Fulham manager Marco Silva has enjoyed his battles with Thomas Frank these last three seasons, and anticipates another competitive encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.
There has been nothing to separate Fulham and Brentford in the Premier League, with two wins apiece and one draw in the five meetings to date.
“We have been together the last three seasons, and the games have been very, very good, all these emotional games, all these games with goals, apart from last season’s away game that we drew [0-0],” Silva said in his pre-match press conference.
“We know that we are going to be playing against a very good side, very well managed from Thomas. He’s been there a really long, long time, and knows very well the club, knows very well the players and the competition.
“He knows very well ourselves, like we know Brentford, too, and it’s going to be a very good game, in my opinion.
“Both teams like to play, like to be on the front foot. It's going to be a physical side, and a lot of challenges there, for sure, individual duels – a derby normally goes in that direction.
“About Thomas, he’s doing a very good job, and that is the reason why most of the time the last three seasons, both teams have been very close to each other on the table.
“Most of the time, almost always, we have been together, really in high positions on the table, which shows how both clubs have been progressing the last few seasons.
“For us, it’s a football match that we want to win. Of course, knowing that it represents something important for the fans gives us that extra boost to give them something back, that is the main thing.
“The reality is that it’s a local derby, an important game for both clubs, and that is the main thing, that we want to win and to achieve a good result and to give the fans something important next Sunday.”
Fulham head to Hounslow looking to complete a first league double over our neighbours in more than 70 years, following our dramatic stoppage time turnaround at the Cottage back in November.
When asked how good his memory of that night is, our Head Coach replied: “It's very good. Firstly, because we played an amazing game.
“Our football that night was very, very good, always on the front foot. I believe that the way we played the game, from the first minute, was top level.
“They scored an amazing goal from 30, 35 yards, and the reaction from the team... they believed and they trusted until the last minutes of the game, creating many, many chances.
“Great performance from the Brentford goalkeeper, but the reality is we won the game, and even Thomas was very honest in the quotes after the match that Fulham deserved the three points, even if it was tough for them to lose in the last moments of the game.
“It’s going to be away from home, but if we can repeat that type of memories it’s going to be great. For us, they are three points, for us they are very important, but we know what it means for the fans.”
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