Marco Silva and the Fulham players are loving life life at the moment. After three wins in a row to restart their Premier League campaign following the winter break, why wouldn’t they? There’s a camaraderie amongst the squad that seems to go beyond the nebulous team spirit that every team talks about and, judging by the way the Whites trooped off to celebrate Tuesday night’s win at Leicester City in front of the away section, that special bond with the fans hasn’t gone away either. I won’t say watching Fulham away from home is becoming joyous – because there were plenty of nervy moments at the King Power Stadium – but Marco Silva’s side are much more streetwise than some of their predecessors.

The narrow win in the Midlands, secured by a superb goal scored by Aleksandar Mitrovic, was Fulham’s fourth victory on the road in a season that confounds to pleasantly surprise us. It was also their second successive clean sheet away from home, suggesting that for all of the flowing football that Silva’s side looks to play, there is a steel to sit alongside the sexiness. There’s no doubt that the visitors could easily have increased their advantage to a more comfortable margin in a first half they utterly dominated, but what was most pleasing about this victory was how the Whites stood firm when Leicester threw everything at them after the break.

Bernd Leno offered the perfect illustration of why Silva was so keen to sign him – and also why the deal to bring the German international to Craven Cottage for an initial £2m was such a steel. The German international not only made a string of fine saves, but was vocal in organising the back four and dashed off his line to good effect. I was a big supporter of Marek Rodak and believed that the Slovakian international deserved an extended opportunity in the first team following promotion this year, but watching Leno’s excellence regularly makes me eat my words. His reaction save to repel Harvey Barnes at close quarters after the winger had latched onto a through ball was world class.

It was no surprise that Leno was voted man of the match, but the entire back line remained resolute throughout. Kenny Tete bombed up the right flank but kept Barnes, one of Leicester’s danger men, relatively quiet, whilst Antonee Robinson continues to deliver outstanding displays during a superb season at left back. In the middle, there was a change with Tosin Adarabioyo making a first start since the crazy comeback at Nottingham Forest. Adarabioyo was excellent, combining his comfort on the ball with composed reading of the game, and despite the emergence of Issa Diop, remains vitally important to this Fulham side. And, what more is there to say about Tim Ream? The veteran delivered another vintage performance during his remarkable renaissance at the highest level.

Fulham’s other three victories on the road have been full of goals. The way in the which efficiently dispatched Crystal Palace on Boxing Day was almost a one-off in terms of its comfort – the hosts had two men sent off, and looked ordinary even before that. Here, Silva’s side were unable to score a second goal and had to dig deep to take the points to London. Nobody can doubt their desire, especially as the head coach had resisted the temptation to rest a few tired legs during this gruelling fun of the fixtures. The Whites point their bodies on the line to cling for all three points – and that was arguably more impressive that any of the accomplished forward play that was show.

The work rate of Fulham’s midfield was phenomenal, especially as those five players had all started the previous two matches. Harrison Reed covered every blade of grass as per usual whilst Joao Palhinha battled for supremacy of the engine room with the peerless Youri Tielemans in one of the game’s intriguing sub-plots. The Portuguese midfielder helped to nullify not just the Belgian but all of the home side’s attacking options, whilst Fulham’s wingers recognised the importance of tracking back to ensure the full-backs weren’t isolated. Andreas Pereira buzzed around behind and alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic when the Whites had the ball, but the pair pressed Leicester unrelentingly from the first whistle – which made the defence’s job that much easier.

This Fulham side can mix it up as well as anyone else in the division. As Peter Rutzler pointed yesterday, they have received 42 yellow cards this season – second only to Manchester United – and Mitrovic will miss the SW6 derby next week as a result of his caution, which looked extremely harsh to me. Silva’s side were happy to slow the game down, although the frequent breaks in play that saw the Whites had to grind their way through more than seven minutes of stoppage time owed as much to Leicester’s tough tackling as cynicism from the visitors. Mitrovic twice had his ankle tested by stamps from Wilfred Ndidi, whilst Tete was pilloried by the home fans for going down clutching his head after being clattered in the air by Barnes and Wout Faes led with his elbow in challenges on Bobby Decordova-Reid and Harrison Reed.

But Silva’s side were definitely dogged and the decision to send on Diop for the last quarter of the match paid handsome dividends. The physicality of Fulham’s imposing centre back proved useful in repelling a succession of Leicester crosses but also denied precious space inside the box to Jamie Vardy, whose watching wife was serenaded by cheeky chants from the travelling fans, and substitute Kelechi Iheanacho. The Whites did rather ride their luck in the second half – with the Foxes looking rampant for around twenty minutes or so and Tielemans’ terrific volley clattering back off the crossbar, but their organisation and resolve earned three precious points.

A word too on the goal that ultimately proved decisive, Willian’s dribble and delicious delivery was only possible because of the combative skills of Reed, who pinched possession back on the halfway line. The Brazilian’s ball was a thing of beauty, but there was a more ragged aesthetic attraction about Mitrovic’s magnificent finish. His hold-up play has always been sublime, but here he chested the ball down and twisted his body in a shooting position under no pressure from any of the Foxes’ defenders. In the form of his life, Mitrovic wasn’t about to miss.

Fulham’s travelling band of followers, often ridiculed, were also outstanding. On a night when the trains to the Midlands were in short supply, they turned up in numbers and in fine voice – as noted by Leno in his post-match interview. Following Fulham away is quickly becoming addictive and, with SIlva’s side putting in such accomplished displays, it is little wonder.