Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Fulham boss Marco Silva claims Bristol City's equaliser was 'clearly offside'

sportsmole.co.uk, 25 September 2021, 17:47
Fulham boss Marco Silva was adamant that Kasey Palmer netted Bristol City's point-saving goal from an offside position.

While he conceded that failure to take numerous scoring chances cost his side victory after taking the lead, Silva was furious that Palmer's leveller was allowed to stand.

Aleksandar Mitrovic headed the visitors into a 50th-minute lead after Harry Wilson nodded a cross from Neeskens Kebano back across goal.

It looked like being enough until 11 minutes from time when Palmer, introduced as a substitute just three minutes earlier, volleyed home from a narrow angle after Chris Martin's shot was saved.

"The goal was clearly offside," said Silva. "It wasn't a difficult decision and I can't understand why the linesman failed to spot it.

"I have seen a replay, but I knew at the time from the bench that it was offside. A poor decision has gone against us.

"I wasn't happy with our first-half display. But we made a couple of changes at the interval and the second half was much better.

"The substitutes made an impact, but the whole team played with more purpose. We just have to be calmer with our finishing.

"There were so many clear opportunities created, but we couldn't get the second goal to kill them off.

"We have to do better in that respect. We moved the ball well in the second half and could have had the game wrapped up before they scored.

"The game was played in a fantastic atmosphere, which was good for us. I respect Bristol City and in the first half we didn't play the way we wanted to.

"We controlled the second half, although they had some chances as a very good counter-attacking side.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't add to our lead and the linesman has given one goal to them, which never should have been."

Mitrovic squandered three golden chances in the closing moments alone. Twice the striker shot wide when he should have scored, while his third effort clipped the crossbar.

Jean Michael Seri also saw a late effort deflected against the woodwork, but City also created chances and boss Nigel Pearson was encouraged.

He said: "The players showed great tenacity against good opponents. While Fulham could have had more goals, so could we.

"I'm not kidding myself and we have a lot of work still to do, but the players know their jobs and that they have to defend as a team."

Pearson praised the home debut of right-back George Tanner, a summer signing from Carlisle, but was again frustrated by a home record that now reads 15 games without a win.

"That continues to be a concern," he said. "But the players are giving everything to turn home results around and if that continues it will happen.

"I said when we signed George that he was one for the future, but he has come in today and done very well."

Pearson felt Fulham midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah should have received a second yellow card in the first half before being replaced by Silva at the interval.

"He was guilty of two poor challenges after being booked, which were yellow card offences," he said.

"The fact that he was substituted at half-time probably says it all. But I'm more concerned with my own players and again they gave a fully-committed performance.

"I'm not bothered whether our goal was offside or not. That is for their manager to debate.

"It was a tight game in the first half and the second shows that you cannot open up too early against a team including a lot of players with Premier League experience.

"We had to be positive at 1-0 down and that left a few gaps. But we also had chances late on and overall I'm pleased.

"I expect all my players to work hard and that was the case."

Top News

10 January 2025 talksport.com Graham Potter made history in Friday night's FA Cup clash at Aston Villa. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams aiming to recover from disappointing league defeats in their opening games of 2025 face off on Sunday, as Trabzonspor host Antalyaspor in a Turkish Super Lig encounter. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea youngster Sam Rak-Sakyi has reportedly attracted the interest of Championship outfit Coventry City. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Undefeated Galatasaray travel to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Sunday to take on Istanbul Basaksehir, aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and extend their lead at the top of the Turkish Super Lig. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazilian giants Palmeiras have supposedly been offered the opportunity to sign Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, who is weighing up an early exit from North London. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk After clinching the Trophee des Champions last Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain return to Ligue 1 action this weekend as they welcome Saint-Etienne to the Parc des Princes. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have apparently turned down a proposal from Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Renato Veiga during the January transfer window. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arguably the pick of the matches in the Eredivisie this weekend will come from Stadion Feijenoord, where Feyenoord will be playing host to FC Utrecht on Sunday afternoon. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk An out-of-form Reims side will once again go in search of their first win of 2025 when they welcome European hopefuls Nice to the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Ligue 1 on Saturday. 10 January 2025 talksport.com West Brom are close to appointing Raphael Wicky as their new boss, talkSPORT understands. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City welcome League Two side Salford City to the Etihad Stadium for a third-round tie in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Palmeiras have supposedly turned down Manchester City's opening approach for highly-rated centre-back Vitor Reis, but the Premier League champions remain confident of striking an agreement. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League strugglers Southampton host Swansea City this weekend, as the two sides square off in the third round of the FA Cup. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk League One outfit Stockport County travel to Selhurst Park this weekend, hoping to upset the odds against Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup. 10 January 2025 talksport.com A phone call from Cesc Fabregas was enough for Maxence Caqueret to turn down Premier League interest in favour of a move to Como. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Mikel Arteta wants to put an end to ball-gate right now. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is yet to hold talks with the Gunners over a new contract, but a January exit is off the cards, Charles Watts has told Sports Mole. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk FC Twente will be hoping to get 2025 off to a winning start when they face fellow top-half opponents Willem II at De Grolsch Veste in Sunday's early kickoff in the Eredivisie. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Belatedly playing their first game of the new year, Bologna will welcome Roma to Stadio Dall'Ara on Sunday evening. 10 January 2025 talksport.com A controversial injunction allowing Barcelona to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor has sparked worried statements from their rivals. 10 January 2025 talksport.com The Premier League has been treated to the talents of some of the best African footballers of all time over the years. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Arsenal will be in a very different kit this weekend when they line up against Manchester United in the FA Cup. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is hopeful that the future of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will be resolved as soon as possible and that an "agreement" between all parties can be reached. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk AC Milan are reportedly "serious" about Marcus Rashford, with the Italian giants seemingly the best-placed club when it comes to the race to sign the Manchester United attacker during the January transfer window. 10 January 2025 talksport.com The FA Cup third round is usually a highlight of the English football calendar but bad weather is wreaking havoc with the schedule this weekend. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Ipswich Town are reportedly eyeing up a stunning deal for former Premier League star Nemanja Matic. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Marcus Rashford is available for Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash with Arsenal, while Altay Bayindir will start between the sticks against the Gunners. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams at opposite ends of the table are set to come together on Sunday afternoon when title-hopefuls Rangers host relegation-threatened St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership. 10 January 2025 talksport.com AC Milan have intensified their pursuit of Marcus Rashford, talkSPORT understands. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said that he wants to keep Kobbie Mainoo at the club amid the recent uncertainty surrounding the midfielder.