Fulham boss Marco Silva relishing ‘great challenge’ against Tottenham – ‘credit to them’

Fulham manager Marco Silva is looking forward to a “great challenge” when they battle London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

The Cottagers will travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to face table-topping Spurs, who are loving life under Ange Postecoglou this season.

Both sides have already met in the Carabao Cup, where Fulham earned a 5-3 victory on penalties, but Silva is aware of how tough an opponent their rivals will be on Monday night.

“We look at the matches with the trust and belief of ourselves, respecting of course Tottenham. Tottenham is having an amazing start to the season, they are on the top of the table and it’s clear why,” Silva told a pre-match press conference.

“Not just results but the way they have been achieving the results has been really good, we have to say credit to them.

“Of course they had a bad result – if I can say that – this season against us in the Carabao Cup at the Cottage. It’s a different scenario and a different competition as well, they have made some changes, we did as well.

“But it’s going to be tough, playing there they are in a good moment the way they have been playing and the connections between them are growing. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.

“When you play teams in another stadium of that quality it’s always a great challenge and it’s going to be there for sure. It’s going to demand really hard work from ourselves and really good organisation, we have the belief and the courage to play our way.”

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Adama Traore, Kenny Tete and Tosin Adarabioyo all remain sidelined for the club but Silva confirmed there were no fresh injuries from players away on international duty.

However, Issa Diop is set to miss the game after picking up an injury in the victory against Sheffield United before the international break.

“Adama, Kenny Tete and Tosin are still out, plus Issa Diop, as you know, last game he got an injury,” Silva explained.

“We are assessing him, let’s see how things go in the next few days, but he’s going to be out of the game.

“No injuries for the players that went away with their national teams. Two of them just trained this morning, we will keep assessing them to see how they are, but they look in a good shape.

“Some had some long journeys. It’s not easy with some players in America, not just Tim Ream and Raul (Jimenez) in that area, even Bernd Leno was with his national team in America, but we are assessing them and let’s see in the next few days.

“We have more some days to prepare (for) the game.”