Fulham must avoid capital punishment as London rivals threaten to derail Premier League push

Promotion chasers | Fulham
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James Benge13 April 2018

Cardiff City may still be in the driver’s seat in the race for promotion but it is Fulham that are moving at top speed as the Championship reaches its conclusion.

And though both manager Slavisa Jokanovic and his squad are desperate to reaffirm that they are not in control - they are a point ahead of Cardiff but have played a game more - the nature of their task has changed.

Back in the dog days of mid-November even a playoff push seemed unlikely. A six game run without victory had the Cottagers only seven points clear of the relegation zone. Wolves, Cardiff and Sheffield United - the three sides then vying for the top two - had seemingly faded from view.

Indeed captain Tom Cairney conceded defeat in the hunt for automatic promotion when he spoke to Standard Sport on December 7.

“Automatic is going to be tough, maybe too tough,” he said. “If you said playoffs now we’d take it.”

Now the playoffs would feel like a bitter blow for Fulham. But whether Cardiff clamber back into second or not the Cottagers have a chance to prove just how far they have come from the team that froze on the biggest stage against Reading last year in back-to-back London derbies.

Cairney said last month that Fulham are playing “Premier League football in the Championship” but aesthetics will count for little in these games. That is not to say that Brentford and Millwall are not capable of going toe-to-toe with their London rivals in footballing terms but, with so much on the line for all three teams no quarter will be given.

These games will be a test of mettle for Fulham, a chance to prove that they won’t lose their cool as they did in such heartbreaking fashion against Reading last May. They came into those playoffs on the back of another scarcely credible hot streak that ultimately counted for nought.

If the same happens again this season then it will prove to be a tough summer for this exceptional side as Premier League predators circle around Ryan Sessegnon, Tom Cairney, Ryan Fredericks and others.

Brentford’s unbeaten streak may only be a quarter as long as Fulham’s 20 but they are proving to be just the sort of side that could unsettle Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon et al.

Their last three games have ended in 1-0 wins and only one of their last 12 opponents - Cardiff - have managed more than a goal against them.

Brentford are unbeaten in their last five Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

Such is the test that Brentford will pose that Jokanovic can quite easily bat off questions about how their promotion aspirations will be tested at The Den, against a Millwall side whose own hot streak is now 16 games without defeat, let alone looking any further ahead to what might be around the corner next season.

“It is only one [game], one is ahead of us next Saturday and after this step there will be another and another,” Jokanovic told Standard Sport.

“We don't need to think about Millwall, Sunderland or Birmingham because this is not under our control and we must wait for these games.

Jokanovic's side are chasing promotion... but it is out of their hands Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

“The important game is the one ahead of us, against a good team, team that is fighting for the play-off.”

Whilst Jokanovic is right to treat each game as though it is hermetically sealed the truth is these can be the two games where Fulham prove their readiness for the top flight.

As Neil Warnock put it: the hunter has become the hunted. Last season they buckled under the pressure but to extend their unbeaten streak to 22 games – and in the process tie Manchester City for England’s best run without defeat this season – they will have to show mental fortitude that can only serve them well whether the league campaign ends in the top two or the playoffs.

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