Whites hot at Craven Cottage as Muniz underlines why Broja experiencing loan inactivity

Fulham’s excellent home record was enhanced by Saturday’s impressive 3-0 derby win over Tottenham.

The Whites have collected 28 points from 15 Premier League matches at Craven Cottage – winning nine of them and drawing once. Only six clubs have a better return – five of those the ones at the top of the standings.

Rodrigo Muniz continued his scoring spree – and underlined why Chelsea loanee Armando Broja has gathered dust since his January loan switch – with a double to help down Spurs.

Sasa Lukic’s inventive finish with his knee inflicted a heavy loss on the visitors, who were relieved to see Joao Palhinha’s goal struck off because Raul Jimenez was offside.

Broja was not even in the matchday squad at the weekend and reports have indicated that Fulham will now need to pay a £4million fee to the Blues, effectively a penalty for not handing him game time.

But any financial hit will be softened by the performances and goal return of Muniz, whose value is soaring.

The 22-year-old is the first Fulham player to score in four consecutive Premier League home games.

Muniz has netted seven goals in his last seven top-flight appearances – the most of any player in the competition since the start of February.

Former Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray, now a pundit, told Match of the Day: “Since the turn of the year, he is the joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League alongside [Bukayo] Saka and Ollie Watkins. He was just alive.

“[For his first goal] It was a cold touch and a wonderful finish. He was really cool and calm. [For his second goal] he just stops and lets everyone move around him. Then, when he needed to, he pounced.”

Silva added: “He has all of the ability and potential to become a top striker. He’s still a young lad. Keep playing week in, week out. Make mistakes and learn. Keep doing good things.

“When he came in at 20-years-old, not speaking one word in English, he wasn’t even a starting player in Brazil.”

Luis Boa Morte is leaving his role as first-team coach at the end of the season to take charge of Guinea-Bissau. The former Fulham winger returned to the west London club when Marco Silva was appointed head coach in July 2021.