Fulham boss Marco Silva has fired a passionate warning shot ahead of Sunday’s West London derby, boldly declaring the clash against Chelsea as a “final” for his side.

As the season enters its decisive stage, Silva made it clear that his team will treat the encounter with utmost seriousness — and Chelsea fans should expect nothing less than a fired-up Fulham at Craven Cottage.

“It’s going to be a special derby for the fans, being able to play at home is very good,” Silva said, acknowledging the intense atmosphere expected for the West London rivalry. Fulham have enjoyed memorable moments against the Blues in recent years, and Silva wants to give the home fans another reason to celebrate.

After a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, Fulham remain in the race for European qualification, and Silva is banking on a strong finish to the campaign.

“Every game is going to be even more important, because it’s coming to an end, and we have to get as many points as we can, to fight for what we want,” he said.

The Fulham manager didn’t shy away from praising the strength of Chelsea’s squad, acknowledging the challenge his team will face against Enzo Maresca’s side.

“All of us recognise the quality that they have, collective and individual. They have a lot of young but very good players, and it’s going to be a very difficult game for us,” Silva admitted.

Confidence is not in short supply at Fulham, especially given their recent history in this fixture. Silva reminded everyone that his team has caused Chelsea problems before — and he expects them to rise to the occasion once more.

“The last three years we have been breaking some important results in the history of this club against Chelsea,” he said. “Let’s hope we can do the same against a very, very good side.”