Fulham

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There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.

But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.

It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.

But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.

From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.

I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.

It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Fulham have joined London rivals Brentford in chasing Botafogo and Brazil striker Igor Jesus, 23. Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are also interested. (TBR), external

Juventus are weighing up a January move for Whites centre-back Joachim Andersen. (La Gazzetta dello Sport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Saturday's full gossip column

Manchester United and Liverpool are keeping tabs on Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, with the Whites reluctant to let him leave in January. (Football Insider), external

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

With only four points separating third and 13th, we do not normally see that many teams in this type of mini league.

Normally, you might have the teams in a pack around the top four or five and then another pack underneath that with your relegation pack as well, so the fact there is so many teams in it at this stage is making it different.

From the mental side of competing in that, you look at Manchester United who have struggled so much this season and are sitting 13th. If they get a win, it can shoot them right up the table. They are in a position to think they are only a few points off the Champions League places' and that is good.

But it can work both ways.

Knowing the points are so close can keep you strong, keep you competing and have that competitiveness because you know a result can jump you up. But on the flipside, you could easily go from seventh down to 13th in one weekend or from third down to 10th.

How you deal with it depends on the manager, the players and also the psychologists within the group. Psychology in sport is really important for whether you see the situation as a positive or a negative.

Whether it stays like this all season is hard to say as there have been some really inconsistent performances and results. The most consistent team is the one sitting at the top.

I do not know what the rest of the campaign has in store for these sides because all the teams seem to be able to take points off each other this season.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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In football, we love talking about players running through brick walls for their managers. It is a bit extreme, of course - but there is merit behind the sentiment.

In Marco Silva, we have a manager who has earned so much respect from his players and Harry Wilson's renaissance is the latest example of that.

In the shadows for most of this season, Wilson changed the game against Brentford on Monday and scored again against Crystal Palace on Saturday, less than two minutes after coming on.

When praising the Wales winger post-Brentford, club cameras caught Silva telling him: "It's been tough for you, but it's not your fault - if someone is at fault, it's [me]."

It is an almost disarming level of honesty that shows how our gaffer manages to juggle the level of talent in our squad, when it is as deep as it has ever been.

Wilson is not the first player to come in from the cold and immediately catch fire. Rodrigo Muniz famously slotted into the starting XI, more than two years after signing (and after a torrid loan spell at Middlesbrough), and scored nine in 13.

And when Muniz faltered at the start of this term, Silva brought Raul Jimenez back in and he has repaid his manager's faith with four goals and two assists so far. Neither could, nor would, have done it without a special relationship with their coach.

Then there is Sasa Lukic. A perennial understudy to Joao Palhinha in his first 18 months at the club, he came in and flourished before a shoulder injury temporarily put him on the shelf.

But perhaps the most enjoyable example of Silva's man-management is how he has handled the autumn of Tom Cairney's career. He has transformed Cairney from on-field leader who starts every game to club captain who makes 20-minute cameos, without lessening his impact.

No need to run through brick walls, perhaps. But Silva has got Fulham running around a football pitch pretty well. And we could not be happier.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Crystal Palace fams

Moggy: So disappointing. Definitely our worst home game this season. On the plus side, it was great to see new players doing well. I liked that Oliver Glasner saw all the injuries as an opportunity. Felt sorry for Maxence Lacroix as his mistake changed the game but Daichi Kamada was poor. Dean Henderson always slows the game down by holding the ball way too long. DON'T SACK GLASNER, PLEASE!

Paul: Another disappointing afternoon at Selhurst Park. Too many errors, too little confidence, too many important players missing and all this exposed by a fine Fulham team. The reset button needs pressing during the international break and we need our best players fit and firing if it's not going to be a huge relegation fight.

Gary: Obviously a very poor performance. Kamada is not Premier League quality. I'm pleased he's banned for three games. Jeffrey Schlupp should be starting more. Marc Guehi is not a midfielder. We have to go back to basics with four at the back. We don't have the players at present to play 3-4-3.

Fulham fans:

James: Fulham were clearly the better team from the first whistle, and the result should never have been in doubt. Scoring just before half-time was crucial, as against a stronger strike force, we might have paid the price for not being more clinical. Emile Smith Rowe was the difference, and there’s a very positive atmosphere around Fulham at the moment.

Lucas: To describe this game in one word would be 'inevitable'. We were great from the start and of course Smith-Rowe, Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi were good, as well as Reiss Nelson. I also thought Andreas Pereira had a good game, after some criticism from the past few performances by fans (myself included).

David: A good follow up to the nerve-shredding Brentford game. Palace were obviously affected by loss of key players to injury. Every Fulham player had a solid game, especially Harry Wilson even though he came on late again. I couldn't spot any weaknesses. Plenty of noise from our fans too.

Chris Wise
Final Score reporter at Selhurst Park

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It is about now in the season when the narrative switches to who might be a surprise European contender - and I would stick Fulham in that conversation.

If they can keep key members of their team fit, then I do not see any reason why they should not believe they can finish in the top eight.

The recruitment of Emile Smith Rowe has taken the team's dynamism to a new level.

He has got a hearty mixture of talent and hunger, and looks to be one of the smartest pieces of summer business by any Premier League club.

Along with Reiss Nelson and Alex Iwobi behind Raul Jimenez, their attacking quality could hurt a few teams this season.

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, 31, is in high demand as the Japan international continues to struggle for game time at Anfield, with Fulham, Wolves, Ipswich and AC Milan all interested. (Caught Offside, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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:

• Wolves 2-0 Southampton

• Brighton 2-1 Man City

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

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While the previous three meetings between these sides had ended in draws there was very little prospect of a fourth from the moment Emile Smith Rowe opened the scoring.

The former Arsenal midfielder has now scored three goals in 11 Premier League games this term and is showing clear signs that Fulham's decision to invest so heavily in him in the summer, when he became their record signing, was a shrewd bit of business.

The 24-year-old was not afraid to do the dirty work, pressing the ball when needed and was a key component to their fluent passing in midfield - linking up well with Andreas Pereira and Alex Iwobi before crucially bursting forward to support Raul Jimenez.

And had he not strayed marginally offside at the end of a sweeping move from one end of the pitch to the other, he would have been rewarded with a second goal, that his performance richly deserved.

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Marco Silva spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Fulham's victory against Crystal Palace: "I think we deserved much more but it is what it is. Great three points, great team performance. I think we have been seeing better things every match, every day that we are working with them. The confidence from the last game to this game is clear as well. The commitment, the attitude, the desire to do great things was there again."

On their counter-attacks: "We know how to do it, we know how to arrive with the ball. For us to do it we have to be brave off the ball, good positioning from ourselves was going to be important. Most of the times we decided with quality."

On Emile Smith Rowe: "Sometimes the most expensive ones are the players that don't perform. When you saw him and we had a small chance to fight to have him here, I told our board that we need to fight with everything we can because we needed a player like him. Creative in those pocket areas, a player who will score more throughout the season - I don't have doubts - he's a lovely kid, a lovely boy who is going to become a man and improve. He's already a really good player, he's going to be a top player. It's so nice to have a talent like him to work with."

On Harry Wilson: "I know that Harry wants to play from the start. Great impact on Monday against Brentford, it was an amazing moment from him and this afternoon again. We know he has the sharpness to go and create these kind of moves. This afternoon he scored in the same way as well, when he arrives in certain areas he has the ability to put the ball in the net. He has this quality, this ability."

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Fulham have won six of their past 10 Premier League London derbies (D3 L1), one more than in their previous 49 such games in the competition (W5 D9 L35).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Crystal Palace’s performance, external

What did you make of Fulham’s display?, external

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

Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Bournemouth

• Crystal Palace v Fulham

• West Ham v Everton

• Wolves v Southampton (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Brighton v Man City - 17:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Liverpool v Aston Villa - 20:00

Kick-off 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 11 he takes on Mylee and Tate from CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson FC (JJFC).

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Palace's form has started to pick up and they almost got their second win in a row last week - they had a 96th-minute winner disallowed against Wolves, when it should have stood - or at least as far as I could see.

Fulham are always stronger at home, but they are a nicely balanced team and they have picked up a few points on the road too.

Apologies to everyone for sitting on the fence again, but I am going for another draw.

Mylee's prediction: 2-1

Palace to take this one.

Tate's prediction: 1-2

Fulham have been good this season.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Earlier, we asked you to identify the former Fulham player from their Premier League statistics playing for the club.

The correct answer was Damien Duff.

Guess the former Fulham player from their Premier League statistics at the club:

• Years at club: 2009-2014

• National team: Republic of Ireland

• Position: Winger

• Appearances: 130

• Goals: 15

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

Ciara Fleming
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news: "No fresh concerns. Still Sasa Lukic - he has had some sessions but is still out."

• On the Whites enjoying their best start to a Premier League season: "We should have more points the way we have been playing. For many different reasons we did not achieve what we deserved. I'm pleased with what we have done but we have the capacity to do more."

• On the club's aspirations this season: "We are not hiding the fact that we want to do better that what the club has already done in the Premier League. Our story each season has also been about rebuilding because every year we have been losing key players from the squad. Last season was the best example because we did not just lose one or two but more."

• On attacking depth in the squad: "It is a good headache. The best way for the players to reach different levels is to have that competitiveness. Nothing is guaranteed and they have to prove every single day in the sessions that they are better than the others."

• On Harry Wilson after the Wales forward scored two goals as a substitute on Monday against Brentford : "He has the capacity to smell the right moments when inside the box. He can score and create goals. He is not only knocking on the door with the goals but he is working very hard and it has been tough for me to leave him out. Sooner or later, he will have the chance in the starting XI."

• On Emile Smith-Rowe: "When we signed him, we were looking for a player to add something in the pockets and provide that extra creativity and a different dimension around the box. He has been a key player for us."

• On opponents Crystal Palace: "After a really tough start for them, with all the problems and injuries, the last week they were able to get points. So it will be tough to face them, especially the way that they play, high with lots of energy."

• On Palace boss Oliver Glasner: "Last season he had a massive impact after coming in to the club in a bad moment. This season, the ideas are there and the structure is there but when you don't win, there is a lack of confidence."

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

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Chelsea and Fulham have paid tribute to former player John Dempsey, who has died at the age of 78.

The former defender made 171 appearances for Fulham in the 1960s before moving to Stamford Bridge, where he won silverware between 1969 and 1978.

A Fulham statement read: "Everyone at the club sends their condolences and thoughts to his wife Trish, and his wider family and friends."

Chelsea wrote: "It is with tremendous sadness that Chelsea Football Club announces the passing of our former FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup winner John Dempsey.

"We are sending our heartfelt condolences to all of John’s family and friends at this difficult time."

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

There were bits of wizardry.

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From magical players.

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There were rockets.

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And bangers.

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Landmarks.

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And clangers.

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While some Guy's like Ruud are always remembered.

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