AHEAD OF OUR FINAL HOME GAME OF THE SEASON, WE SAT DOWN WITH MARCO SILVA TO PREVIEW OUR ALL-LONDON AFFAIR WITH PALACE ON SATURDAY.
First of all Marco, congratulations on your nomination for Premier League Manager of the Season.
“If you ask me, I have to say that I’m really proud of the nomination of course. We are playing the best and the most difficult competition in the world.
“That means we are playing against the best teams in the world, playing against the best managers, as well as top, top players. Of course, it’s also a consequence of our performance.
“What made me really proud is the way we did it. The way we have taken the best from our players every single time, and of course they have been incredible for us.”
Let’s take it back to last Saturday, what did you think of our performance against Southampton?
“Clearly, we deserved the three points. We were the best team.
“We knew that Southampton were in a tough period. It was a decisive game for them. We started the game and controlled the game from the first minute, even if we didn’t create many chances in the first half.
“I think we did really well. It was important to see our two strikers score goals as well. Another three points to stamp on our season.”
He’s always the topic of conversation but it was great to see the reception that Mitro received, wasn’t it?
“Firstly, lets talk about the away support. Great, great, great from our fans.
“It was full from our support and it was nice to feel from the first moment. I noticed there were so many flags from Serbia in that stand.
“For me, that was something really special. Normally, it is not something that I notice but the number of flags, they were different.
“It just shows the respect that everyone at this football Club has for him and the support in a bad period he got from the fans. I spoke to him before the match and told him that good things will come again for him because he deserves it.”
It’s been a fantastic season and our last game at home will be an opportunity for yourself and the players to celebrate with the fans.
“We are going to celebrate for sure. At the end of the match is a moment for us to thank them and we are going to enjoy them.
“The only way to enjoy football, is winning matches and of course we are going to fight for it.
“We want to finish our last match at home in the way we started it, playing well and enjoying and embracing the challenge. We drew our first match against Liverpool 2-2 and tomorrow we will fight to win against Palace.”
We have an opportunity to break our record points tally, aptly held by Roy Hodgson who will be with us once again on Saturday.
“It will be really good to have him back. I have a really good relationship with him since I joined Fulham.
“Whenever I’ve played against him, it’s always been a pleasure. A gentleman. To have the welcome he deserves at this football club is clear.”
Any fresh team news?
“More or less the same thing. Daniel James is back on the training pitch. Not a full session every time but it’s good to see him back again.
“He’s probably not going to be involved but all the others are okay.”
JOIN THE CELEBRATION
