Parker praises hard work put in by Fulham players after big win

Posted Thursday, August 22, 2019 by PA

Scott Parker said his Fulham side’s comprehensive 4-0 defeat of Millwall was their reward for the work done in pre-season on and off the pitch.

Parker’s side enjoyed more than 80 per cent possession at Craven Cottage and wrapped up the win with goals from Ivan Cavaleiro, who scored twice, Anthony Knockaert and an Aleksandar Mitrovic penalty.

And after following an opening weekend defeat with three successive victories, Parker insisted his side’s season was beginning to take shape.

The Fulham manager said: “The most pleasing thing is all the work that has gone in over the last 10 weeks you finally see your team execute against a good Millwall side who have started their season well.

“Full credit goes to the players who have been superb.

“Momentum is with us. We are winning football matches, that’s three on the bounce now, and confidence is high and long may that continue.

“This league is relentless. Tonight is good of course but four games in we have a long way to go. This has been a good night but come tomorrow we work it away.”

Cavaleiro, signed from Wolves, former Brighton winger Knockaert and Mitrovic formed an impressive strikeforce and Parker praised the efforts of Fulham’s owners for the summer recruitment.

He said: “It’s so important to bring in those type of players. That’s credit to the owners who identified the mistakes we made last year in terms of recruitment.

“We have signed players who tick boxes and who you know what you are getting.

“You limit the risk and they have fitted in really well. All the new boys have fitted in superbly.”

Cavaleiro put Fulham ahead in the 15th minute before fellow summer recruit Knockaert headed a 32nd minute second.

Mitrovic scored from the spot after being brought down by keeper Bartosz Bialkowski in the 56th minute before Cavaleiro added his second seven minutes later.

Millwall manager Neil Harris admitted his side had been well beaten.

He said: “I thought they were magnificent tonight. Certainly the best performance I have seen probably since Wolves got 100 points a couple of years ago to go up.

“Fulham fans will watch tonight and wonder ‘what are we doing in this league, we should be in the Premier League’.

“As good as Fulham were, I am burning inside and am disappointed. We gave the ball back to them too cheaply. But I won’t judge my players on this performance against Fulham.”