Fulham head coach asked if finishing a concern after second successive Premier League blank

Marco Silva dismissed suggestions that Fulham’s lack of finishing ability was a concern following their 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Monday night.

The Whites have failed to score in their last two Premier League fixtures.

Fulham struggled to prise open their west London rivals at Craven Cottage and substitute Sasa Lukic failed to take a late chance, striking a close-range attempt to close to goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea produced a quickfire double in the first half to take the contest away from the hosts, Mykhailo Mudryk scoring his first goal for them and then a Tim Ream lapse ending with the American defender striking an attempted clearance against Armando Broja, the ball deflecting beyond Bernd Leno.

“When you make mistakes like we did at this level – in two minutes they scored two goals,” Fulham head coach Silva told the BBC. “They take the confidence from you. The game started really intense and our first pressure didn’t work like we planned. It was not aggressive enough.

“At half-time we adjusted and the second half was much better. We created some good chances to score at least one goal but unfortunately we were not ruthless enough in those moments – one with Alex (Iwobi) and one great, great chance for Sasa.”

Raul Jimenez struggled to impose himself up top with Carlos Vinicius replacing the Mexican early in the second period.

Asked if his team’s inability to find the net worried him, Silva said: “We have to keep working, it is what it is.

“Tonight the difference is clear – the decision-making in the attack. We arrived in good areas but needed to decide much better. It is something we have to improve.

“People need to understand and be realistic, that we know what we are doing and fighting for. Everyone has to be together in this fight.”