Marco Silva praised Fulham’s ‘character’ after his side came from behind to beat Arsenal at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
Bukayo Saka put the Gunners ahead in the fifth minute but Fulham equalised through Raul Jimenez before half-time with Bobby De Cordova-Reid sweeping home the winner from a corner just before the hour mark.
The Fulham head coach felt his side fully deserved the three points.
“Overall, I think we were the best side on the pitch. After conceding the early goal against a team like Arsenal, it shows it’s a team that knows really what we wanted from the match, showing the character and the personality to turn it for us. The way after that we reacted, the way we played first half was a very, very good level. We mixed our game well, there were moments to start from the back when we beat their pressure, as we know that Arsenal is really strong when they press really high.
And the way we did it, mixing some moments with going more direct with Raúl, other moments with quality from the back, and when our equalising goal came it was more than fair because they were great moments from ourselves, a very good goal from ourselves, and we deserved it clearly. Arsenal had some moments around our box as well, one or two good chances, we had one or two good ones as well.
Second half, our block was a little bit more low, Arsenal obligated us in the first minutes to go to bit more low, but we controlled really well. I don’t remember one chance for Arsenal second half, the way we controlled so well. We score from a set-piece, we had more chances, we hit the crossbar, and overall I agree that we were the best team on the pitch and deserved the three points. And we deserve the praise because the way they reacted from the early goal and the way they did it was really, really good.”
Silva felt this result had been becoming despite disappointing performances over the festive period against Burnley and Bournemouth.
“It’s really important and, to be honest, in 2023, I think we have been deserving this type of result against top sides, because we have been really so, so close in some moments to getting one – for many reasons, sometimes our fault, sometimes their quality as well, because the details play always a big part in it.
Of course, it’s the best way to finish the year. 2023 has been a great year for Fulham Football Club – the way we did it last season, the way we have been achieving important stages of the FA Cup or Carabao Cup. And for us it was really important to finish on a high.
We spoke before the match that clearly it was our ambition to finish on a high. The players deserve it for all the work they have been doing, our fans deserve it as well, but overall the club deserves to finish on a high. We did it It in the best way really – to play against a top side, a title contender. And to do it at the Cottage is the perfect afternoon for us.”
