Fulham sink further towards relegation after 2-0 defeat by Man City
Saturday 30 March 2019 17:16, UK
Scott Parker admits confidence is low at Fulham after their fourth straight defeat under the caretaker manager left them closer to relegation.
Fulham were beaten 2-0 by champions Manchester City on Saturday, leaving them on the brink of dropping out of the Premier League having only just been promoted.
Although Parker admitted belief is low, the 38-year-old is confident the players are on board with what he is trying to do.
He told Sky Sports: "We've got a tough run of games and confidence is low when you are where we are in the league but I've seen some massive positives.
"I see a squad of players that are right on board and giving everything. I have no doubt that with time we can turn things around.
"It was a tough day. From the outset we knew the challenge ahead was against a really good team. We made a nervous start and when you go 1-0 down after five minutes, it was always going to be a tough hill to climb and so it proved.
"In saying that, I thought we dug in and showed some bits at times against a world-class side. But not enough, really, at times."
Parker, who took over from the sacked Claudio Ranieri last month, was full of praise for Pep Guardiola's City, who returned to the top of the Premier League until Sunday evening at least.
"The mistakes we made are coming from pressure from an organised, well-coached team. They put us in those scenarios. I thought the only way we could confront City today was to try to play.
"We lost [Aleksandar] Mitrovic so we needed to find a way of playing through the thirds. The mistakes happen when you take risks like that. Sometimes, it happens, and it went against us today.
"If you sit off these and give the ball straight back to them, it becomes an even more difficult afternoon, to be honest with you. We've not got the result today, but the manner in which we set up and the way I want us to play, that's not going to change.
"If you give the ball too easy for these. They won't let you breathe. Mistakes happen when you play that well but I thought we had some nice spells at 1-0. We knew the size of task ahead of today and it proved a difficult afternoon."
