Parker: I picked team to hurt them and it worked

Scott Parker urged his players to keep their eyes on the prize and finish their survival quest rather than get distracted by the scale of their Premier League recovery.

Parker’s Fulham side were rated a certainty to return to the Championship after their poor start to the season, but victory over Liverpool moved them level with Brighton and only a point behind Newcastle as their great escape edges closer.

Asked if he could sense those above fretfully looking over their shoulders, Parker said: “It’s not for me to say. All I will say is that we need to focus on us and what keeps making us better and makes us the team I want us to be. If that is our focus, I know we will be more than fine in this league. What other teams do is up to them.

“What is happening around us, or who we are dragging in or what other results are, is an irrelevance. That will remain the case. If we had listened or watched or taken any focus from ourselves we would not be in the position we are in. So the message stays the same. The players understand it is about us and keeping on moving in the right direction. Don’t worry about the noise and who is winning and not winning.”

Parker took a front-foot approach at Anfield, attacking from the start to expose Liverpool’s frailties.

“I picked a team to suit Liverpool’s style and how we could hurt them,” Parker said. “The attacking players were nothing short of fantastic, stretching the game and always a goal threat.

“I thought as soon as the game started we had dominance and control. We dominated the ball.

“I am immensely proud. We were fantastic. In the first half, the front four attacked and we got our nose in front. In the second half, with the quality they possess, you are going to have to be organised and resolute. It is a massive result.

“Like anything, a result and win like this galvanises us. Not that we needed a result to give us belief.

“We thought we could cause problems. While results give you more confidence and belief, the team you have seen over 17 and 18 games has shown quality and belief.”