'You Cannot Switch Off' - Silva Reflects On Late West Ham Equaliser Against Fulham

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Marco Silva stressed the importance of maintaining focus throughout Premier League matches after Fulham conceded a late equaliser to West Ham. Danny Ings' goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time denied Fulham a win at Craven Cottage, where Raul Jimenez had given them the lead after 24 minutes.

Silva acknowledged that a brief lapse in concentration cost his team dearly. "It just shows that in this Premier League, you cannot switch off for one second," he told BBC Sport. "We are aware of the quick throws, and we have to keep focus and concentration."

The Fulham manager expressed frustration over the result, noting that his team had performed well overall. "A big frustration for us because, before that, it was a good performance. It was clear we were the best team on the pitch," Silva said. "They did not have one shot [on target] in the first half. We should have won this game."

Silva also felt aggrieved by a decision not to award Fulham a penalty in the first half when Adama Traore was challenged by Max Kilman. "It was a clear, clear penalty in my opinion," he added. "It's difficult to understand why it was not a penalty in that situation."

Danny Ings' Impact

West Ham's manager praised Danny Ings for his crucial contribution. "It was a very 'Danny Ings' goal!" Lopetegui told West Ham's official website. "He is always agile in those kinds of actions, and he took his chance very well."

Lopetegui highlighted Ings' readiness despite limited playing time this season. "I'm really happy for him because he hasn't played much up until now, but he is always ready to go," he said. "He is a really good example to all of his team-mates, and it's great to see his work pay off."

The West Ham boss emphasised the importance of staying prepared as a player. "As a player, it can be hard when you don't know when the coach is going to call you," Lopetegui explained. "The important thing is to try and always be ready because you are going to be needed at some point."

Lopetegui concluded by praising Ings' perseverance and its impact on the match outcome. "Scoring in the last minute today is important because he's shown everyone that you have to believe until the end," he said.

Despite some areas needing improvement, Lopetegui appreciated his team's resilience. "Even though there were things we could do better today, we kept going, and we got something out of the game," he noted.