Slavisa Jokanovic wants Fulham to be ready for any Cardiff slip

Posted Wednesday, April 04, 2018 by PA

Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic wants his side to keep putting pressure on Cardiff after the Cottagers moved to within five points of the automatic promotion spots with a 2-0 victory over Leeds.

A bizarre goal off Kevin McDonald’s backside was followed by Aleksandar Mitrovic’s eighth strike in as many games as the Cottagers extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 18 matches.

But Jokanovic is refusing to get carried away, knowing that only a slip up by second-placed Cardiff will give his side a chance of automatic promotion.

He said: “It depends on them. We can do it, we can try and repair ourselves and be ready for our next game. It is our ambition to fight for three points every week. But everything depends on Cardiff, they must lose.

“They have five points and that is a big difference. We will try and do our job, it’s a race, we will try and chase.

“We must try to push harder and try and win the next game. They need to have some mistakes to give us the opportunity.

“My job is not to be satisfied, my job is to push the players. It’s not so important if I’m happy. We are in a season where we can be successful.

“I’m proud of the way my team is working and how they are trying to push. They don’t give up in any moment.

“We will try and win the remaining games.

On McDonald’s fortuitous opener, the Fulham boss added: “You can get lucky and we score this kind of goal for the first. But they all count just like fantastic goals from 40 yards.”

Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom bemoaned a missed one-on-one from Caleb Ekuban moments before Fulham scored their second following a counter-attack.

He said: “The big moments were the difference between the teams.

“We can take lots of things from that game: frustration, anger, pleasure, disappointment.

“Caleb needs to work on chances like that definitely. But we win as a team and lose as a team.

“Certain things went against us. Some pleasing things came out of the game but I’m getting frustrated.

“We more than matched them but they were good.

“Last four games performances have been alright but we have not got the points

“There was nothing evident of a team who were mid-table today, we want to give heartbreak to teams at the top and bottom.

“Fulham have some real top players – Premier League players. Slav has done a great job, building his team over a number of years. They might get their reward this season.”