Marco Silva
Fulham manager Marco Silva has urged the Craven Cottage faithful to replicate their passionate support from last weekend as they prepare to host Chelsea in an eagerly anticipated SW6 derby on Wednesday evening. The home crowd played a crucial role in Fulham’s recent performance against Liverpool, where they rallied behind the team during a challenging second half, culminating in Harrison Reed’s spectacular goal.
Marco Silva said: “We need them, we need their help. And they know, they know it’s important, they understand that. We are going to play at home, and we need them behind us. We felt during some moments of the Liverpool game, more second half that was more difficult for us, more after that goal when they equalised, the fans were behind the team. They pushed us in the last minutes of the game when we were trying to win the game, before the 2-1, they pushed us. We need them, we need them in moments of more fatigue or something like that. We need them to push and to be that extra player that is going to be necessary for us to try to win the game.”
Silva emphasized the significance of the derby, reflecting on the narrow defeats Fulham suffered against Chelsea in the 2024/25 season and the recent loss at Stamford Bridge. He acknowledged the emotional impact of these results on the club and its supporters.
Marco Silva said: “It’s special. It’s special, because we know what’s happened. We look for last season, how we won away, how we lost at home, both games with late goals. It really hurt ourselves, our fans, this football club, the way we were not able to win the game at Stamford Bridge [this season]. The way the team performed almost perfectly first half, in a really tough game against a top, top side, the way the team performed, and everything that happened in that game, really hurt this football club. I’m not talking about one or two persons, or just the players – us, the football club, the way that things happened that Saturday morning. It is what it is – now it’s another opportunity for us to enjoy, to embrace a big challenge with our fans to play a derby like a derby should be played. Simple as that. It’s a new game, a new story. I don’t want anyone to think about the past, we have to look for the future, and what’s going to be most important is the next one. It’s a special game.”
The upcoming match against Chelsea presents Fulham with a fresh opportunity to assert themselves in a fixture that has historically been tightly contested. Silva’s comments highlight the importance of focusing on the present and utilizing the home advantage to secure a positive result. The manager’s call to action underscores the pivotal role that the supporters play in creating an electrifying atmosphere that can spur the team to victory. With the stakes high and local pride on the line, Fulham will look to channel their recent performances and deliver a memorable derby display.
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