Marco Silva is relishing the prospect of ‘a proper derby’ when Fulham travel to near neighbours Brentford on Monday night.
The Whites have enjoyed an excellent return to the top flight, surpassing all expectations to sit seventh in the Premier League, and are looking to do the double over their local rivals for the first time in almost 25 years after a last-gasp header from Aleksandar Mitrovic won the first meeting of this season at Craven Cottage back in August.
But the Bees are also in the hunt for a European tour having enjoyed another impressive season under Thomas Frank so far and Silva told his pre-match press conference at Motspur Park this afternoon that he expects a tough challenge in this televised fixture.
“It was a very good game in my opinion that first game, a proper derby. There was a late goal that gave us the three points. They have been really consistent, they are really compact, a solid team as well. They can be a threat at any time in this competition, but at the same time they are solid, they are compact and they are strong in the duels as well.
I think it will be a tough one and I think it will be a proper derby again. We are going to face a team in really good form. They’re unbeaten in the last 11 games in the Premier League and they know as well that they’re going to face a strong Fulham side and a team that is going to go there and fight for the three points.”
Silva reiterated his delight at the sensational goalscoring form of winger Manor Solomon, but the Fulham head coach would not be drawn how discussions are going with Shakhtar Donetsk and the Israeli international about securing a permanent switch to Craven Cottage during the written section of his media availability.
“It was a long process for him to sign with us. He was one of the first targets for me, one of the first players that I put on the table for our board to do their best to sign. Of course all that situation with Shakhtar took a little bit longer than we would have liked, but in the end we signed him on loan and we have to wait for the right moment to speak with him again and see what the decision will be.
It is not something that is our focus right now, it’s not for me or for Manor to focus on this situation. We focus on the next game and to get the best from him, and he is really focused on his role in this football club.”
