Fulham

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Looking a little further ahead in England, at least this weekend gives some players a little break. The Premier League takes a rest while the FA Cup quarter-finals top the bill and rarely has there been a more unusual cast list.

Bournemouth, Preston North End, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Brighton are not regulars in FA Cup finals, so it is a great chance for glory.

Not since Forest in 1959 have any of the above won the trophy.‌

Many of the big dogs have gone out already - not because they didn't care, but because they simply weren't good enough.

The FA Cup seems to have its sparkle back and, with a bit of luck, it might even have the first magical fairytale ending we have seen since Wigan in 2013.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

In what has been a fantastic season for Fulham so far, our fan contributor Drew Heatley says it would be "churlish" to pick a player who should be contributing more, but Emile Smith Rowe is perhaps one that fans will hope to see improve going into next season.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

With the Premier League top two fairly set in stone and the relegation places all but decided, we asked former England midfielder Fara Williams to pick her final table from third down to 10th.

Nottingham Forest will hang on to third based on what they have built this season in terms of being defensively hard to break down and playing in transitions very well. They are finding ways to win games by playing to their strengths.

I do not think Chelsea are good enough to secure fourth. I have put Manchester City there because they have enough firepower and always seem to finish Premier League seasons really well. They have not been in good form but they have that know-how and still a bit of a fear factor against some of the teams they play.

I have Chelsea in fifth because if Cole Palmer can refind his form they will have a good run of games. Newcastle in sixth - where they currently sit - as I think they will continue on the same trajectory with their run of fixtures.

The rest is really difficult. I have put Bournemouth seventh as their pressing and high-intensity play will see them pick up form again and rise a few places.

I have Aston Villa eighth as their focus will be on the Champions League, then Brighton ninth and Fulham 10th as I do not think their form will improve significantly. They are still impressive finishes.

Having said this, it has never been so close in this area of the table from what I can remember. These teams are likely to finish within one win of each other so much can change on one result.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Fulham are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe next season but does their impressive form mean head coach Marco Silva will court more attention for his services?

Former Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer tells The Football News Show why he believes the Cottagers will have plans in place if their manager were to move on.

Watch The Football News Show on iPlayer

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Ryan Sessegnon's goal against his former club on Sunday was – as he said himself – written in the stars.

It created another special moment in a season that's been littered with them. Harry Wilson's injury-time double to beat Brentford; Rodrigo Muniz hitting a 95th-minute winner at Stamford Bridge; our penalty shoot-out victory at Old Trafford.

This moment was right up there. Tottenham have a history of poaching our best players. It started with Sean Davis in 2004, then Steed Malbranque two years later, before they swooped for Mousa Dembele in 2012, Clint Dempsey in 2013, and finally Ryan Sessegnon in 2019. It's quite a list.

Sess returned to Fulham on a free this summer. It seemed a great bit of business on the face of it, given we received £24m for him, but after his Spurs stay was blighted by injury, there were more than a few concerns that we made the deal based purely on emotion.

But we should have known that's not Marco Silva's style. He's managed Ryan's return masterfully, giving him cameo appearances, initially further back, until he's started to fire.

It's tricky to define the type of player Sess is – but Fulham fans know he's not a left-back, which is what Spurs thought they were buying. He's an attacker, who's predominantly left-sided, but who can play on the right and cut in, too.

Considering we're suffering a bit of a winger injury crisis, his return to form has come at the perfect time.

Just five points separate fourth and 10th in an incredible Premier League season. And given six of our last nine games are against sides in the top 10, we are in a fantastic position to shape how the final table will look.

Sessegnon looks set to be a key player in this final battle. Is European qualification written in the stars?

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

Tottenham have identified Fulham manager Marco Silva and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as their top targets, should they part ways with Ange Postecoglou. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Fulham and Spurs.

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans

Will: What a win. We always bounce back from poor games and we have shown that again. It's a tough run of games until the end of season but we play well against big teams so it's not over till it's over.

Bob: I listened on the radio and was nervous that we didn't put Spurs to the sword in the first half. We always seem edgy. We get into good positions but don't score. Muniz again finished well, and Sessegnon - who when at Spurs just couldn't get going - comes home and proves he has still got a lot to offer. Fulham are a family club, always has been, always will be!

Ash: We were average, some great moves but bitty in places. We've played better this season and lost. A win but can't build momentum - the international break tends to work against us. Still all to play for and chase down the teams above us. We will definitely beat our Premier League points total.

Spurs fans

Alexander: Another dismal performance - particularly in midfield. Why Ange insists on picking Bissouma I just fail to understand and then he takes him off at half time. This is the worst organised team I have seen since Spurs were relegated. Not many of your readers will remember the 1970s but I do!

Dave: Please can we be put out of our misery and start preparing for next season with another manager? We will not win the Europa League, our Premier League performances continue to be an utter embarrassment and we are lucky there are three teams adrift at the bottom - it's the same boring excuses week after week.

Tony: Same old rubbish. Didn't start playing until the second half, we can't keep the ball and can't seem to pass it too well either. We try to play football in the wrong areas instead of clearing the ball away from danger. Frankfurt will be licking their lips after watching this performance.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's three Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Ipswich Town 2-4 Nottingham Forest

• AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford

• Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

• Fulham 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur

• Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham's 13 goals from substitutes this season - including two against Spurs today from Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon - is the most in the Premier League.

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.

Image source, Getty Images

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."

Image source, Getty Images

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

Image source, Getty Images

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

Image source, Getty Images

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

Image source, PA Media

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