Fulham manager Marco Silva says Fulham were punished for two mistakes in Saturday’s defeat by Newcastle United.
We had looked on course for a hard fought point, but Bruno Guimarães pounced on a loose ball in the 90th minute to secure victory for his side.
The Whites would have been good value for the draw, and when that sentiment was put to him by the media, Silva replied: “I definitely agree.
“Difficult game, as you expect coming here to St James Park, the team full of motivation after the good win and the good game they played last Tuesday [against Benfica], and the reality that we knew that always the beginning of the games here, they are always very tough.
“They try to start always in the front foot, pushing the crowd, and the crowd plays a big part always on the way they start games here. And we knew that we have to go through those moments in the best way possible, knowing that the reaction and the pressure is going to be huge in that moment on ourselves.
“They had a big chance with a wide free-kick very close to our box, one second ball that we should have reacted stronger [to]. Another good shot from the edge of the box.
“After the first 10-15 minutes, we started to settle our game. And we knew that if we settle our game, it’s going to be difficult for them. And we did it.
“You know that if you lose the ball, with [Anthony] Gordon, with [Jacob] Murphy and with a striker [Nick Woltemade] that is very strong receiving the ball and linking up with the midfielders. We knew all the situations, but we started to play in a way that we should be proud of.
“I told our players that, these type of games, we have to be very strong collectively, and I didn't see any difference between both sides. I think in many moments of the game, [from a] collective point of view, we were stronger. The way we dominated the game, the way we were able to play in their offensive half.
“But football matches are about individual decisions as well. We have to do the basic things well, and we were punished by two moments.
“We have to give credits for our opposition side, but when you give away two goals like we gave, it's difficult to talk about credit and not blame ourselves. That is the thing – simple.
“The first goal, our central defender has the ball without pressure at all. We have to circulate the ball from one side to the other, and of course, attract the pressure. We tried to go against the pressure, not a normal thing in the way we prepared ourselves, and we are punished by that.
“The reaction of the team was very good, I have to say. Coming for the end of the first half, we were feeling that we had a chance with Raúl, a good chance with Emile as well. Good corner where Raúl was alone to equalise the game.
“And the reaction in the second half went in the same direction. We scored a good goal, again, under our identity, our principles – switching very well the game from one side to the other, the right bodies inside the box. And we did it very well, very good goal from us.
“And after the game restarted, both teams were trying to win the game. They matched us, we matched them. They started to take more risks as well. They pressed us high, they put a lot of energy in the attack line.
“They were able to change all three players in their attack line. They were able to put a player like [Sandro] Tonali in the middle of the park, too.
“It’s their reality, and our reality right now is that moment could be a moment for us with Rodrigo or with one of the two right wingers, to freshen up our frontline. We are not able to do it. We are not in conditions to do it right now.
“We tried to win, to go in a different direction with Alex on the right, with Josh King and Tom Cairney to freshen up a bit our middle line.
“They put us under pressure, but not with the big chances, apart from one header from Bruno, not massive chances for them.
“The game was more with them on the front foot, but under control from us. And one mistake again, a mistake that we cannot do. And they punished us in a counter attack moment, when you have to do the basics well, and we didn't.
“We have to face it. We have to improve, clearly. The collective feelings from ourselves is that we were good, but we want more. I don't like to take positives when the things are so simple to do, and we we didn't do so well, like this afternoon.”