Marco Silva does not wish to compare his Fulham side with Brighton and Hove Albion as both sides chase down European qualification for next season.
The teams meet on Saturday with the Seagulls in sixth, four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.
Fulham are seventh and level on points with Brighton but despite the similarities with both clubs punching above their historic weight, Silva will not compare the two teams.
“I don’t like to compare,” Silva told reporters. “It’s not fair and it’s not really our focus to compare with the other clubs.
“I have to agree with you that the last few seasons they have been doing really well, they are always in the Premier League. You can see that season after season they are improving their position in the table.
“It’s difficult to compare, (it is a) different situation as well because we came from the Championship.”
Roberto De Zerbi has done brilliantly since taking over from Chelsea-bound Graham Potter in September but will be without a couple of key players for the visit of Fulham, though he wants his side to still put in a good display.
“(Adam) Lallana has a big injury,” De Zerbi said. “We lose him for a long time. Lallana’s [injury] is a big problem. It is months not weeks.
“Welbeck is not able to play. We are ready. For us, it (Fulham clash) is a very important game.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brighton and Hove Albion – Solly March
March has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League games, more than he had in his first 156 appearances in the competition (four). He is netting once every 263 minutes on average under De Zerbi, compared to once every 2343 minutes under Chris Hughton and Potter. Can he continue his red-hot scoring form with another goal here?
Fulham – Andreas Pereira
Pereira ranks second among Fulham players for Premier League goal involvements having scored twice and added six assists, including setting up Manor Solomon’s first goal for the club in the victory over Nottingham Forest last time out. Brighton face a tough task to keep him quiet.
KEY OPTA FACTS
– Brighton have faced Fulham more often without ever winning than they have any other opponent in the Premier League (five matches – three draws, two defeats).
– Following their 2-1 win at Craven Cottage in August, Fulham are looking to complete their first league double over Brighton since the 1992-93 third-tier campaign.
– Brighton are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League home games against promoted sides (four wins, five draws), keeping a clean sheet in each of their last seven. Their last such defeat was in December 2019 against Sheffield United (0-1).
– Fulham have won 10 Premier League games this season, with only Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham winning more. It is their most wins in a top-flight campaign since 2012-13 (11), and double the amount they won in their last Premier League season in 2020-21 (five).
– Including penalties, no side has scored more goals from set piece situations in the Premier League this season than Fulham (15), while Brighton have conceded a league-high share 46.4 per cent of their goals from set-pieces (13/28).
