Fulham boss Silva: Nothing is achieved yet

Fulham manager Marco Silva was pleased to come away from Cardiff City with all three points – but insisted their return to the Premier League is not assured.

The Whites defeated the Bluebirds 1-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium, after Aleksandar Mitrovic‘s first-half header secured the victory.

Championship leaders Fulham have an 11-point lead over third placed Huddersfield and possess two matches in hand on them.

Silva said: “It’s always tough to come here to play. We know that it is a game that demands from us always. In the right moments, they are fully focused and aggressive in challenges.

“From free-kicks and throw-ins, they looked to put the ball in our box and was the moment they believed they could punish us, apart from the moment in the first half when we slept completely, a long ball from the keeper was their biggest chance in the whole match.

“In the second half we dealt with the set-pieces really well in the situation; if you look at both teams compared with size, there is a big, big difference. Our players dealt really, really well with that situation. We knew they would be the moments they force.

“Apart from that, we controlled parts of the match – more first half than second. It’s our way to play and we did it. A little bit slower than I wanted and because of that, we didn’t create the most chances that we have created in a match, but we created enough.

“We controlled the match; we were the best team on the pitch and we deserved the three points. From the first day, everyone looks for us as the favourites as we were one of the three teams relegated from the Premier League.

“It was our obligation to be favourites for all the things that you know. Not just us but West Brom and Sheffield United as well and three or four other clubs that will be around and are favourites as well.

“But you know how it is, it is a competition. The other two teams are fighting like we are fighting. We are on the top of the table because we deserve it.

“We are playing well and as a group we are fighting when we should fight, playing well when we should play well. We are playing with quality. This is the main thing for me. Not just a matter of winning football matches, but when we play well, we can play well.

“Other times we have to play the ugly side of the match, which we are doing in certain moments as well. Nothing is finished. Nobody can achieve anything by the end of February. We didn’t achieve nothing yet.”