Fulham

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Chelsea (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva has confirmed that every player is available for selection except Reiss Nelson who could potentially be out until the end of the season. Harry Wilson is nearing a return after picking up an ankle injury in January.

• On the importance of this fixture: "It's a final for us, too. We have our goals to fight for. Any game is going to be important because the season is coming to an end. A special derby for the fans being able to play at home. With our fans, quality, ambition, passion, it'll be crucial to get a good result."

• Silva stated how difficult it is to "manage the load" of Antonee Robinson due to his "importance" in the squad but is hopeful that he can have "very good last six games".

• On cultural change within the club: "When I joined, the club was down. The fans were not happy, it was a process to create our own identity and philosophy. We have made the club grow. I created it with my staff. The relationships with the staff, people at the top of the club are always there."

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

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Fulham are looking to complete the league double over Chelsea for the very first time, in what is the 40th different league campaign in which they've met.

Since scoring 11 goals across three consecutive away Premier League wins in November and December, Chelsea have scored just three goals in eight away games (D3 L5). They had a 19% shot conversion rate in those three wins, but that has dropped to just 3% in their eight winless games.

Fulham have won two of their last five league games against Chelsea (D1 L2), more than they had in their previous 35 against the Blues (W1 D12 L22).

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on what no one was talking about at Fulham, but should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Tim: Eighth would be a disaster. We don't need the distraction of a long European tour of little significance in a third-tier tournament nobody even cares about. Champions League is out of reach, so it's either Europa League or nothing in my view.

Ben: I love Timmy Castagne but he's had some really poor games of late - most noticeably Arsenal and Bournemouth on Monday. He has filled in admirably for the superior Tete but he has forced us into becoming an incredibly one-sided team. Not the calibre needed for a European charge.

Guy: While this season is going very well, no one is talking about how useless our midfielders have been this season. They all have good stats and are easy on the eye because all they do is pass the ball backwards and to the side. I can't remember any of them, especially Pereira, contributing to multiple meaningful attacks in a game. Our wide players and Muniz/Jimenez are doing the heavy lifting, not the midfielders. Invest some money in the players please Mr Khan, not the swimming pool/stand!

Iain: The lack of a clinical finisher. This clear issue, ever since the departure of Mitrovic, has not been truly addressed and unfortunately, and will be the reason that Fulham will fall short of attaining European football next season. However, this should not ignore the fact it will still be a very good season, but it could have been so much better.

With three defeats in their past five games, Fulham are now seven points off fifth-placed Manchester City in the fight for Champions League football.

Marco Silva's side still have a shot at qualifying for Europe, but is there something else that is slipping under the radar at the club? What is the one thing - good or bad - nobody is talking about in relation to Fulham?

Let us know your thoughts here

Tottenham have identified Fulham boss Marco Silva, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola and Brentford head coach Thomas Frank as candidates to replace Ange Postecoglou should he be dismissed. (Teamtalk), external

Want more news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan wants head coach Marco Silva to stay at the club "forever".

Silva, who joined the club in July 2021, has re-established Fulham as a Premier League side since their return to the top flight with finishes of 10th and 13th.

Despite defeat by Bournemouth on Monday, Fulham are still competing for a European spot next season.

"We're having a tremendous season. We have got a great team, we have a great coach with Marco Silva and we have a great squad," Khan told BBC Radio London.

"We have so many great players, a great dressing room, these are really great people on and off the pitch. And we have the best fans. It is a really exciting time at Craven Cottage and at all our matches.

"The team has had a really great season and everyone is really proud of them and really looking forward to the run-in."

Silva's impressive time in charge of Fulham has left some fans concerned he could get poached by another team, but Khan is hopeful of him staying for a long time.

"Marco is a huge, huge asset to Fulham Football Club," he added. "He is such an amazing person and he is so important to the football club.

"Marco has a great relationship with my father and myself, and we really love Marco and we want him to stay at Fulham Football Club forever. He is a huge part of what we have got going for the future and the present and he is a great man."

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Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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I will give us this - we are consistently inconsistent.

Defeat by Bournemouth on Monday means our past eight results read: WLWLWLWL.

The losses in that pattern will have frustrated a large portion of the fan base but, when you include the win against Newcastle United that immediately preceded this topsy-turvy run, it has yielded the same number of points as our lauded nine-game unbeaten streak earlier in the season.

The problem with Monday's defeat is that it allowed Bournemouth to leapfrog us in the table - and in the race for European football - to sit in that newly-coveted eighth place.

A win would have created a six-point gap for us and a draw would have kept the Cherries at arm's length.

Instead, we now find ourselves with a mountain to climb after fighting our way back into European contention following our surprise win over Liverpool.

But this form bodes well for the SW6 derby on Sunday. Because of the Premier League table's congested mid-section, a win would put us within three points of our noisy neighbours - and right back in the hunt.

Meanwhile, the four clubs immediately around us all play each other. Bournemouth face a tricky trip to Selhurst Park, while 10th-placed Brighton travel to 11th-placed Brentford. We will be hoping that the points are shared in both of those games.

It is an emotional rollercoaster, but one that every single Fulham fan is relishing.

A lot is said about "mid-table mediocrity" but when the cards fall in such a way that even eighth place means a spot in the Conference League, coupled with the fact that just seven points separate fifth and 10th, mediocrity turns into opportunity.

Whether or not we seize that opportunity very much depends on which Fulham shows up on the day.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

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Former Fulham defender Stephen Kelly says despite Marco Silva's side being inconsistent, they need to stay in contention for a European place because that would be an "amazing achievement".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Fulham are consistently inconsistent. It can be said about so many teams this season. No one has been able to really just keep it together for long periods of time and Fulham have fallen into that category as well. I think they are looking to push on, progress and move on as a club.

"Fulham, it's a great place if you can play in Europe there. It was amazing, my time there was sensational. It was such a wonderful experience so I think the club would love to get back an opportunity to have a European run because it makes for some great nights.

"There are so many places up for grabs, they need to stay in contention. There are three teams sitting on 48 points down to tenth - Bournemouth, Fulham and Brighton - any one of them could end up doing it which would be, for either of those clubs, an amazing achievement to get Europe next season."

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We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Bournemouth and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Matt: Quick out of the blocks but then we came up against quality opposition. We rode our luck several times, having not extended our lead, and a dogged performance in the second half ground out the vital win. Kepa was a deserved man of the match recipient.

Nick: Straight off attacking, as per usual. An unlucky miss off the woodwork, that has happened 21 times this season. Our second half performance was probably just us protecting our fine goal scored in the first minute of the game, The tactics were the best part. Well deserved.

Wing Lam: We showcased how strong we are in terms of pulling Fulham in all directions in the first half and we could have easily been 2-0 up at half-time. After the break, we showed incredible resilience to keep a clean sheet, particularly when Fulham have a deeper squad to call on to attack us. The consequence was a superb 1-0 win. Long may this continue. We should secure a European spot if we keep this up!

Tony: We looked very tired and gave the ball away too easily.

Fulham fans

Will: That might be that for our European football hopes. There are still a few games left, but the desire seems to be slipping away and fast.

David: There were far too many misplaced passes and weak attempts on goal. A lack of consistency is hurting our European football ambitions. At least Bernd Leno was on-form to prevent any more goals from Bournemouth. However, our up and down performances might lead to us beating Chelsea on Sunday. A double over them would make many fan's season.

Mark: Fulham have improved from last year, but I'd personally put that down to good transfer business rather than Silva himself.

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Fulham manager Marco Silva speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I think yes, [we did enough to earn a point]. We made it difficult for ourselves at the start of the game.

"We started really badly, we have to take the responsibility for that as we need to start the game with the right intensity, quality and decision-making that is necessary at this level.

"The team reacted as it should. We created chances, we pushed them back, the second half we controlled.

"In the final third we need to be more aggressive, make better decisions."

On Marcos Senesi yellow card challenge on Joachim Andersen: "For me it's a clear red card, VAR should have called the referee to review that moment.

"The same last weekend, we should have had a penalty, the referee didn't see it and neither did VAR.

"It's difficult to accept, we have been really unlucky with these kind of decisions from the officials and VAR in recent weeks.

"The fourth official was confused throughout the game, in all circumstances."

On pushing for Europe: "It was a moment to make a big step forward, you have to do it because it could be a decisive moment. But it's not the end, there are six games left".

Emily Salley
BBC Sport journalist

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You could say this game fell into the 'six-pointer' category.

A victory would have seen Fulham pull six points clear of Bournemouth, boosting their chances of European football next season and denting the Cherries' dreams.

But the Cottagers couldn't make it count.

A slow and sloppy start that saw Antoine Semenyo fire home a 53-second opener ultimately proved too much for Fulham, who drop down to ninth in the table.

Marco Silva will need to get his side back on track and fighting for Europe with just six games of the season remaining.

Eighth place is likely to be enough for a Europa Conference League qualification spot, but after tonight's result, Bournemouth will have a bounce in their step as they look to keep Fulham at bay.

Bournemouth defeated Fulham with a first-minute goal from Antoine Semenyo.

Were you at Vitality Stadium or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Bournemouth's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

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

I watched Bournemouth against West Ham last week and they deserved to beat them, so I don't think their form is as bad as their run of two points from their past six games suggests.

Fulham, meanwhile, took the scalp of mighty Liverpool to underline how capable they are - but they seem to lack the consistency they will need to really push for the Champions League places from here.

Let's face it, though, I find both of these teams very hard to predict.

Whichever way I go with this one, the opposite will happen - so I am going to hedge my bets and go for a draw.

I was going to go for it to finish 2-2 because both teams have got a lot about them going forward, but my daughter, Sophia, says it will be 1-1. If I lose this week because of this game, then it is her fault.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say

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There are lots of different perspectives in terms of how you watch a game of football, and I think for the majority of time the people in the stadium get the best atmosphere, but the worst views of how a game has actually gone.

You don't really get the chance to see multiple replays and have discussions about things, because you just get caught up in the moment.

With the incoming semi automated offsides, they did promise it earlier in the season - but I think the caveat was they're only going to do it when it's ready.

It is a positive that they didn't do it when it wasn't ready.

One upside to to the new technology is some of the arguments disappear. Previously you could say 'but it looks like it's this to me' or 'it looks like it's that to me'. When it is presented now, there aren't many people that will then be looking at the animation, going back to the video, and then going down a proper conspiracy rabbit hole.

So, it ends more arguments, not all arguments, but more arguments.

I think people, as a consequence, will be more accepting of it.

But, I still do believe that there's things for people to understand, because it can't be used in every situation. There are certain decisions which can still be a little bit more complex, and there's certain times where human intervention will still need to be brought in.

I wouldn't say it's as clear as, say, goal line technology, but it's a step in the direction to where most people feel more comfortable accepting the outcome and the speed of it as well will be encouraged.

It's not to say that it's going to be instant. If you believe this is going to be perfect, and always extremely fast, ask yourself, why do you think that?

Unless somebody has told you that from PGMOL, then take it with a pinch of salt and you see how it goes.

I think it's something that many people have seen before so hopefully there will be fewer arguments.

But, because it's football, there'll always be something to argue about the end of the day.

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Earlier, we asked how many players have made 150 or more Premier League appearances for Fulham.

The answer is eight: Brede Hangeland, Aaron Hughes, Clint Dempsey, Steed Malbranque, Mark Schwarzer, Danny Murphy, Luis Boa Morte and Zat Knight.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Bournemouth (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva provided a fitness update before Monday's match: "The only difference is that Harry Wilson has been involved with training which is very good. He is reacting really well."

• On the Cherries: "They are competitors. Games against them have always been tight, competitive and open games with goals. We know that they are on a difficult run of results and they want to react from it."

• More on what to expect from Andoni Iraola's side: "They are very physical with man-on-man marking and they make it difficult for teams. They have three players in the attack who are always a threat - it doesn't matter who starts."

• Silva was asked about his future at Craven Cottage: "I cannot talk about another season before we finish this season - I have a contract with this club and we are planning the next season. My full ambition is the game against Bournemouth and the other games we have to play."

• On his side's impressive goalscoring record: "Everybody recognises our philosophy to play football in the best way. It's clear what we want - it doesn't matter who it is against, we want to be there from the first minute to the last."

• On last week's impressive victory against Liverpool: "Yes it was against Liverpool, but the most important thing for us was the way we bounced back after five tough days for us. We wanted to give something back to the fans."

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

How many players have made 150 or more Premier League appearances for Fulham?

Can you name them all?

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer

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Fulham have scored at least twice in 17 Premier League matches this season, including 10 of their past 14. Only in 2003-04 have they scored two or more goals in more different games in a campaign in the competition (19).

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Both managers generally stood alone at the edge of their technical areas, and were the ones to issue instructions to their players.

Marco Silva was not shy of expressing his views to the officials - he flew into a rage at Fulham not being awarded an early penalty, while referee Chris Kavanagh had to come over for a word after Silva felt Rodrigo Muniz was fouled.

Silva would occasionally sit down and speak to coaches, but he was usually found pacing the length of his technical area shouting instructions to players.

Arne Slot also stood throughout most of the game, although as more of a watching brief; he would turn to coaches to express thoughts after key moments.

His longest period sitting down came after Liverpool went 3-1 behind, when he looked furious and exasperated. After all five goals, Slot spoke to various players in his team - such as Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota - to issue instructions.

See what all the other managers did

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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If football is about moments, then we are having one of our best-ever seasons.

Before this campaign, our return to the Premier League was characterised by our ability to beat the teams beneath us to prop us up in the table. It worked well - we finished 10th and 13th.

But we watched with envy as other clubs pulled off scalp after scalp against the top sides. We could not seem to get the job done against the big boys.

Yet it is these victories that stick in the memory. I still remember narrow wins over Liverpool and Chelsea from the 2005-06 season like they were yesterday, not two decades ago.

Our win against the champions-elect at Craven Cottage on Sunday was the latest against the traditional, if a little outdated, top six. We have beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Manchester United at Old Trafford, and we have picked up wins against Newcastle United and Tottenham for good measure.

Our newfound ability to beat the sides above us is crucial as we enter the final seven games of the season. Of those remaining games, three of them are against sides currently sitting higher than us in the league table.

What that means for us depends on your outlook. A pessimist would say it is the hardest run-in of the "smaller" clubs vying for a place in Europe next term.

I, an optimist, believe it means we can have the biggest impact on the race for continental football - and it puts us in the driving seat.

We are just five points off our record total, and two wins away from equalling the most we have racked up in one campaign. We will need to beat both of those to finish in the top eight.

Fulham jostling once again with Europe's elite? What a moment that would be.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

Alex Iwobi became the first Nigerian to score 30 or more goals and make more than 30 assists in the Premier League when Fulham beat league leaders Liverpool 3-2 on Sunday.

Since his Premier League debut in 2015 for Arsenal in a 3-0 win over Swansea, Iwobi has 284 appearances and also played for Everton before making the move to Craven Cottage in September 2023.