DIOP COULD HAVE WORLD AT HIS FEET

MARCO SILVA believes that Issa Diop can conquer the world – as long as he starts believing in himself.

Fulham signed the central defender in a £15million deal from West Ham in August and the big Frenchman has become a key figure in their superb season.

Tonight at Craven Cottage, Diop (above), who often found himself on the sidelines at West Ham in a frustrating campaign last year, has the job of shackling Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

And Silva has full confidence in his man.

Fulham can overtake their inconsistent London rivals with a win, and Silva said of the 26-year-old: “I’m pleased for Issa but he is going to improve more and more.

“He has the capacity to do that. We are asking him to do different things than he did in the last few seasons, play in a different style.

“I just want him to believe more in himself because he is a very good defender.

“When we signed him we knew he was a good player, a fast central defender, who is good in the challenges, good in the air but can cover all around our back line as well.

“Issa needs to believe more in himself, in his ability, his capacity, because the room to improve is there.

“We are going to improve him, and we are going to see much more from him.

“Issa is confident, but he should have more confidence in himself. When that click comes for him and he realises how good he can be, he is going to improve his performance.”

Fulham bid to bounce back from an unlucky defeat at Newcastle last weekend, which ended a run of five straight wins for Silva’s men.

They lost 2-1 at Tottenham in September and Silva said: “We didn’t play well at Spurs.

”They deserved the three points, even though we fought to the end.

”We knew what we should do and we did not do so well. Let’s hope we can improve.”