MARCO Silva praised “big talent” Rodrigo Muniz after Fulham delivered a “complete performance” to comprehensively defeat top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
Muniz gave the Cottagers the lead in the 42nd minute before Sasa Lukic doubled the hosts advantage with his first goal for the club four minutes into the second half.
Muniz added the third on 61 minutes, his seventh goal in his last seven games.
Muniz, 22, faced a big challenge this season after the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic and his only goal in his previous seventeen games this season before his current streak was in the EFL Cup.
“Great win for us and well deserved to,” Silva said. “We were the best team on the pitch and deserved the three points against a really good side. Playing through the pressure sometimes in behind them. Our first half was top level, probably one of the best we’ve played this season. Crucial moment we scored the first goal. Overall, complete performance from the boys. The fans were at top level too.
“Winning the game and playing in our way is good. They are brave, they play really brave. We are really brave too this afternoon. Keeping a clean sheet is really important for us.
“Nice to see the work Muniz been doing since 2021 is paying off. I saw real talent in him. When he came, 20 years old not speaking one word in English, he wasn’t even a starting player in Brazil. First season in the Championship he did really well with Mitrovic in front of him. Last season not so well. He’s a really good striker, a big talent is there. I’m really happy to have him with us and for him to keep evolving with us.
“He has all of the ability and potential to become a top striker. He’s still a young lad. Keep playing week in, week out. Make mistakes and learn, keep doing good things.”
It was the first time Spurs hadn’t scored in the league since March 4 last year, a run of 39 games.
Silva felt it was close to his side’s best display of the season.
He said: “100 per cent, definitely. I said to the players if this is not our best it is very nearly.
“The first half was one of our best this season, we were so complete. We matched them.
“Some really good moments, and good goals as well. Throughout the first half we were clearly the best team on the pitch.
“It was crucial as well the way we started the second half, two quick goals that gave us control in the end.
“Almost a year with them always scoring. It speaks about our organisation this evening, the way we stopped them. We were brave enough to stop them. It really speaks about ourselves and how we have been solid this season.
“It’s been really good this season. I will not stop wanting more every single week. The reality is now we have away games, they are going to be crucial for us if we want to keep climbing the table.
“We are going to work really hard to improve on last season.”
