Cairney hails the fear factor
TOM CAIRNEY has warned Fulham’s play-off rivals that their goal crazy bid for promotion makes them the team to fear.
The Scottish Under-21 international helped Fulham stun close rivals Huddersfield as a rampant first-half display boosted their top-six hopes.
“People will fear us,” said Cairney. “We’re the highest goalscorers in the league and we’re hitting form at the right time.
“We play expansive football. Sometimes we get caught out, but that’s what has got us in this position, so we’re not going to change.”
Fulham have scored 13 goals in four successive wins to climb into the top six, hardly missing suspended striker Chris Martin.
Cairney put the Cottagers in front four minutes after Scott Malone’s equaliser.
Stefan Johansen then took his tally to 11 goals for the campaign with a double that crowned a remarkable turnaround. “We’re the highest scorers in the league, yet we haven’t got a striker with anywhere near 20 goals,” said the midfielder.
“Goals are coming from all over the team. Long may that continue.”
Huddersfield know they can’t afford any more horror shows like this one if they are to reach the Premier League.
Instead of putting some pressure on secondplaced Newcastle, they dropped to fifth spot with their play-off place still not guaranteed.
“We have to defend better to secure our play-off spot, and we’ll certainly have to play a lot better than this in the play-offs,” said defender Chris Lowe, who had given the Terriers a perfect start by firing home a fourth-minute penalty.
“We got punished for losing our focus, our concentration.”