Sunday Fulham Stuff - 25/01/26...

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Results

Saturday 24/01
West Ham	3-1	Sunderland
Burnley	2-2	Spurs
Fulham	2-1	Brighton
Chukwueze Wilson
Man City	2-0	Wolves
Bournemouth	3-2	Liverpool

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Fulham 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

At a glance

    Brighton take lead through Yasin Ayari stunner in first half

    Samuel Chukwueze scores equaliser on his return from Afcon

    Harry Wilson's late free-kick gives the Fulham three points

Harry Wilson scored a spectacular late free-kick as Fulham came from behind to defeat Brighton at Craven Cottage.

After Yasin Ayari produced a moment of magic to put the visitors in front in the first half, the Cottagers equalised through substitute Samuel Chukwueze before Wilson produced the winning strike in the 92nd minute.

Fulham were in the ascendancy when Ayari picked up possession on the left and cut inside before unleashing a venomous strike from the edge of the box past the diving Bernd Leno in the 28th minute.

The Seagulls almost doubled their lead two minutes later when Leno kept out Kaoru Mitoma's initial effort before Ferdi Kadioglu's header on the rebound was cleared off the line by Timothy Castagne.

The game opened up in the early stages of the second half and Fulham drew level through Chukwueze, who latched on to a long ball from Joachim Andersen and slotted past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to restore parity.

Brighton thought they had regained the lead a couple of minutes later only for Danny Welbeck's effort to be ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside before the striker also had a header tipped over the bar.

However, it was the hosts who found the decisive goal in the stoppage time as Wilson beat Verbruggen from 25 yards with a free-kick awarded for a foul by Charalampos Kostoulas on Josh King.

Fulham climb to seventh in the Premier League table with 34 points while Brighton are four points behind in 12th.

Fulham analysis: Hosts bounce back brilliantly
Fulham's impressive six-game unbeaten run came to a screeching halt at Leeds last week with them producing just a single shot on target and an xG of 0.39 in the 1-0 defeat.

Looking to bounce back, Marco Silva's side were the more progressive of the two sides early on with Raul Jimenez's near-post effort in the 24th minute denied by a fine save from Verbruggen.

However, Ayari's brilliant opener proved to be a shock to Fulham's system - one from which they failed to recover for the remainder of the first half.

Silva turned to his bench to spark the comeback with Chukwueze, who helped Nigeria finish third at the Africa Cup of Nations with a penalty shootout win last Saturday, grabbing the equaliser 13 minutes into his return.

They have now had 33 goal involvements from their substitutes since the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season, with only Brighton (39) recording more.

The winner came in the dying moments as Wilson's clever free-kick sent Brighton keeper Verbruggen scrambling across his goal in vain as the Wales international scored his ninth goal of the season.

Since the start of November, only Erling Haaland (12) has been involved in more league goals than Wilson, who has scored seven and assisted four in 14 appearances.

The win should give Fulham plenty of confidence before they take on fifth-placed Manchester United next week.

Brighton analysis: Seagulls stunned
Fulham and Brighton were 11th and 12th heading into this fixture but the congested nature of the Premier League table means European qualification is still a very realistic target for both sides.

The Cottagers have not featured in Europe since the 2011-12 Europa League while Brighton's only continental adventure came in 2023-24 in the same competition. So the stakes were higher than the league positions suggested here and the defeat left Fabian Hurzeler and his players in a state of shock.

The Seagulls were the better side for much of the contest and had opportunities to double the lead with Kadioglu and Pascal Gross denied by clearances off the line by Castagne.

Lewis Dunk and Welbeck also went close early in the second half as they looked to put the result beyond doubt before Welbeck found the back of the net after straying inches offside in the build-up.

As Brighton failed to take advantage of the opportunities - converting just one of the four big chances - Fulham produced just two but made the moments count.

What's next for these teams?
Fulham will travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in their next Premier League match on Sunday, 1 February (14:00 GMT) while Brighton welcome Everton to Amex Stadium on Saturday, 31 January (15:00).



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cdxj41qn7w9t

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Post-Brighton Press Conference
Marco Silva was delighted with Fulham's late show versus Brighton, despite his side not being at their best on Saturday.

We were well on top until conceding in the first half, something that did frustrate our Head Coach, but the team rallied and turned things around thanks to goals from Samuel Chukwueze and Harry Wilson.

"The aspect that should be more disappointing for us, how a goal can affect everything that we are doing well," he explained. "That is the reality.

"First 25 minutes, we did what we planned, and we were the team on the front foot. We create a big, big chance with Raúl, we were always arriving in dangerous areas to create moments, we controlled almost everything from Brighton until that moment.

"They were 25 minutes in our level, I can say. And suddenly, with the goal, changed completely. And these things cannot happen with us, because it can boost their confidence, definitely, but it cannot change everything that we are doing so well.

"We have to show even more confidence in ourselves, trust what was the plan and what we were doing well. It's a big disappointment for us, the last 20 minutes of the first half were not a good level. And because of that we suffered, and probably they had chances to score the second goal during that period.

"Second half, we knew that we had to take more risks, definitely. We dug in. We dug in all the second half. Even from the bench, we gave always forward inputs for the team to try to draw and [then] to win the game.

"The reality is that we scored a great goal for us – simple, but great. The pass from Joachim, the opposite run from Chukwu, and they know that we need it against teams that come to press so high. We need runs in behind, we need players to chase them in behind. A great moment from both, from Andersen and from Chukwu to equalise the game.

"And, after, they had the disallowed goal. The small details are coming against us a lot – the Crystal Palace game, Liverpool game, [but] this afternoon a really small offside came in our favour.

"It boosted ourselves, and in that moment the game can go either way, because both teams were trying to win the game. They didn't stop trying to win, we were as well. And we scored a great goal from a free-kick from Harry Wilson.

"Big win for us – probably the fair result should be the draw, in my opinion. I think it's harsh for them to lose the game the way they lost."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/24/post-brighton-press-conference/

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Harry Wilson free-kick snatches dramatic late win for Fulham over Brighton
A brilliant stoppage-time free-kick from Harry Wilson saw Fulham come from behind to earn a dramatic 2-1 win over Brighton at Craven Cottage.

An uninspiring match appeared destined for a draw when Wilson, already with seven Premier League goals to his name in what is turning into an outstanding season, stepped up 20 yards out and shot for the corner, the ball evading the desperate dive of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen who could only push it into the roof of the goal.

Marco Silva's side had been poor, labouring in front of their own fans since falling behind to a long-range effort by Yasin Ayari that slipped through the hands of Bernd Leno.

Their equaliser after the break through substitute Samuel Chukwueze was more than their performance to that point had warranted, and things could have been worse had Danny Welbeck not seen a goal ruled out by the narrowest offside decision.

No team in the league had drawn more matches than Brighton's nine this season but simply being tricky to beat will not alone propel Fabian Hurzeler's team towards the European places. Victories had been harder to come by – only one in their previous nine – and there will be frustration that they not only failed to hold their lead here but came away with nothing.

Fulham had early half-chances for Kevin, Jorge Cuenca and Wilson inside the opening 20 minutes but none of them kept their efforts low enough to trouble Verbruggen.

The first real openings were for Raul Jimenez, sent through on goal but unable to slip the ball by Brighton's goalkeeper who raced out well to save, then with a volley crashed straight against Lewis Dunk.

It was then quite against the run of play when Brighton went ahead after 28 minutes but Fulham had only themselves to blame. Nobody in white got near Ayari as he advanced infield from out near the left-hand touchline, and the shot that followed, though well-struck, should not have slipped as it did through the hands of Leno.

Fulham's goalkeeper partially made amends moments later when saving with his foot from Karou Mitoma. Ayari's header on the rebound was well cleared off the line by the recovering Timothy Castagne.

Welbeck was inches from connecting with Mitoma's header across goal and doubling Brighton's lead at the start of the second half.

Fulham's last-gasp defeat to Leeds a week ago had been their first loss in seven but their showing since going a goal behind was more reminiscent of their four-game losing run in the autumn.

Chukwueze's equaliser in the 72nd minute was beautifully taken. Joachim Andersen sent a perfectly weighted, raking ball down the right that sailed over the head of Olivier Boscagli. The AC Milan loanee raced behind the defender, took a single touch to control and applied a simple finish across Verbruggen into the corner.

Welbeck had the ball in the net almost immediately from Mitoma's pass before VAR ruled that inches of the striker's upper arm had been ahead of the last defender. Undeterred, Welbeck tried again with a header from Pascal Gross' cross, pushed over the bar by Leno.

A draw might have been fair, but Wilson wrote another page in his brilliant individual season at the death.



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/harry-wilson-free-kick-snatches-170925231.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADi-TccyAUPiPlNNcV9eyrgEDt4t-BgdsHjjP7bPtaJWvi3uT3P-hjiQUNE76G9CTCAE6vaNhiT8Sx9aGVDVEP-l0SUbFpm5WTlr7EMvY05hXKYhJ_ILsH3uDSv4IztMHB2byN76PneLB9X0gRSP0OM2fHoJ5nTM6tIJnKCQZdZd

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Fulham 2-1 Brighton: Harry Wilson the saviour as late free-kick downs Seagulls
Cottagers close gap on top four in hunt for Europe

A brilliant stoppage-time free-kick from Harry Wilson saw Fulham come from behind to earn a dramatic 2-1 win over Brighton at Craven Cottage.

An uninspiring match appeared destined for a draw when Wilson, already with seven Premier League goals to his name in what is turning into an outstanding season, stepped up 20 yards out and shot for the corner, the ball evading the desperate dive of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen who could only push it into the roof of the goal.

Marco Silva's side had been poor, labouring in front of their own fans since falling behind to a long-range effort by Yasin Ayari that slipped through the hands of Bernd Leno.

Their equaliser after the break through substitute Samuel Chukwueze was more than their performance to that point had warranted, and things could have been worse had Danny Welbeck not seen a goal ruled out by the narrowest offside decision.

No team in the league had drawn more matches than Brighton's nine this season but simply being tricky to beat will not alone propel Fabian Hurzeler's team towards the European places. Victories had been harder to come by - only one in their previous nine - and there will be frustration that they not only failed to hold their lead here but came away with nothing.

Fulham had early half-chances for Kevin, Jorge Cuenca and Wilson inside the opening 20 minutes but none of them kept their efforts low enough to trouble Verbruggen.

The first real openings were for Raul Jimenez, sent through on goal but unable to slip the ball by Brighton's goalkeeper who raced out well to save, then with a volley crashed straight against Lewis Dunk.

It was then quite against the run of play when Brighton went ahead after 28 minutes but Fulham had only themselves to blame. Nobody in white got near Ayari as he advanced infield from out near the left-hand touchline, and the shot that followed, though well-struck, should not have slipped as it did through the hands of Leno.

Fulham's goalkeeper partially made amends moments later when saving with his foot from Karou Mitoma. Ayari's header on the rebound was well cleared off the line by the recovering Timothy Castagne.

Welbeck was inches from connecting with Mitoma's header across goal and doubling Brighton's lead at the start of the second half.

Fulham's last-gasp defeat to Leeds a week ago had been their first loss in seven but their showing since going a goal behind was more reminiscent of their four-game losing run in the autumn.

Chukwueze's equaliser in the 72nd minute was beautifully taken. Joachim Andersen sent a perfectly weighted, raking ball down the right that sailed over the head of Olivier Boscagli. The AC Milan loanee raced behind the defender, took a single touch to control and applied a simple finish across Verbruggen into the corner.

Welbeck had the ball in the net almost immediately from Mitoma's pass before VAR ruled that inches of the striker's upper arm had been ahead of the last defender. Undeterred, Welbeck tried again with a header from Pascal Gross' cross, pushed over the bar by Leno.

A draw might have been fair, but Wilson wrote another page in his brilliant individual season at the death.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-brighton-premier-league-wilson-b1268001.html

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Chukwueze scores on Afcon return as Fulham come from behind to beat Brighton
Samuel Chukwueze scored on his return from the Africa Cup of Nations as Fulham defeated Brighton 2-1 in their Premier League Round 23 match at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Brighton opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Yasin Ayari struck into the top-left corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Fulham responded in the second half, introducing Chukwueze in the 59th minute.

The Nigerian winger scored the equaliser in the 72nd minute, connecting with a cross from Joachim Andersen and placing the ball into the bottom-left corner.

This was Chukwueze's third Premier League goal of the season.

Fulham secured the win in stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, Harry Wilson scored from a long-range free-kick, sending the ball into the top-left corner and giving Fulham a 2-1 lead, which remained until the final whistle.

Chukwueze had recently been part of the Super Eagles squad that won the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria defeated Egypt in a penalty shootout to claim third place. During the tournament, Chukwueze provided two assists for the national team.

Wale Adejumo



https://allnigeriasoccer.com/chukwueze-scores-on-afcon-return-as-fulham-come-from-behind-to-beat-brighton

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Fulham 2-1 Brighton

Harry Wilson's first free-kick goal for the Club earned Fulham a stoppage time win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Cottage on Saturday.

We had trailed at the break to Yasin Ayari's well struck shot but rallied after the break, equalising through Samuel Chukwueze's calm finish from Joachim Andersen's unreal pass.

Danny Welbeck then had a goal disallowed by VAR following a tight offside call, paving the way for Wilson to grab the headlines once again when his stunning set-piece found the top corner in the second minute of added time.

Marco Silva made two changes to the team that began against Leeds United a week earlier. Saša Lukić injured his hamstring in that match and was replaced by the returning Alex Iwobi – his Nigeria teammates Calvin Bassey and Chukwueze were named amongst the substitutes – while Kevin came in for Ryan Sessegnon on the wing.

Kevin almost justified his Head Coach's decision inside four minutes when a beautiful pirouette created space for a shooting opportunity from 20 yards, but his powerful effort cleared the bar.

That was the only attempt we witnessed inside the opening 19 minutes, though Brighton were fortunate that the ball didn't drop to anyone in white when goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen smashed his clearance into Wilson after being sold short with a Lewis Dunk backpass.

We then had two openings in the space of as many minutes, but both Jorge Cuenca's header and Wilson's ripper went over.

Verbruggen was forced into his first save midway through the half when, following some intricate play from Wilson, Raúl Jiménez tiptoed away from a challenge before slamming a shot into the Dutch stopper.

The Whites had really upped the ante by this point and threatened again when Kevin did well to head Timothy Castagne's deep cross back across goal to Raúl, whose shot on the spin was blocked.

It was therefore naturally disappointing when Albion went in front with their first shot of the game when Ayari smashed one in from just inside the box.

Bernd Leno might feel he could have done better with the effort from Ayari after getting hands to it, but he made amends soon after in denying Kaoru Mitoma, with Castagne then on hand to head Ferdi Kadioglu's follow-up off the line.

Fulham had struggled to find a rhythm after conceding but looked to rectify that quickly in the second half, Wilson drawing a save from Verbruggen two minutes in, although a deflection had taken most of the pace off.

Despite not seeing much of the ball since the restart, Brighton had two excellent chances to double their lead on the counter, but Mitoma couldn't find Welbeck when shooting might have been the better option. And when he did pick him out after they recycled possession, the veteran striker volleyed wide.

They would rue those misses as Fulham restored parity with our next attack. It was a stunning pass over the top from Andersen to pick out the run of Chukwueze – not long on for Kevin – and he coolly opened his body up to place one in the far corner.

The Seagulls thought they had immediately restored their lead when Mitoma slipped Welbeck in who finished well, but the veteran striker had strayed just offside.

Welbeck nearly had the last laugh with a powerful header from Olivier Boscagli's left wing cross, but Leno showed superb reflexes to tip it over.

The match was on a knife edge, begging for someone to grab a winner, and our wizard duly obliged in stoppage time. After substitute Josh King had been felled 25 yards from goal, Wilson stepped up to thump a brilliant free-kick into the top left corner. Verbruggen got a hand to it, but it was too venomous and the Cottage erupted as we turned zero points into three.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/24/fulham-2-1-brighton/

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Wilson the hero again as late goal gives Fulham victory
Harry Wilson continued his brilliant form by scoring with a superb stoppage-time free-kick to secure a dramatic victory for Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Samuel Chukwueze equalised for the Whites after Yasin Ayari had put Brighton ahead.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw when Wilson produced another moment of magic.

Ayari scored against the run of play, running past two Fulham players and unleashing a powerful strike which keeper Bernd Leno got a hand to but could not keep out of the net.

Having looked the better side before falling behind, Fulham lost their way and would have gone further behind but for Timothy Castagne's superb clearance off the line to keep out Ferdi Kadioglu's header.

Brighton continued to threaten after the interval, with Lewis Dunk and Danny Welbeck going close.

But Fulham levelled when Chukwueze collected Joachim Andersen's long pass, burst into the box and fired home from a tight angle.

It seemed Brighton had regained the lead less than two minutes afterwards, when Welbeck slotted past Leno after being put in by Kaoru Mitoma, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR check.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson (Sessegnon 59), Berge, Iwobi (King 88), Wilson, Smith Rowe (Cairney 69), Kevin (Chukwueze 59), Jimenez.
Subs not used: Lecomte, Diop, Bassey, Reed, Kusi-Asare.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-v-brighton-wilson-winner

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Fulham's contract conundrum over star lighting up the season: Marco Silva issue has the boardroom in a bind after Harry Wilson saves the day again with late strike in 2-1 win over Brighton
Brighton's wait for a first top-flight win away to Fulham in their 125-year history will go on for another season at least after a Harry Wilson free-kick in stoppage time sealed a fantastic comeback for Marco Silva's men.

Wilson's spectacular 92nd-minute winner proved too hot to handle for Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen — and left his manager Fabian Hurzeler bemoaning the 'brutal' nature of football.

Brighton, who went in front through Yasin Ayari, had led for 44 minutes and looked set for a historic victory. They were also denied a second goal by a narrow VAR offside call against Danny Welbeck, either side of Samuel Chukwueze's equaliser and Wilson's last-minute showstopper.

'That's football,' said Hurzeler, whose side have only won one of their last 10 league games. 'Some people might be worried, but I see the team sticking together. Sometimes you need luck in football and we need to get the luck back.'

Fulham must tie down wing wizard
'He's done it again, he's done it again... Harry Wilson, he's done it again.' The song was belted out by the home fans at full time here at Craven Cottage, and no wonder.

With 17 goals and assists in his last 17 games for club and country, Welshman Wilson is quite simply in the form of his life. He has always been capable of scoring wonder goals - and there was another for his extensive collection here - but for the first time in his career he is delivering week in, week out, from the start, at the top level.

The only downside for Fulham? Wilson is out of contract at the end of the season.

So while his form will be putting smiles on faces every week in the stands, there will be a few furrowed brows in the boardroom. A club of Fulham's stature cannot afford to let a player of Wilson's ability walk out the door for free.

But surely they cannot countenance selling him either, with the form he's in and while sitting just a few points out of the Champions League spots.

It's a bind, albeit with a seemingly obvious solution - give the most in-form player in the Premier League a bumper new contract. Trouble is, Wilson is said to want clarity on Marco Silva's future - his manager is also out of contract at the end of the season - before committing, while Aston Villa and Everton are among the clubs monitoring his situation.

'He (Wilson) has been incredible,' said Silva after full time on Saturday. 'Very, very, very good. He's on a great run. It's the best moment of his career. Sometimes everything comes together - he's matured, his decision-making (has improved). He's helping the team, enjoying his football, he's a humble guy.

'We are in the fight to keep him. It's not going to be easy, much more clubs are going to be around him (because of his form). He's happy in our football club and it's up to the club to do the maximum they can to keep him. It's going to be a challenge because he's playing so well.'

Wilson has overperformed his expected goals (xG) more than any other player in the League this season. He will be rewarded financially for it - it's just a question who will be signing the cheques.

Silva subs work a treat
'Kevin Robinson' sounds a little like your sister's first boyfriend or an accountant from Guildford, but it's also the two players Silva hooked as he chased an equaliser here.

Brazilian winger Kevin and full back Antonee Robinson were having little joy down the left flank and so Silva turned to Ryan Sessegnon and Chukwueze on his bench.

Chukwueze duly levelled the scores soon after, racing onto a hopeful punt forward from Joachim Andersen and sidefooting past Bart Verbruggen from a tight angle. Good, proactive subs from Silva - and they worked a treat.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15491241/fulham-harry-wilson-contract-marco-silva.html

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David Moyes to make Fulham pay the price after silly Everton advertising campaign
David Moyes may have all the motivation he needs already ahead of Everton facing Fulham at Craven Cottage next month.

Everton are due to travel Fulham on 7 February following games against Leeds United and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Moyes' immediate focus will be on Everton's clash with Leeds at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night.

The games are coming thick and fast, with that trip to West London to take on Fulham set to be Everton's third of four games in the space of 15 days.

Fulham make 'Toffees Crumble' joke at Everton's expense
While Everton have a couple of days to wait before facing Leeds, Fulham were in home action against Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

And with Everton being next up at Craven Cottage, Fulham used the game as a chance to advertise tickets for the clash with Moyes' men in their matchday programme.

As shared by journalist Paul Brown via X, Fulham used an image of Tom Cairney and the text "Toffees Crumble" in a joke that Moyes has been urged to pin in the dressing room.

It is all light-hearted, of course, but Moyes now has further motivation – if it were needed – to come away from West London with all three points.



https://www.goodisonnews.com/2026/01/24/david-moyes-to-make-fulham-pay-the-price-after-silly-everton-advertising-campaign/

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Wilson to the rescue as superb free-kick earns Fulham comeback win
Brighton beaten 2-1 by second half goals from Chukwueze and Wilson at the Cottage

Is there a better player at Craven Cottage right now than our number 8? There has seldom been a game this season untouched by the marvellous feet of Harry Wilson, who has once again inspired Fulham to a victory in the Premier League with his talents. Today's heroics, a stoppage-time free kick scored to give Fulham a comeback over a promising Brighton performance, give Marco Silva yet another reason to cherish his maestro, as the team continue picking up points in 2026. We've often said our club lack the "superstar" in attack to deliver goals from nothing - Wilson might just be the man that earns the title through his efforts this season.

First Half
A slow start to the game wasn't too great a surprise - Brighton, like us, are a side content to play the long game, happy to work through phases of the game patiently, and subsequently weren't deterred by our early passing moves. We had the brighter start of the two, easing through the opening minutes and settling into a decent rhythm. The return of Iwobi contributed to this - he gelled nicely with the team and contributed to several passing sequences.

This didn't really produce a flurry of chances, though. 20 minutes of Fulham being the "better side" only concretely delivered one major opportunity. A smart run from Wilson let him dagger through their team, driving menacingly into the box. He slipped it through to Jimenez, the poacher wiggling away from Dunk to get into shooting distance, but slammed his shot into Verbruggen, who denied Raul a goal. Beyond this, it was slim pickings. The build-up play was decent, a few clever long balls from Robinson letting our wingers surge forward, but Kevin's run was diverted out for a corner by van Hecke and Wilson couldn't put a decent ball into the box when he managed to escape Boscagli. Cuenca's header from one of the Welshman's few successful deliveries flew comfortably over, and a Castagne cross from the right led to a volley from Jimenez fired straight into van Hecke.

Raul's volley seemingly marked the end of our energy and presence in the game. Whilst we weren't dominant, we'd played confidently and been the more productive side in the opening phase of the half - yet Brighton, without having to do too much, had their opener by the 30 minute mark. Mitoma and Groß had their eye on Castagne and had thrown a few runs down Brighton's left to try and advantage our right-back. These probes were dangerous, and we failed to read the looming danger. Passes between Mitoma and Boscagli worked it to Ayari, who cruised between the languid covering of Wilson and Iwobi and moved into position. His shot was fierce, a missile that flew into the top left corner of the goal. Some will argue Leno should have stopped it, and his hands certainly were soft, but softer was the ease in which Brighton, the second-best side for a good stretch of time, were able to move into our territory and take the lead.

The rest of the half was Brighton's to toy with Fulham in. Ayari's goal had the weight of ten, dragging our legs to the floor and killing any energy for attack in the process. We almost conceded straight away, a Dunk pass over the top finding Mitoma completely unopposed on our right. He needled into the box and drilled a shot goalwards, needing a strong leg from Leno to save. The German's fine block didn't end the danger though - Gomez had tracked the ball and headed it down towards the open net. Thankfully Castagne, caught out by Mitoma's initial chance, had made it back to the box to deny the chance on the goalline, sparing Fulham's blushes.

It was a troubled watch for us. The effect of Brighton, tails lifted, passing nice triangles all over the pitch, shattered the fluidity of our game, as our composure on the ball dissipated entirely. Some really hideous passes from Castagne and Robinson meant we continually gave Brighton easy options to keep themselves in charge of game. These nerves rebounded around the team - a tame volley from Baleba turned into a panicked push wide from Leno, trying to prevent a corner. The keeper being off his line gave Groß a chance to curl the ball in from a tight angle, needing Berge to head it away. Such interventions were crucial - Baleba devoured anything in the middle, and the advancement of Brighton's team into our half meant the ball bounced around our final third continuously. By the time our lacklustre ripostes managed to must up a chance (which even then was just Dunk making a slightly risky chested-deflection from a Iwobi ball into the box) the half had ended, and Brighton maintained their lead.

Second Half
At least Fulham had the energy conserved to make a charge on Brighton's advantage? We started the second half with gusto, Wilson fizzing off the right and drilling a deflected shot at goal for Verbruggen to stop. Unfortunately our defending was still vulnerable to Brighton's smart play, and the second they had the ball back the pressure switched back to our half. Our midfield was faltering, and defensively too many mistakes let attackers access our final third - Robinson was the greatest offender here, his radar completely switched off to the game around him. Cuenca was busy here, blocking a shot pumped into him by an advanced van Hecke and repelling some dangerous crosses from Groß. The two he couldn't reach should have been converted by Dunk - one flew wide, and Groß's quick pass back into the box saw a Dunk smack a header off Gomez and out of play.

Fulham tried to turn up the tempo. Jimenez, who had grafted around the pitch to some effect, worked a nice ball from the wings to Wilson, who in turn gave Iwobi the pass in a patch of space in front of goal. He could only put his effort into Dunk though, and again the clear shooting chances eluded us in the box. Kevin, deprived of the ball for much of the first half, tried to muster up some energy of his own, using his pace to take on Kadioglu - a long pass from Leno flew over the pitch and almost worked to the Brazilian's favour, but Verbruggen was well-placed to stop his touch earning an equaliser.

Yet these forays forward left us vulnerable at the back. A quick set of passes let Groß work Mitoma through on the left, miles ahead of Castagne and with a clear route to Leno's goal ahead of him. Bursting into the box, he had the chance to double the lead, yet chose to try and find Welbeck, dragging a heavy cross to the touchline. Our defence was panicked and depleted though, and Brighton worked it around again - through Kadioglu's cross, the ball swung from the right into the box, finding the Japan international lurking in its left-zone. He headed it across, which this time found Welbeck successfully, but the striker couldn't steer it goalwards, and Brighton's chance to double the lead was blown.

Silva had seen enough, and made the first changes of the game to try and swing things our way. Kevin was a little unfortunate to be the man withdrawn, Chukwueze making his first bout since AFCON - Robinson could have no complaints, having been a liability for much of the match, and Sessegnon took over on the left. It was a bold change, introducing a new approach for our left, and signalled our intent to rescue the match in the attacking energy added. Long balls were a potent strategy, Cuenca playing a killer ball to Wilson on the right on one such occasion. Yet Brighton still stood firm - Baleba was playing well, hoovering up chances with diligence in the centre, denying our somewhat slicker passing the chance to carve a way directly into the goal and creating counter-attacks in the process. It let them play long balls of their own - Dunk lifted it over our team to Kadioglu, needing some alert tracking back from Sess to put it out for a corner. Another intervention set Welbeck away, the striker dispossessing Berge and cruising through our midfield, before being pulled down by Berge to terminate the move.

Once again, Brighton had withstood our offensive turn, shifting the game back into our half with their smart play. We were struggling to keep things coherent on the ball, and found ourselves never more than a few Brighton passes away from an opportunity for the visitors. Ayari tried to replicate his long-ranged shot in the first half following an Iwobi clearance, but lifted his ball over the bar. This signalled the second major change - Smith Rowe, who had been removed from the action entirely, departed for Tom Cairney, with the hope of consolidating some possession and turning the game our way.

Was it a coincidence that our goal came shortly afterwards? Brighton didn't appear deterred initially, and continued purring around our half with menace. It was the other, earlier change that had made the key difference. Chukwueze had the vision to spot Andersen's long ball forward, placed on the right wing to meet his bending pass, and strode past a stumbling Boscagli, pacing into the box. He took a single touch, placed himself in the right trajectory and then had the precision to slot the ball under Verbruggen from a tight angle. 1-1, and what a way to lift home spirits by the returning man.

If the game had started as neat passing sequences and limited chances, the next few minutes ensured this theme was over entirely. Quickly dispossessing Brighton, Fulham moved the ball through a wide-right Jimenez and Wilson cutting inside to find Cairney in the box. He had time, and the lead in his eyes - but Dunk, heroically sliding into his path, let the ball thump into his chest. Kadioglu's clearance was timely, and it fell straight to Welbeck, ever alert to an attacking opportunity. He collected it really nicely, and fed the effervescent Mitoma, who skipped past Castagne's missed tackle and glided through our depleted team. He contorted Andersen and slipped the ball through Welbeck, wrongfooting Cuenca and leaving the striker the time away from a trailing Sess to pass the ball through a downed Leno's open legs. From elation to disaster - Brighton had their lead restored.

Yet VAR, so often the bane of our existence, came to the rescue. A hilariously tight offside was discovered - Welbeck's right arm took him ahead of the line, and his excellent finish was scrubbed from the history books by the tightest of margins. The game was basketball for a few minutes - Chukwueze, still enjoying a stretch challenging Boscagli on the right wing, gave it to Jimenez in space, again intelligently positioned away from the backline, but he couldn't control his touch and the shot dribbled wide of goal. Brighton had another riposte, working the ball to the left for Groß to swing into the box - Welbeck, seeking his goal back, leapt stupendously into the air, evading Cuenca and meeting the ball with fine contact, but his header was too central, and Leno thrust his hand into the air to parry it over the bar. Dunk's header also found his arms, via van Hecke's deflection, and equity remained.

The game was starting to tire Brighton's players, and at the 81st minute Fabian Hurzeler made his first changes. But this had an adverse effect on his team. Gomez, whilst far from the flashiest player, had worked hard across the pitch at both ends to support Kadioglu, and Baleba's interventions and graft kept Brighton ticking on and off the ball. Minteh was solely based in attack, and Milner, whilst a respectable veteran (and very close to breaking the PL record) doesn't come close to his teammate's intensity. This was compounded with the next set of substitutions the Brighton manager made - a triple sub removing Groß, Welbeck and Boscagli for De Cuyper, Kostoulas and Rutter, removing tactical structures for extra forwards. We started to get the edge, clawing our way through more physical battles and through our own change, adding King for Iwobi, consolidating the ball in Brighton's area.

It's amazing what can happen in a few moments. As the game crept into additional time, Fulham moved the ball ominously around their final third, needing the strong interventions of Dunk and van Hecke. Yet the substitutes weren't attuned to the game, yielding a run of set-pieces for us towards the end of the game. The fatal error was Kostoulas', sliding in recklessly on King, who'd been busy putting himself about the attack with his verve and guile. We haven't scored many free kicks across our return to the top flight - up steps Harry Wilson, fast becoming our player of the year, to put the sword to Brighton. It was a fine strike, lashed with venom and purpose, curled around the wall brilliantly and just enough to Verbruggen's left to make the keeping error costly, as the Dutchman could only palm the effort into his own net. 2-1 to Fulham, the crowd elated, and though Brighton put the ball forward it was in vain - we took the ball off them and kept hold of it long enough to see out a comeback victory at the Cottage.

Fulham: Faltering to Fantastic
It was a flawed performance from Fulham, quite poor in many departments, but the game's result is all that really matters, and that hinges on our good work in critical moments. Silva has coached these players well - he has a tactic that produces chances, and whilst we were poor in much of the first half there were opportunities created for the team across large stretches of the game. The long balls from Andersen and Cuenca were fantastic, and got just rewards in Chukwueze's goal, the movement from Jimenez did unnerve Brighton on a few occasions - Verbruggen did well to stop his effort in the first half - and by working the ball purposefully late into the game we earnt a late free kick that Wilson delectably scored.

If we're being slightly harsher, we could argue the game was lost by Brighton more than won by Fulham, as Verbruggen could have stopped the shot, and Welbeck being a fraction earlier with his run gives them a goal to reverse the scoreline. This is silly though, and it could just have easily been Leno's hands being a little stronger in the first half to deny Brighton a goal whatsoever! You have to look at the broader picture - whilst last minute winners can signal an element of fortune, they also are a staple of football, the reason we love the sport. Fulham worked hard across the game against a good opponent, one that consistently plays well against us, and we had the magic from two talismanic players to reverse their lead in entirety. Wilson and Chukwueze need to be in this team - even on a day where the Welshman was a little wayward at times, they are the players that make the sparks fly, and produce game-changing moments like today.

Jimenez I thought worked incredibly hard today and was very important in tiring out Brighton, popping up all over the attack (and defence!) and eating away at the stamina of their backline. Kevin did this too, and perhaps won't get the credit given the exploits of the other wingers, but he was part of the second-half attacks that kickstarted our recovery in the game, and laid the groundwork for his teammates' heroics later on. I liked seeing Iwobi back, as I think he had the stamina and versatility to be important at the start and end of a game in a way Lukic might have struggled, moving around to fit the changing personnel of the XI. Sess too was important, and it's interesting to see him outclass Robinson in attack and defence over the 90 - hopefully this will give Antonee the motivation to restore his focus after today's wobbles. On a lower rung, I thought Berge needed a bit of a kickstart after a slow first half, and Smith Rowe barely featured in the action at all.

Defensively we were quite shaky. Robinson, as has been said already, had a really poor game - whilst there were some nice passes early on, the man was a loose cannon for much of the match, barely able to string a pass together in his worst moments. If he had a sterner opponent than Gomez, he'd be in our focus more - instead my eyes turn to Castagne, who was blown to pieces by Mitoma on numerous occasions and looked out of his depth at the back again. You watch him start the game in an alright fashion and think he'll manage to settle the flank down for a game, only for everything to implode and Brighton to have the luxury of a wing to themselves for over an hour. A wretched display, unfortunately. Cuenca was attuned to a lot of the balls coming into the box and probably nudges ahead of Andersen today, who did improve but had some nervy moments against Welbeck over the course of the game. If anything is positive, though, Leno amended his weak attempt to stop Ayari's goal with some fine saves, showcasing his talents as a keeper and reminding us of why he is an automatic starter.

Mid-table troubles for Hurzeler
What about the visitors? I thought Brighton were very good, as they often are against us, and could easily have scored more than the one they did. As always they were easy on the eye, played progressive and encouraging football and never seemed to give up on the pursuit of the win, which is the sort of football that leads to promising things in the Premier League. They've had several managers play this style of football now and it's not an unhealthy place to be - despite the result, much is well on the South Coast.

Buying Groß back from Dortmund looks a great move - he was everywhere, keeping possession effectively and linking nicely with Mitoma on the left to give Brighton the attacking drive in the game. Germany should consider him for their World Cup squad if this calibre of football continues from the midfielder. Ayari too had a good game, a fine strike complementing some nice positional play, and with Baleba as the deeper option the midfield were a good force across the match, particularly with Kadioglu and van Hecke stepping forward to supplement their passing options. Mitoma was a menace and made their left flank a pain to try and defend against, and Welbeck continues his evergreen existence as a marauding forward. It is no wonder his teammates have sung his praises across all his clubs.

Of course, they did lose, which suggests a few flaws in their team. The finishing, Ayari's long-range effort aside, could have been sharper - Leno did well to stop a few of them but the abundance of chances created along the wings needed more venom to press home Brighton's advantage. This meant that the second problem, the drop-off when Brighton ran out of energy and the substitutes couldn't match it, was felt to a more severe degree. I also think Hurzeler got his changes wrong - the team lost their coherency at exactly the wrong time, as key men like Baleba left for aging veterans like Milner or nervy youngsters, one of whom conceded the free-kick that we won the game with. If they want to get back into Europe, the poor match management will have to be amended.

On that topic, Fulham find themselves on 34 points, incredibly just two away from the Champions League (which, if English sides continue to do well in Europe, may yield an extra slot to aim for). It's almost fantastical to speak about trips to Barcelona, Milan and Munich just yet, but the truth of this bizarre season is that we sit near the top of a congested mid-table, where no sides, including the conventional big ones, have managed to pull away entirely. With our Nigerian contingent back, injuries clearing up and form looking good, there's a real opportunity for Silva and the club to do something truly special. It'll take a lot of work, and certainly need a little more than last-minute Wilson freekicks to be realised, but the dream of a return to Europe is not impossible, and if the players keep that in mind a whole lot is possible this year!



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/wilson-to-the-rescue-as-superb-free

[WhiteJC]

Fulham must fight to keep Harry Wilson, warns boss Marco Silva
Fulham manager Marco Silva warned the club must do everything they can to keep Harry Wilson after his eighth Premier League goal of the season beat Brighton.

The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer and it is likely there will be offers to try and tempt him away from Craven Cottage, increasingly so following a brilliant stoppage-time free-kick that sealed a dramatic 2-1 triumph.

It was the latest twist in what is becoming a remarkable breakout campaign for the former Liverpool midfielder, and Silva acknowledged the "fight" is on to keep him on the books as the weeks count down on his current deal.

"We are in the fight, we are trying to keep him," said Silva. "If you ask me if it's going to be easy, I say it's not going to be easy.

"The more he scores, many more clubs are going to be around him. This is football business. When a player goes to the end of his contract, this kind of thing is going to happen.

"I know he's happy in our club and how much he's enjoying the moment. It's up to the club to do the maximum to keep him."

Wilson, who joined the Cottagers initially on loan in 2021, has now scored in his last three league matches at home, including winning goals against Brighton and Chelsea as well as a goal in the draw with champions Liverpool.

"He's been brilliant for us," said Silva. "He's on a great run but it's from the first day of the season. He's been able to take the responsibility on his back, to be decisive.

"We had some very good spells (in the game) but it was not our best performance. He was able to take that free-kick. I'm repeating every week, it's the best moment of his career. Sometimes, everything comes together."

Victory for Fulham, a fifth in their last eight league fixtures, moved them up to seventh, but it looked unlikely for most of a game in which they were second best to Brighton.

Yasin Ayari scored for the visitors in the first half with an effort from range that spilled through the hands of goalkeeper Bernd Leno, before substitute Samuel Chukwueze equalised after the break following a fine pass from Joachim Andersen.

Danny Welbeck was then denied by the narrowest possible offside call from VAR before Wilson struck at the death to win it.

"Probably a fair result would have been the draw," Silva said. "I think it's harsh for them to lose the game in the way they lost."

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler reflected on an offside call against Welbeck that could have gone in his side's favour.

"It depends on when they stop (the tape), when they say 'now it's the touch'," he said. "For me it's just objective and you need to accept.

"We controlled everything we could today. We can't control VAR, we can't control individual errors. We have to accept that in football sometimes errors happen."



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/fulham-must-fight-keep-harry-183223813.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham 'in the fight' to keep 'brilliant' Wilson, says Silva
Marco Silva again hailed Harry Wilson after his stoppage-time winner for Fulham against Brighton – and again insisted the club are fighting to keep the in-form winger.

Wilson bagged his eighth Premier League goal of the season with a brilliant free-kick to snatch the points at Craven Cottage.

He has been Fulham's player of the season so far, but there remain doubts over his future.

Whites boss Silva declared: "Incredible. He's been very, very, very good.

"He's been brilliant for us. Not just now, I know that he's in a great run, but from the first day of the season, he's been brilliant for us. He's been able to take the responsibility and to be decisive.

"We had some very good spells, but it was not our best performance, but he was able to take that free-kick and I'm repeating it every single week, but it's the true – the best moment of his career.

"In some seasons everything comes together. This season he's helping the team, he's enjoying his football, he's working hard. He's a very humble guy and we are very pleased to have him, to be able to to decide games."

Wilson is in the final months of his contract and talks are ongoing, but he has so far not agreed a new deal.

"We are in the fight to keep him. He is happy at our football club, it's up to the club to keep working hard to keep him," said Silva,

"It's going to be a challenge, it's normal in football. If something clear happens, we will announce, but we are trying."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-in-the-fight-to-keep-brilliant-wilson-says-silva

[WhiteJC]

Ricardo Pepi: Fulham lodge bid for PSV Eindhoven striker amid injury crisis
Cottagers are lacking numbers in their frontline

Fulham have submitted a bid for PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi as they look to bolster their attacking options before the end of the January transfer window.

It is unclear whether the bid has been accepted, but Standard Sport understands that Fulham have a long-standing interest in the United States international.

The Cottagers have been in the market for attacking reinforcements, with Raul Jimenez the only senior forward available to Marco Silva after Rodrigo Muniz underwent surgery on his hamstring in November.

Muniz is working his way back to fitness and could be in contention for minutes in the coming weeks.

Despite signing no players this month, Silva has said the club are aligned in terms of what they want to get out of the final week of the window.

"What I can say is that we were aligned on everything we wanted to achieve in January," Silva said on Friday.

"The January transfer window is never easy. If the summer window is challenging, you can imagine how difficult January is.

"However, we remain aligned, and I truly believe the club is doing everything possible to implement the plan and structure we agreed on, which will serve us well in January."

Silva wanted Fulham, who have typically conducted their business later in the window, to act quickly to bring in new players, with Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey all away at the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of January.

However, the Portuguese has now acknowledged that there were factors beyond his control that meant the club could not act sooner.

"Of course, it was important, and the club shares the same desire and will to see that happen.

"After that, it becomes a matter of strategy - financial strategy, financial approach - many factors beyond my control that I can't be precise about."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-ricardo-pepi-psv-transfer-news-b1268014.html

[WhiteJC]

Adama Traore set to join West Ham United as deal agreed
West Ham United have a deal in place for 29-year-old Fulham speedster Adama Traore to join the club in the coming days.

Fabrizio Romano has given the 'Here We Go' for Adama Traore's move to West Ham United. The relegation-threatened side have a deal in place with Fulham for the 29-year-old winger, as medical tests and other formalities to follow in the coming days.

West Ham United have been the most active Premier League team in the January transfer window. The Hammers are angling for fresh signings to boost their chances of beating relegation and staying alive in the top flight, as they are hoping the new arrivals will galvanise the squad.

They have already signed Pablo and Taty Castellanos to bolster the frontline, and now, the Hammers want a new wide attacker. Adama Traore was expected to join, as Nuno Espirito Santo desired a reunion with the 29-year-old Fulham speedster this month.

Fulham wanted £7 million earlier for Traore, but it may be the case that this fee may have been slashed in an effort from the Cottagers to cash in. Traore's current deal expires at the end of the season, and this window was the last opportunity for Marco Silva's side to achieve some kind of fee.

Despite talks cooling off earlier this month, West Ham had revived their interest in Traore, and it appears they have got their man. The 29-year-old Fulham speedster is set for medical tests and finalising other formalities before putting pen to paper on a contract at the London Stadium in the coming days.

Is Adama Traore a good signing for West Ham?
Traore could be a good addition to this West Ham side, especially given Espirito Santo knows how to use his talents very well. The idea of having multiple options in the squad could be the ultimate solution for West Ham to churn out results, as they did over the weekend with a big win over Sunderland.

There are still things to be clarified, such as the fee West Ham might pay for the 29-year-old Fulham speedster. Secondly, it will be interesting to see how Espirito Santo uses Traore, as he could be a good signing in their quest to avoid relegation.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2026/01/25/adama-traore-set-to-join-west-ham-united-as-deal-agreed/

[WhiteJC]

Arsenal academy midfielder continues trial with Fulham
Dan Casey has now made three appearances for the Fulham u21s after it was confirmed the out-of-contract Arsenal academy player is on a trial with the London club.

Charlie Wyett and Simon Collings report for The S*n that Dan Casey is on trial with Premier League side Fulham, after his contract at Arsenal came to an end last summer.

The 18-year-old has now made three appearances for the Fulham u21s, coming off the bench against Ipswich Town and Manchester United before earning a start against Middlesbrough on Friday night.

Casey completed the full 90 minutes of the Middlesbrough clash in central midfield, with the game finishing 1-1.

Casey's deal with Arsenal expired in June 2025, but the Gunners offered him fresh terms to extend his stay in north London.

The teenager turned that offer down amid rival proposals from the likes of Crystal Palace, but Arsenal still had to reach an agreement with Palace over a compensation fee.

Unlike with free agents over the age of 23, who can simply switch team without a fee, youth players like Casey with a contract offer on the table require their old club to be compensated.

As a result, even though Casey was keen on – and agreed – a move to Palace, the club ended up pulling out of the signing after negotiations with Arsenal.

Reports had suggested that Palace and Arsenal had already agreed a compensation fee, so quite why Palace pulled out remains a mystery. Perhaps they simply decided moving forward with the agreed package no longer felt worth it.

The result is that Casey has been left in limbo, not contracted to Arsenal but unable to sign for a new club unless that club agrees terms with the Gunners first.

Whether Fulham look to progress Casey's trial to a professional contract remains to be seen, but Arsenal will be pleased he's playing again.

Casey scored 21 goals for the Arsenal u18s in 2024/25, netting 18 times in 21 games in the u18 Premier League, twice in three games in the FA Youth Cup, and once in two u18 Premier League Cup appearances.



https://dailycannon.com/2026/01/arsenal-casey-fulham-trial/

[WhiteJC]

Four Things We Leant From Fulham 2–1 Brighton
Fulham 2–1 Brighton. Periods like this and moments like 'that' are why we follow Fulham.

What a time to be a Fulham fan. One loss in our last eight, still in the cup, and seventh in the table! Here's four things we learnt from Fulham 2–1 Brighton:

An Hour to Forget But Good Teams Find a Way: A Special Time to be a Fulham Fan
Today's performance was not one to write home about. For an hour, we picked up where we left off in Leeds. Flat, slow, lukewarm, boring, the list goes on.

Fulham, especially Timothy Castagne, should of done more to close Yasin Ayari for Brighton's goal, and I'm sure Bernd Leno would like to have another go at parrying Ayari's near post strike away from goal, but the German certainly made up for that lapse with a few wicked second half stops.

Throughout the last six weeks, Fulham have continually won close games, and honestly, at points rode our luck. But lightning doesn't strike twice, we have created our own luck.

Bad teams don't go on runs like the one we are on. This isn't no happenstance, Fulham are a good Premier League side with some top players and a top manager. Ball playing centre halves like Joachim Andersen and in form forwards like Harry Wilson and Samuel Chukwueze exemplify that.

Europe? Unlikely, but we are seventh going into February, to say we are not in a European race would be a lie. With some top additions in the next week and Rodrigo Muniz hitting the ground running after injury, Europe or a serious run at the cup is more than possible.

Moments like today, Liverpool, and Chelsea will live long in the memory. To have all those moments within a month is something unprecedented in our history. Soak up periods like these, Fulham fans – they don't last forever.

Silva's Subs Payoff
For all the stick Marco Silva's changes have got as of late, Cairney and Chukwueze coming on changed the game today.

Looking at the match day squad pre game, the AFCON boys return made Fulham's bench look a lot stronger, and it paid dividends.

Chukwueze's directness to run beyond and willingness to attack his full back got Fulham our leveller, and in a slow, cagey affair, TC proved why he is staying at the Cottage for another year. Tom's arrival helped Fulham gain an element of creative control in the middle of the park.

Two match-winning subs for Marco.

Emile Smith Rowe: I Thought We Turned a Corner
Throughout late November and early December, Emile Smith Rowe stringed together a few performances that got Fulham fans thinking we may have found the player paid £27m for last summer.

Post Burnley away though, Emile has, frankly, reverted back to the player we have seen for the majority of his Fulham career.

Off the pace, passive, and indirect, with Fulham's attacking options being continually bolstered, by AFCON and in the window (hopefully) I struggle to see how Emile is anything but a backup option for FFC.

Today, ESR went missing again. Not showing for the ball and not running at players, I have to question why Emile continues to start.

I thought Emile turned a corner. Where does ESR go from here?

Harry Wilson, He's Done It Again
I'll keep it short and sweet. I've run out of superlatives for Harry Wilson. 13 goal involvements before February is outrageous!

The player Wilson flashed in glimpses throughout his career is coming to light. More than nearly any other Fulham player I've seen, every time Wilson gets on the ball at the moment, you feel as if something special could take place.

Today, we even got to saw his free kick antics, something we haven't seen before his 92nd minute Cottage strike.

Will he keep this form up forever? No, he'd be in for a shot at the bloody ballon d'or if he did! But I've said it once, I'll say it again, the best business Fulham can do this winter is resigning Harry Wilson.

Sign the ting, Harry!



https://medium.com/@LondonsOriginal/four-things-we-leant-from-fulham-2-1-brighton-76c655f8220f

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Marco Silva calls for 'fight' to keep Harry Wilson after late heroics
Former Liverpool forward has starred this season

Marco Silva has urged Fulham to "fight" to keep Harry Wilson after the Welshman's heroic performance in the 2-1 win over Brighton.

The winger netted a last-minute free kick to snatch all three points for the Cottagers.

Wilson is out of contract in the summer and is attracting interest from several top clubs.

"We are in the fight, we are trying to keep him," said Silva. "If you ask me if it's going to be easy, I say it's not going to be easy.

"The more he scores, many more clubs are going to be around him. This is football business. When a player goes to the end of his contract, this kind of thing is going to happen.

"I know he's happy in our club and how much he's enjoying the moment. It's up to the club to do the maximum to keep him."

Wilson, 28, has enjoyed a spectacular season at Craven Cottage, scoring eight goals in 22 Premier League games so far, adding four assists.

Many of those strikes have come as decisive winners or equalisers in a season where Fulham have gone under the radar in the race for Europe.

The west London outfit are seventh in the Premier League table, two points off fourth-placed Liverpool who were beaten in stoppage time by Bournemouth later on Saturday.

Silva has previously called for more transfer activity to come from the Cottagers, and Standard Sport understands that the club has lodged a bid for PSV Eindhoven's Ricardo Pepi as the clock ticks down towards the January deadline.

Fulham are lacking in the frontline, with Rodrigo Muniz's absence through a hamstring problem meaning that Raul Jimenez is the only recognised senior striker in the squad.

That, in turn, makes Wilson's contributions off the right flank even more vital.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-harry-wilson-transfer-news-silva-b1268017.html

[Fulham 442]

I don't think it's particularly helpful for Marco to come out and say "we're in a fight to keep Wilson and it won't be easy" etc