Fulham boss Marco Silva was pleased with the display of midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Not only was the anchor man at his tenacious best against Brighton in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, but he also got on the scoresheet.

Silva hailed the all-action Portuguese post-game, stating his hope that Palhinha can become a leader within the squad.

“He leads by his attitude," Silva said to reporters.

“He is not the most vocal guy, he keeps improving his English as well, as I want him to be more vocal, to lead.

“In that position it's really important in the way we play, for João, for Saša Lukić, or for Harrison Reed, understanding all the moments of the game, and communicating to lead by example with the guys in front of you.

“I want to see João doing it more, it's important he keeps improving his English, to be more vocal on the pitch, because he has all the other things – his attitude, his commitment, the way he leads by the attitude, the way he lifts the others around him as well.

“Those moments where we lose the ball, his defensive reaction is impressive. We want to be able to take the best from him in these moments, and in all the other moments we want him to keep improving."