Marco Silva has praised his Fulham players for their ambition and commitment to putting his attacking ideals into practice on the pitch.

The Portuguese head coach hailed the positive spirit within the Whites squad as one of the major reasons why the Cottagers have surpassed everybody’s expectations to sit in sixth in the Premier League. Silva told his pre-match press conference before Monday’s meeting with Tottenham:

“I am working with them every single day. Two hours ago I was in the training session and I saw they work really hard again. The intensity, the desire to prepare really well for the game was there from all 25 players, not just 11 or 12, and this is the main thing for me.

We are really an ambitious football club right now. The players they have the right ambition and desire to do well and this pressure, we like to have this pressure to play every day to win.”

Silva acclaimed the character of Bobby Decordova-Reid who, after shining as a makeshift right back earlier in the season, is currently keeping the likes of Harry Wilson and Manor Solomon out of the starting line-up on the wing.

“He has been really important for this football club since he joined. Last season he was really important for me – with some ups and downs. He wasn’t always in the starting eleven, but … first his knowledge about the game is really, really good, a player that can play in so many positions and can play well.

He understands really well all the moments of the game. He is one of the guys with more leadership in our squad as well, doesn’t need to be really vocal but he is really important in our squad. It is one of the reasons why I decided for him to be one of the group captains this season as well.

He is performing well, sometimes as a right-back if he has to, or as a winger or behind the striker in a more normal position, and I am really pleased for him, he deserves all the good words regarding himself. I hope there is much more to come from him.”