Marco Silva is expecting a serious test of Fulham’s promotion credentials when in-form Huddersfield Town head to Craven Cottage for tomorrow’s lunchtime kick off.
The Terriers have risen to fifth in the table after a fourteen-match run and Carlos Corberan’s side are an entirely proposition from the team that Fulham dismantled at the John Smith’s Stadium on the second weekend of the season. Silva told his pre-match press conference this afternoon:
“They have very good organisation, not just because of their fantastic unbeaten run that they have until now, but the energy and intensity that they play with, and quality in big moments as well. They are consistent, they don’t concede so many goals. Even if they don’t have the ball, they are always causing problems for other teams to play inside their block, to stop them creating many chances against them.
“They are aggressive. They are aggressive not just without the ball, they are aggressive with the ball. They have a striker that links their game well, the two wingers are quick, they are strong, they are strong in one-v-one as well and can create problems for the opposition full-backs. They are always compact, and it will be a very good test for us.”
Silva, who reiterated that he backed the quality at his disposal against any opponent in this division, is adamant that Fulham’s 5-1 win over Town in August will have no bearing on tomorrow’s fixture.
“The fantastic result that we achieved there, with that score, will definitely not have an impact on tomorrow’s match. It was a good game from ourselves, we were clinical. Even when we got a red card we scored again to make it 4-1, and after again 5-1. We killed the game in that moment. But they are in a good shape, they have a good squad, they want to fight for the first six positions. And they are there, they are fighting, and it will be a tough one for us.”
The Fulham head coach revealed that Kenny Tete is available for selection having recovered from the groin strain he sustained at Stoke last month, but Rodrigo Muniz will be missing after the Brazilian striker having injured his calf in last weekend’s win at Hull.
