your club.

So what would you like to ask the former Premier League midfielder?

How does the rest of your season look? Who has been your best player? What does the manager's future hold?

Let us know what you want answered by sending in your questions here

We asked you what the most irritating thing at your club has been this season, whether it be inconsistency, injuries or a player failing to deliver.

Here are some of your replies:

Keir: Our inability to finish off teams we are dominating and invariably then lose to. Our performance against Tottenham shows we are capable of playing 90 minutes at a high level. Let's hope we can continue like that next season.

Andy: The attitude of the club towards the fans. Their insistence that high prices for tickets, shirts, and merchandise are reasonable and justified, and that the complaints of the fanbase are not, is a stark change from the traditional FFC ethos. They are not interested in loyalty, only tourist income.

Tom: VAR is the obvious choice. Going to matches without it during our League Cup run was so refreshing. But the price of tickets is too much. When will short-sighted owners realise that fans make the Premier League what it is? And if real fans are priced out, how will that affect the 'product' they're selling overseas?

Terry: Ticket prices. The board are pricing out older supporters who don't have the disposable income because the club want to pay off the investment in the stand. That's fine if that's the reason, but at least be honest and say so, rather than say they believe they have affordable options for all. They're either lying or not living in the real world.

Will: Painful inconsistency. Back-to-back 5-0 wins followed by a 2-0 loss to Burnley. Then beating Brighton and Manchester United and losing a winnable game at Molineux. If we can fix this issue then top 10 is on the cards.

Liverpool, Tottenham and AC Milan are among the clubs interested in Fulham's English defender Tosin Adarabioyo, 26, however the Cottagers want to offer the former Manchester City player a new contract. (Standard, external)

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

As we approach the business end, we want to know the most irritating thing at your club this season.

Has it been a player failing to deliver, injury woes, inconsistent form... or something else?

Let us know your biggest gripe here

Sammy James
Fan writer

Saturday's win over Spurs was almost certainly Fulham's best performance of the season.

While we have won two games by five-goal margins this season, I think Saturday's win eclipsed both of those given the calibre of the opposition and the control we had from start to finish.

It feels like a lot of teams have come to Craven Cottage and had their worst performance of the season here.

West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal have all experienced that so far, and now you can definitely add Spurs to the list. On their day, this Fulham team has the ability to dominate almost anyone at home.

Of course, consistency has been Fulham's Achilles heel this year and the recent defeat at a depleted Wolves was the biggest evidence of that. However, it feels like right now Marco Silva has the makings of something very special.

If we continue to finish the season strongly, keep our key players and make some additions to the squad, then I think we really could be in for a landmark season next year.

Sammy James can be found on Fulhamish, external

We asked for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League game between Fulham and Tottenham.

Here are some of your responses:

Fulham fans

Simon: I think most fans would agree that this was one of our most complete performances. We moved the ball with such speed and counter-attacked with such intensity and dynamism that Spurs couldn’t live with. Who knew that losing the cumbersome, but effective, Mitrovic would allow us to play this beautiful and breathtaking football?

Jools: What a fantastic game and a wonderful performance. After a fairly even first half, we blew them away in the second. Palhinha was unlucky to not cap off a fine match with a fourth. Muniz continues to amaze me with how good he has become. It's clear that Marco Silva knows more than me when it comes to players!

David: This time the chances were taken, unlike last time against Wolves. It could've easily have been 6-0. Robinson was very impressive, after some average games. I'm surprised by how poorly Spurs performed, though.

Will: Last year we couldn’t buy a result against the top-six teams, now we have got three results with more to come. Spurs played like they had already been relegated, let alone needing a win for top four. I can't not mention Muniz, he really is something incredibly special.

Spurs fans

Jeff: There's still something wrong with this Spurs team. They fail to turn up far too often, as they did under previous managers, and then we get the inevitable apologies for "unacceptable" performances from the likes of Son. Sadly I think Postecoglou is another emperor with little in the way of clothing. We will be fortunate to hang on to that fifth spot.

Paul: The defence is not well organised, there is no general at the back. We are always going to have to score two goals to win a game - it's not going to happen. We badly need a top-class striker because too many "should be a goal" chances are being missed.

Doug: I’ve not seen a performance this poor since before Ange arrived. Our worst performance of the season by far. It was a totally unacceptable performance - no passion, poor attitude, no teamwork. I could go on about all of the things lacking in this performance. With the squad almost fully available, we should not be dropping any points in a game like this.

William: It seems to be the story of Spurs' season so far: a strong performance at Villa, followed by a dismal showing at Fulham. Every single player performed well below their best and made a mockery of the impressive effort at Villa. It feels like a big opportunity missed for Spurs. With Van de Ven out, it’s back to the drawing board for Postecoglou.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Women's Super League midfielder Fara Williams has praised Marco Silva's ability to "adapt" to Tottenham's playing style, as the Cottagers hit three goals past Ange Postecoglou's side.

"I'm really impressed. Good coaches show that they can adapt and I think Marco Silva and his team certainly did that, right from the off," Williams said on Match of the Day.

"They had identified the wide areas that they could get in to. You could see [Alex] Iwobi on the right-hand side, and Willian and [Antonee] Robinson on the other side. It was the spaces there and overloading those wide areas with two [players] at the back post.

"Fulham were trying to get in those areas all afternoon. [Andreas] Pereira was trying to make those little runs into the right-hand side of the penalty area and then, on the opposite side, you would have two runners trying to get in on the back post.

"Fulham identified that there would be plenty of space in the middle of the park and then their runs were impressive. Fantastic, but this was a constant all afternoon from Fulham. They really did identify the weakness of Tottenham.

"They were really trying to hurt this high line of Tottenham and get in behind them, around the back, and it was a constant throughout. A deserved 3-0 win for them, in my opinion."

Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray highlighted in-form forward Rodrigo Muniz as Fulham's player of the match: "Since the turn of the year, he is the joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League alongside [Bukayo] Saka and Ollie Watkins. He was just alive.

"It was great positioning from him, just standing still. He will be disappointed that he didn't score more, but that didn't put him off.

"[For his first goal] It was a cold touch and a wonderful finish. He was really cool and calm. [For his second goal] He just stops and lets everyone move around him. Then, when he needed to, he pounced.

"It was a brilliant finish and, if he didn't score, he was definitely going to buy a penalty with his reaction."

Catch up on Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's three Premier League fixtures.

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

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentary in full:

Luton Town v Nottingham Forest

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Rodrigo Muniz will, quite rightly, take the headlines after Fulham's fully deserved victory.

His two goals were two different strikes but both showed his poacher's instinct as he became the first Fulham player to score in four consecutive Premier League home matches.

The Brazilian's run of form in which he has scored seven goals in seven games has come with a succession of starts after Raul Jimenez was injured.

The Mexican may now be fit again - he replaced Muniz in the second half after the match-winner took a knock in scrambling in the second - but faces a tough task to win back his place.

Fulham were superb throughout against Spurs. They started brightly - Marco Silva's side could have scored two or three before Muniz's opener - and the result never looked in doubt once Sasa Lukic added the second in a quick start to the second half.

It was a first league win against Spurs for 11 years and one to savour.

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the win: "Great win for us, and well deserved too. We were the best team on the pitch and deserved the three points against a really good side, playing through the pressure sometimes in behind them.

"Our first half was top level, probably one of the best we have played this season. It was a crucial moment when we scored the first goal. Overall, a complete performance from the boys. The fans were at top level too.

"Winning the game and playing in our way is good. They are brave, they play really brave. We were really brave too this afternoon, keeping a clean sheet is really important for us.

On goalscorer Rodrigo Muniz: "Nice to see the work Muniz been doing since 2021 is paying off. I saw real talent in him. When he came in at 20-years-old, not speaking one word in English, he wasn't even a starting player in Brazil.

"First season in Championship, he did really well with Mitrovic in front of him. Last season, not so well. He's a really good striker, a big talent is there. I'm really happy to have him with us and for him to keep evolving with us.

"He has all of the ability and potential to become a top striker. He's still a young lad. Keep playing week in, week out. Make mistakes and learn. Keep doing good things."

Fulham defender Antonee Robinson has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day following the win: "We've had our moments this season, and that's going to be up there. To do it in the way that we did, and to keep a clean sheet, means it's right up there for me.

"It's a real trend of ours. I don't think we've lost a game when we've scored first. We really showed we wanted to win that game. We kept our shape well and counter-attacked really effectively.

"We have a really good home record this season. Clean sheets mean a lot to us. If we'd have conceded late on and won 3-1, then the manager would've been really angry at us."

On his teammate Rodrigo Muniz: "I've been fortunate to talk a lot about him in a good light. A goal drought is not nice for anyone. It's really good for him. He puts in so much work for us and he's a big credit to himself."

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday's game between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

• This was Fulham’s joint-largest margin of victory over Spurs in league football, beating them by three goals for just the third time (also 3-0 in August 2003 and 4-1 in February 1965).

• Spurs failed to score and were beaten by three goals in the Premier League for the first time since October 2021, when they lost 3-0 against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United.

• Fulham have scored 29 goals at Craven Cottage in the Premier League this season. It is their joint-most after 15 home games in a single campaign in the competition (also 29 goals in 2011-12).

• Spurs have only kept two clean sheets across their last 19 games in the Premier League. Since the first match in this run, only Sheffield United (1) have kept fewer clean sheets in the competition.

• Rodrigo Muniz became the youngest Fulham player to score a brace in a London derby in the Premier League (22y 317d), with the previous youngest being Louis Saha in March 2002 against Chelsea (23y 210d).

• Antonee Robinson has made the joint-most assists from open play by a defender in the Premier League this season (6), equalling Kieran Trippier and Vladimir Coufal following the opener in this game.

Tottenham missed the chance to move into the Premier League top four as Rodrigo Muniz scored two more goals to fire Fulham to an impressive victory at Craven Cottage.

Brazilian Muniz found the net either side of Sasa Lukic's first strike for the Cottagers to take his total to seven goals in his past seven games.

The striker slotted home in the first-half after controlling Antonee Robinson's cross, and then reacted quickest to bundle in the loose ball from a second-half corner in a fully deserved win for the home side.

Spurs, who would have gone above fourth-placed Aston Villa with victory, were surprisingly lacklustre from the outset. They would have gone behind early on if not for blocks by Radu Dragusin and Cristian Romero to deny Andreas Pereira, while Guglielmo Vicario also saved well from Lukic.

James Maddison shot narrowly wide in the first-half and Timo Werner failed to convert with the goal gaping in the second-half, as Ange Postecoglou's side failed to back up impressive wins over Crystal Palace and Villa in the previous two games.

Villa will regain their five-point cushion on Sunday if they win at West Ham.

Fulham, meanwhile, remain 12th but are themselves only five points adrift of the Hammers in seventh.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Fulham fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Spurs fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

In the midst of the FA Cup quarter-finals, we still have plenty of Premier League action and we'll bring you every second.

Follow live text coverage of Saturday's Premier League fixtures on BBC Sport

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BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Anna Friedberg and Emily Linden from alt-rock band Friedberg.

Sutton's prediction: 2-2

I was wrong when I predicted Tottenham would lose at Aston Villa last week, but at the same time I did say that I would not be surprised if they did leave with the points.

This is another tough game for them, especially because they are without injured defender Micky van de Ven, which is a bit of a blow.

Fulham are always decent at home, and they have already got the better of Spurs at Craven Cottage this season, when they beat them on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

Anna & Emily's prediction: 0-2

Read the rest of their predictions here

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport journalist

Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Fulham's match against Tottenham on Saturday.

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• Silva confirmed that all players are available for selection this weekend.

• On Andreas Pereira's Brazil call-up: "It's a fantastic feeling. It's a dream for any Brazilian footballer and I know what it means for Andreas. We put it on the table and fought for it."

• On players' contracts expiring in the summer: "We have three players [out of contract], Tosin [Adarabioyo], Bobby [de Cordova-Reid] and Kenny [Tete]. They are three players we would like to keep because they are important to us, they are the furniture of this club. We have been trying to renew with him [Tosin], let's hope we can have news as soon as possible."

• Silva was asked about making the leap from 12th to eighth in the Premier League - which could deliver European football - and said prospect was not discussed at the club, adding: "Europe? Difficult this season. Was difficult last season and if it is going to be a target for next season, it is always going to be difficult - not just for Fulham, and that wasn't our target."

• On Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou: "Great job from Ange, a big transformation. I can tell there's a big change in the way they play and their approach. They have been brave and are difficult to play against."

• On the fans at Craven Cottage: "They are crucial for us. The atmosphere they create, they can be the 12th player. Our home form so far has been really good, it's really difficult to come and play at Craven Cottage. I believe in some moments we can boost them; in some moments they will need to boost us."

• On Rodrigo Muniz's turn in form: "I think the first goal was really important. The way he's been playing, he's a really difficult one for the opposition to control. Everyone feels the confidence, it's the best feeling when your team-mates believe in you. It's a really good competition between the three [Raul Jimenez and Armando Broja]."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League and FA Cup news conferences

Fulham captain Tom Cairney has been speaking to The Footballer's Football Podcast about last weekend's defeat to Wolves.

The midfielder said: "I feel like it was one of the most frustrating games of the season. We dominated away from home in large parts of the game, we were looking for our third straight win and the injuries they got and picked up during the game, I think it's fair to say that they ended it with a much weaker side. They had no Neto, Cunha, Hwang Hee-chang, a devastating front three that weren't on the pitch."

Listen to Cairney talk about club form, the title race and more on the latest recording of The Footballer's Football Podcast.

Listen to the full podcast episode on BBC Sounds