Fulham manager Marco Silva has been targeting breaking Fulham’s record Premier League points tally since winning promotion to the top flight, and so was delighted to do it with a derby victory over Brentford.
“It’s something that this group has to be proud of,” he said. “We never hide ourselves. That was one of the targets for the season, was a goal that we wanted to achieve.
“From the first moment, two seasons ago, we were really close to achieving it. It was always something that we have been speaking as a goal for us.
“We have different goals, but that one was one of the main ones for sure for us, because we knew that if we break the tally points record for the football club, we are going to be in a position to probably fight for different things, too. And we did it.
“Always more special if you do it in a derby and all that stuff. An emotional game, the players bounced back from the last very difficult weekend for us, because the way we lost the game against Everton hurts ourselves, because we did blame ourselves for that defeat, a game that clearly was a game for us to win.
“It really hurts ourselves because it was a great opportunity for us to break the points record at home. We didn't, and we knew that this was another great opportunity for us to do it here in a special game, in a derby with many things involved, positions, probably – or not – European competitions, all that stuff, against a very good and tough side to play against.
“We know the quality they have. When you look for a team with that front line, the three players that played again this afternoon, they are almost 50 goals in the Premier League season, which speaks about themselves and their threat, the quality that they have in the front line.
“And we knew that we have to be really, really strong to control that situation. It’s going to be a derby, very aggressive, a lot of challenges, a lot of duals.
“It was a balanced game first half. Of course, our goal was important. We have to be angry with ourselves that we conceded the second goal, more than the first. We cannot concede two games in a row, goals from a long throw, at this level that we are playing, and we have to be angry with us.
“But the reality is that the second half response from us was top. The players, they trusted, they believed. The speech at half-time was good, and I told them that we cannot concede another goal, that we are going to have chances.
“We have players on the bench that can make an impact, and the reality is that we scored two great goals and we won the game from the response in the second half.
“I think we deserved it – we kept them really quiet second half, we took the control of the game. Okay, they reacted after the 3-2, it’s normal, they’re playing home and it was a must-win game for them, too, like it was for us. And we won the game.”
It was a fantastic afternoon for the travelling fans who witnessed Fulham secure a first league double over Brentford in more than 70 years, and Silva dedicated the win to them.
“These three points, of course, on behalf of the players and myself, they are clearly for the away fans,” he stated. “They have been incredible this season so far, the support.
“This afternoon, in the moments that we were a bit not on the front foot, that Brentford was more on the front foot, they were very loud, and they deserve all the credits, and the three points go for all the support they gave this football club and this group of players throughout the season.”