SLAV DEMANDING PERFECT WHITES
FULHAM can’t afford a single slip-up if they stand any chance of automatic promotion, starting against Leeds on Tuesday night, according to boss Slavisa Jokanovic.
A Good Friday win over Norwich stretched their unbeaten league run to 17 games thanks to two goals in three second-half minutes from Stefan Johansen and Tom Cairney.
The Cottagers’ destiny is still out of their own hands but Jokanovic wants them to be ready to take advantage of any Cardiff failings.
“We aren’t just playing for the play-offs, we are playing to win the games,” he said. “It’s not a question of looking forward or backwards for us, we know we are going to play seven games with the chance to win 21 points.
“Here we only had one challenge and that was a fight for three points against Norwich and we will fight again on Tuesday night to get three points against Leeds.
“We are not thinking about the future and we haven’t prepared for the play-offs – it isn’t in our hands to get second place because it is in the hands of Cardiff, they must make a mistake and we will try and do our job.
“This next game is our next challenge and our only focus is on Tuesday night. We cannot lose anything, only Cardiff or Wolves can. But if they help us we have to be ready to catch this present.”
A frustrating first half was epitomised by neither side creating a clear goalscoring chance.
Whilst Fulham looked threatening early on, a tame long-range effort from Cairney was the only time they troubled Angus Gunn in the Canaries goal.
Aleksandar Mitrovic came into the game in fine form with nine goals in his last eight games for club and country, but he showed a surprising lack of composure as he headed wide from five yards out in the 55th minute.
The Cottagers came close again eight minutes later. This time substitute Ryan Sessegnon was gifted an open goal to aim for after Gunn had rushed out and failed to clear the ball but Christoph Zimmermann slid in to block the youngster’s shot on the line.
A goal was coming for Fulham and whilst Gunn did well to save Mitrovic’s header at the back post, he pushed the ball into the path of Johansen who smashed it in from eight yards.
The second goal soon followed with Timm Klose failing to clear Lucas Piazon’s low ball in from the right, allowing Cairney to pick his spot before guiding the ball into the right side of the goal.
Norwich did little to mount a comeback in the closing 25 minutes, but manager Daniel Farke has taken positives into tomorrow’s clash against QPR from a game against a team he expects to see promoted come May.
“We know that in the moment Fulham are probably the best side in the league – they are 17 games unbeaten and I’m pretty sure they will get promoted because they are such a good side,” he said.
“I’m totally happy with our commitment and togetherness because once again we proved we are able to play at the top level in this league.
“We were even the better side in the last 75 minutes but Fulham were more clinical and that’s a compliment for them.
“Although we are disappointed right now, and will be for a little while, we should take a lot of confidence from this game.”