Fulham’s play-off hero Tom Cairney doesn’t think the League Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool is a bigger clash that the Wembley Championship play-off final that he famously settled against Aston Villa.
The Cottagers’ captain scored the only goal of the game to send Slavisa Jokanovic’s side to the top flight in 2018 – but ranks Fulham’s forthcoming second leg against the Reds as one of the biggest games of his career.
Speaking after Fulham’s narrow defeat at Stamford Bridge yesterday, the Scottish international said:
“Is it more important than the play-off final? I don’t know. The club needed that at that time. But it’s definitely up there. The chance to take Fulham to a League Cup final would be incredibile. We’ve got to give everything. We’re 2-1 down.. it’s gonna be a big event for us. A one goal deficit is not the end of the world. It will be an exciting game.
Cairney enjoyed every moment of a competitive SW6 derby – and continuing to prove that he can make a contribution in the Premier League.
I love it, I enjoy it! It showcased what I’ve got, what we’ve got. Enzo and Moises are top, top players [who have] on and off moments at the minute as Chelsea are going through a transition period. But listen, when they click they are a top team so it just shows how far we’ve come. We were in the Championship 18 months ago. We should be proud but we can definitely improve.”
I think Cairney is totally delusional if he “enjoyed every moment” of that derby because Fulham were so lacking in quality that it was embarrassing and he, himself, despite having been in great form up until not getting selected at Liverpool, was, quite honestly, appalling throughout the game at the Bridge. He was slow, ponderous, caught in possession too many times to count and displayed zero creativity. But I know that he is capable of so much better-unlike several other Fulham players.
TC is a home only player and brought on as a sub in the away games.Yesterday as Charles said , he was way off the pace, almost a passenger. With Diop and Tosin strolling around as well and were put under extreme pressure by the CFC pressing game.