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Graham Taylor :Fulham are Premiership

last updated Saturday 20th January 2001, 5:18 PM
Fulham midfielder Clark hailed the striker parnership of Boa Morte and Saha.

"We have three of the top four or five goalscorers in the division and that is why we are at the top," he said. "If you have one striker who scores you 20-plus goals then you have a chance, but our three have more than 50 between them.

"They have so much pace and strength that if a game is tight and 0-0 you know they have the ability to finish off our passes.

"We expected a tough game and we weren't at our best in the first half. But (manager) Jean Tigana never said anything to us because he trusted us to put things right, which we did.

"I came to this club because of the ambition of the people here and I want to help them to achieve it. There is still a long way to go and I just hope that by May 6 we are in one of the two automatic promotion places."

We played against a side who I think are one class above the rest of us in the First Division," said Taylor. "That was a throwback to when we were in the Premiership last season.

"You can match a team for an hour, but then the quality of the opposition forwards is that much higher and they can score from one attack.

"Fulham are a more thoughtful team, like those we played against last season. Not only is their style pleasing on the eye, but they also have two great forwards in Louis Saha and Luis Boa Morte who are supplemented by a very clever player in Lee Clark, who makes them tick.

"Those two forwards, along with Barry Hayles who is injured, are three of the leading scorers in the division, and I don't think Fulham will play many games without scoring.

"I am very disappointed with the result because it was harsh on us. We played well and did well and I want my players to hear that. It was just their extra quality and thought which undid us.

"If we play like we did today for our remaining 19 matches then we'll win far more than we lose."

Boa Morte struck twice for Fulham and Saha grabbed the third, but Taylor admitted that Boa Morte was a little fortunate to have still been on the pitch to grab his goals.

The Fulham striker was booked for handball, but was lucky to escape further punishment for diving in the box, another handball, and two fouls.

Taylor added: "On any other day, with any other referee, he wouldn't have stayed on the pitch. But I prefer referees who don't try to send players off."
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