Fulham manager Marco Silva was pleased with Fulham’s desire to take all three points at Selhurst Park on New Year’s Day, something he believes we would have been good value for.
Tom Cairney came off the bench to sweep home a wonderful equaliser with 10 minutes remaining, before Timothy Castagne and Joachim Andersen saw good chances come and go in stoppage time.
“I agree that we probably deserved more from the game,” Silva said. “Tight game, as we expected, both teams respecting each other.
“We were more in control of the game before they scored, I think we were more the team on the front foot to try to win the game. We created some dangerous moments, not clearcut chances for both sides, but dangerous moments.
“I think we arrived in dangerous areas very well – the last moment, last run, the last finish probably we were lacking a bit more aggressiveness inside the box.
“After the goal, okay, Palace instilled their confidence a little bit, they arrived in dangerous areas more, and was a little bit difficult for us to react until half-time.
“Half-time we adjusted things, we changed our pressure, we gave some steps in terms of the high press, and the reaction was very good.
“I’m pleased for the players. Even before the goal, I think we created great moments to score – great header from Raúl, we were very unlucky again with that off the post.
“Great goal, what a goal from Tom. The two players that came in, first Timo and after Tom Cairney, they had an impact.
“Even when we changed the position of Saša, I think he did very, very well as a six, a little bit more freedom the way he was receiving the ball in high lines, with them very narrow.
“We knew after the 1-0 that they are going to be low again, very compact again, and we have to be patient. And we need a player like Tom that moment, and Saša did it very well.
“I think the goal is a good example where Saša received the ball, how we break the lines and, of course, top finish from Tom Cairney. Great goal from us, really deserved.
“And, of course, I'm very pleased with the ambition again of the team in the end of the game, playing away from home, we are the team pushing more to win the game and controlling the game in our offensive half again.
“In that moment, we created two clear chances to score. Palace had one dangerous corner as well, but two clear chances to score, and overall probably deserved more from the game again against Palace, because we were the team that created more throughout the game.”
We were trailing at the break to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header, one he scored when he only had to compete with one centre-back rather than two.
That was because Jorge Cuenca had temporarily been ordered off the pitch, though Silva’s argument was that he should have been allowed to remain, as he quickly made it clear that no treatment was required.
“They scored in the moment that the game was controlled and, to be honest, a moment that we should not be playing with 10 men.
“If a player goes down, if he feels the arm or the hand in his face, I think it’s a normal reaction to go down. Cuenca was standing up so quick in that moment. The first steps from the medical staff on the pitch, Cuenca was already standing up.
“Not a reason to call the medical staff in any moment, because the game should be played 11 against 11, and not 11 against 10.
“Okay, if it’s a concussion, you can feel that it’s a concussion, can be something dangerous, you can call the medical staff, but not every time. This afternoon was completely without a reason for Cuenca to be out in that moment.
“Of course, looking for me and for ourselves, we should defend better in that moment, should be more mature in that moment.
“Of course, we lost the duel with Robinson with [Nathaniel] Clyne, and gave them the chance to create inside the box. We have the conditions to defend better that situation, but without a reason to be with 10 men.”