Silva addresses Fulham mentality before FA Cup trip to Stoke | OneFootball

Marco Silva has challenged Fulham to sharpen their mentality before Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Stoke, seeking a reset after a stuttering spell.

Before their early February trip to Old Trafford, Fulham had taken the most Premier League points from the previous eight matches, with five wins and two draws. A 94th-minute Benjamin Sesko strike then sealed a 3-2 defeat and sparked three straight losses, including a second-half collapse against Everton and a heavy defeat at Manchester City. Speaking to Hounslow Herald, Silva said the group must sustain focus for the full 90 minutes.

After the Everton reverse, Ryan Sessegnon said there may be a mentality issue, with slow second halves and late concessions recurring. Silva has warned that standards cannot dip for two or three minutes, opponents will punish you.

He also pointed out Fulham have scored late themselves. Of the 17 points in that eight-game burst, 14 were decided by goals in the 80th minute or later, underlining their capacity to stay in games.

Silva’s squad have the quality to push for Europe, yet in-game swings have hurt them. Sunday’s fourth-round trip to Championship side Stoke offers a reset and, hopefully, momentum for the league. He said the next game is a chance to react and change results.

Under Silva, Fulham have already reached an FA Cup quarter-final and a League Cup semi-final. He is open about aiming for Wembley and silverware in SW6, saying they definitely believe the squad has the quality to take the next step.

Source: Hounslow Herald