MX23RW : Friday, December 20 12:44:15| >> :60:1293:1293:
[monks data]
Attendance: 32,017
Leicester logo
Premier League | Gameweek 30
Mar 9, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Fulham logo

3-1

Tielemans (21'), Vardy (78', 86')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Ayite (51')

Survival bid not "mission impossible" - Fulham caretaker Scott Parker

Survival bid not
© Reuters
The Cottagers have claimed just 17 points from 29 Premier League matches this season.

Caretaker boss Scott Parker maintains it is "not mission impossible" to keep Fulham in the Premier League.

With nine matches remaining, the second-bottom Cottagers are 10 points adrift of safety and with a vastly inferior goal difference to the team they are chasing in 17th place, Southampton.

Parker, who last week replaced the sacked Claudio Ranieri, takes his side to Leicester on Saturday desperate to kickstart the most remarkable of survival bids.

Despite Fulham's perilous position following a run of five straight defeats, the 38-year-old clings to hope.

"It is not mission impossible, because there are games to play and points to be had," Parker said.

"I would be sitting here lying if I said it was an easy task ahead of us. That is obviously not the case but while there is realism we'll give it all we have got."

Parker added: "When you're in this position we are in, every game is going to be a must-win game from now until the end of the season. We have to understand that.

"Obviously it is a very tough game ahead of us but every game is in this league.

"We're looking forward to it but understand the challenge we face and the predicament we're in."

Former Fulham midfielder Parker, who has been given the caretaker job until the end of the season, suffered a 2-1 home defeat by west London rivals Chelsea in his first match at the helm.

Parker, though, believes the signs were there for progress.

"It (Chelsea game) is a foundation we need to build our performance on. That's what we need to back up," he said.

"This year at times we haven't backed up our performances due to a number of things – the league you're in, the quality you're up against.

"The first change is all change and it's easy to get the message across. I never doubted on Sunday we would get that reaction. It was an easy job for me in that sense.

"The tough job comes when we're backing it up, and that's what we need to do at the weekend against a good side that has changed the manager.

"It will be a tough ask but we're in a good position to do that."

Parker feels togetherness will be key over the remaining games, which also include successive home fixtures against title challengers Liverpool and Manchester City.

"There's a real focus and effort, certainly from the coaches, to try and unite the club, bring the fans closer to the players, because that has probably drifted away from us the past few weeks," Parker said at a press conference.

"That message stays the same, of course, but we also understand we're in a job where we have to win."

On Thursday, it was confirmed Stuart Gray and Matt Mills, who was Tottenham under-18s coach, had both joined the Fulham backroom staff.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '8b1852e2-04c9-4457-a66f-78021f309327');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Survival bid not \u201Cmission impossible\u201D \u2013 Fulham caretaker Scott Parker'});

ID:352614: cacheID:352614:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5317:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk pictured on February 9, 2019
Read Next:
PL Team of the Week - Lukaku, Van Dijk, Jimenez
>
Read more about Scott Parker Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Broncos
27-34
Chargers
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!