‘A Real Confidence In The Team’ – The Word On Fulham
- Leicester City tackle Fulham at King Power Stadium on Tuesday evening
- The Premier League fixture has a 7:45pm kick-off
- The Athletic football reporter Peter Rutzler previews the match
- Free commentary of the match will be available on LCFC.com
Two games into the restart and Leicester are still looking for their first win since the FIFA World Cup, having been beaten by current top-six sides Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Following a Boxing Day defeat to the Magpies, Brendan Rodgers’ side headed to Anfield where they took the lead through a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goal six minutes in. But two own goals from Wout Faes before half-time were enough for the Reds to take the points.
Looking to regain the impressive form they had before the international break, City welcome Fulham to King Power Stadium on Tuesday evening (7:45pm kick-off) for a Premier League fixture, however picking up three points against the newly promoted side will be no easy task.
In the build-up to the match, LCFC TV spoke with Rutzler, The Athletic's Fulham FC reporter, who outlined the joy being experienced by the West London fanbase.
“The season has far exceeded our expectations,” Rutzler explained. “Fulham’s previous two attempts at Premier League survival have ended in relegation. This is the third time in five years, and without a doubt, the target is to stay in the league.
“As we speak, we’re passed the World Cup and Fulham are eighth. It’s a little bit strange for a lot of fans because usually at this time of year there’s a lot of nerves, and even with our impressive form, you still feel a bit anxious as the season isn’t over yet.
“We have a significant number of points on the board already, I think Fulham are just six points shy of their total two years ago and have already scored the same number of goals at home.
“They’re ticking off so many boxes already, and there’s a lot to be positive about. A lot of people would have written Fulham off for relegation following their previous records so to be where they are is fantastic.”
Having failed to retain their Premier League status on their last two occasions in the top flight, Rutzler spoke about how this occasion feels different, and labelled one man in particular for igniting the team’s success.
“It’s starts with the manager, and the appointment of Marco Silva,” claimed the reporter. “Last season in the Championship, Fulham made light work of what is a notoriously difficult division, and won the title for the first time, and did so with a clear style, scoring lots of goals - more than 100!
“Of course, Aleksandar Mitrović was at the heart of that. What Silva has done is brought the best out of a good squad. Mitrović is the obvious example, we’ve seen his goalscoring form in the Championship, now the Premier League, and really showing what he’s capable of. But he’s just the tip of the iceberg, because you can go through the whole team.
“Tim Ream, the 35-year-old centre back is probably enjoying the best season of his career. He’s just signed a new one-year deal as well, and he’s been involved with our previous Premier League campaigns and barely featured. He’s reached a new level, so has Neeskens Kebano.
“Then the players who came in during the summer have taken us to another level; Joāo Paulinha has been brilliant and Andreas Pereira has come in and done superbly well, and is a great creator in the midfield; Bernd Leno has been great in goal as well.
“You could go through the team and pick out individuals who have improved under Silva and that’s the catalyst. You look at the squad that’s been built at Fulham and it’s finally showing its potential.
“But it all comes back to the appointment of Silva and getting the best out of a good team. The new music is very positive, and that makes a massive difference.”
One of the main players who has heavily featured during Fulham’s recent climb is Serbian striker Mitrović, who currently has 10 goals in 14 appearances this season.
“Let’s keep to that focus of survival,” Rutzler continued. “Until that point is reached, I don’t think we can talk about anything else. If you speak to any Fulham fan, they’ll tell you that Mitrović has always been fantastic, and no one else has really seen it.
“Coming into the season there was so many questions around him (Mitrović), because he hasn’t really proved it in the Premier League, but when you look back to his previous campaign’s with Fulham or even Newcastle, it wasn’t a great environment to really show what he’s capable of, but now Silva has built a team around him, and he’s a phenomenal goalscorer.
“I was looking at the numbers today and it’s something silly like 53 goals in 37 league appearances under Silva’s appointment. He’s an international goalscorer for Serbia, but he does so much more than that.
“He drops deeper, linking the play together, and I think that side of his game is slowly being recognised as well, because Fulham are built for him to score, but also a way that wants to get the most out of a target forward, which he is, with his fantastic hold-up play and passing ability. He has the knack of being in the right place at the right time and he’s essential for Fulham.
“You need that in the Premier League; someone who can take a chance and he’s certainly doing that now. It’s pleasing for him to finally have a platform to showcase his talents, and it’s nice to see him have that support.”
Fulham head into Tuesday’s fixture with an eight-point lead on Leicester, and seven wins this season already, but as the Foxes prepare for the challenge, The Athletic reporter believes the Cottagers fans are still looking over their shoulder, rather than those above them.
“I think there’s an element of pinching yourselves,” Rutzler added. “Post World Cup, there was probably a bit of uncertainty; can Fulham really maintain this? Will a bad start derail that momentum they’ve built up?
“But to get a result against Crystal Palace following the restart brought great confidence to the Fulham fanbase who can start to think ‘alright, we’re safe now’.
“Yet it’s very weird to even say that! Fulham will be fighting to the very end I think, but there is a real confidence in the team because of the performances we’re producing this year. At the moment, we can take on anybody.”
All times GMT.