Slavisa Jokanovic lauds loan star Aleksandar Mitrovic

Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2018 by PA

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic believes there is even more to come from Aleksandar Mitrovic after the Newcastle loanee continued his brilliant start to life at Craven Cottage.

Mitrovic joined the Cottagers on transfer deadline day in January and took his tally to five goals in his last four games with a double that helped sink Sheffield United 3-0.

Tom Cairney scored the other goal as Fulham won for an 11th time in 14 league games, a run which has catapulted them into contention for automatic promotion.

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez may well be wondering why he allowed Mitrovic to leave in January, especially if he carries on the way Jokanovic expects him to.

“He is a quality player, he has started well with us,” he said. “He is a proper striker that we have been looking for.

“He scored two goals and did a great job for us. He can help us in the defensive set-pieces too, he is a great signing for us and he has started well.

“He has adapted well and joined in well with the team and he can get even better.

“He brings us different options and we have to be satisfied with how he has started.”

Fulham are the standout team in the Championship on current form, having added the Blades to a list of recent scalps that includes Wolves, Aston Villa and Derby.

No team in English football has taken more than the 26 points Fulham have in their last 10 games, but Jokanovic is only focused on keeping the results coming.

He added: “We are fourth in the Championship, we are playing with confidence, we know we can beat all teams in the division.

“We have to be mentally strong and push hard for the next step. It’s important we keep winning the games and the stats are less important.”

Mitrovic opened the scoring just after the half-hour when he rammed home Ryan Fredericks’ cross from close range before adding a second a minute before the break with a delightful deft finish at the near post.

Cairney put the game to bed after the break when he swept home as Fulham were never in any danger.

Defeat for the Blades sees them slip down to ninth position and though they are only three points off the top six, their play-off push appears to be stuttering.

Boss Chris Wilder had few complaints and will not be looking forward to coming up against Mitrovic any time soon.

“He shouldn’t playing in the division,” Wilder said. “He should be playing at Newcastle. He has made the decision to drop down.

“Mitrovic is an outstanding player and thankfully we won’t be coming up against him in the next 11 games.

“He’s going to the World Cup, Newcastle paid what for him? £15million. He should be playing in the Premier League.

“We were well beaten in the end. It is no disgrace getting beaten to a team bang in form, a team that has won every game at home since the start of November.

“I’d rather be here on a Tuesday night in London than being somewhere else in another league like we have been for the last six years.”