Fulham midfielder Stefan Johansen has not given up hope of the club returning to the Premier League through automatic promotion.
The promotion-chasing Cottagers face a trip to The Hawthorns on Tuesday afternoon, where they will have the opportunity to take points off of their promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion.
West Brom sit second in the table, five points clear of Fulham, who will see this game as a ‘six-pointer’.
Stefan Johansen Still Hopeful for Fulham’s Automatic Promotion Chances
Winning Run
If they want to gain promotion, then Fulham are certainly going the right way about it, right now. They have won four of their six games since the Championship returned, including all of their last four.
Johansen is hoping the club can take that run up to seven wins.
“The only thing we are focused on is winning the remaining three games and seeing where it takes us in the end,” Johansen told the club website. “We were a bit unlucky in the first two games against Brentford and Leeds, they could have ended up differently if we were a bit more clinical, but that’s the way football is.”
“We’re on four wins in a row now, and we want to make it to seven and see where that takes us. We want to go there tomorrow (on Tuesday) to win the game and put pressure on them for the last two games, because then obviously they will feel us (breathing down their necks).
“You never know in football, I think there are still some exciting moments left in the season.”
After the trip to West Brom, Fulham will host Sheffield Wednesday at Craven Cottage and their final game of the season will see them visit Wigan Athletic‘s DW Stadium.
Pressure on West Brom
“We’ve been there before in the last few seasons in the Champ where we’re chasing during the season and you can see different teams finding good form. You see Brentford now in really good form, so (West Brom) will definitely be feeling the pressure,” Johansen added.
“We need to go there tomorrow and win, then it’s only two points between us with still two more games to play, and you never know what could happen from there.
“We just need to go there with the same mindset that we’ve had the last four games, and take the confidence from those matches as we go there to try and win the game.”
Johansen will be hoping to extend his own good form too. He came off the bench to assist Josh Onomah for Fulham’s second goal in the 2-0 win over Cardiff City last Friday.
Respect for Former Club
The Norwegian midfielder spent some time out on loan at West Brom in 2019.
“I think West Brom is a great club. I had a good six months there, although unfortunately, we didn’t get to the Premier League.”
“There are good guys there, and they’ve got a very good manager now as well, so I’m not surprised to see them up there.
“But that’s part of the past now. Since coming back to Fulham, I’ve always had my mind on Fulham. I really enjoyed being at West Brom, but Fulham is everything now.
“I always have an eye on West Brom, but Fulham is the team for me. I’ve had a few seasons here now and it feels like my home.”
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