Marco Silva believes the "best is yet to come" for Fulham as they look to finish the Premier League season on a high, starting with a trip to Aston Villa.

Fulham are still in the hunt for a European place, and sit in eighth with 51 points, holding a slight advantage over Brighton and Bournemouth in the race for the Europa Conference League.

After losing back-to-back matches against Bournemouth and Chelsea, Fulham salvaged a late comeback against bottom-side Southampton last time out, with Ryan Sessegnon scoring a stoppage-time winner in their 2-1 victory.

Having also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals this season, Silva reflected on how well Fulham have done but noted his ambition to keep pushing the club further.

"I'm very, very ambitious," he told the Fulham Fix podcast. "I'm never satisfied.

"When you get good results or [reach] the final stages of competitions, my mindset is to look for more. It's the way in football, it's my way.

"The good achievements, the great wins, it leaves a flavour at the end of the match, but straightaway after, we are on it and ready to go.

"After almost four seasons, we've achieved all of these great things, but the best things are still to come."

Villa, meanwhile, are still pushing to clinch a Champions League place this term, currently sitting seventh on 57 points, just three off fifth-placed Chelsea.

Their five-match winning run in the Premier League was ended by their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, a result they followed up with a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

Unai Emery expressed his frustration with that result, but insisted Villa were up for the fight in the final four games of the season.

"How we are getting the objective [Champions League qualification] through the Premier League is most important," Emery said.

"I am dominating my frustration [from the FA Cup loss], and I know how we are doing this way and how we can be proud of everything we are doing.

"We are increasing our demands and improving over two years. [I am] so, so proud of the players we have and how we are trying to be ambitious."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins

Thirteen of Ollie Watkins' 15 Premier League goals this season have either put Villa ahead (seven) or drawn them level (six) in the match.

It is the highest percentage of any player to score more than 10 this term (87%).

Fulham – Ryan Sessegnon

Of all players to play at least 400 minutes in the Premier League this season, only Mohamed Salah (one every 66 minutes) is averaging a goal or assist more frequently than Sessegnon (69 – four goals and two assists in 414 minutes).

MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN

Aston Villa have won six of their last seven Premier League games against Fulham (including the last four in a row), with the exception being a 3-0 away defeat in October 2022.

Fulham have won just one of their last 20 away league games against Villa (D7 L12), losing the last five in a row since a 2-1 win in April 2014.

And Villa are in strong form at home. They are unbeaten in their last 16 such matches in the top-flight (W9 D7), since losing to Arsenal in their opening game at Villa Park this term.

However, their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City last time out ended a five-game winning run in the Premier League. They have only lost consecutive league games once in the last two seasons, doing so in November against Liverpool and Tottenham.

None of Fulham's last 14 Premier League games have been drawn (W7 L7), while their last two victories have come against the league leaders (3-2 v Liverpool) and the bottom side (2-1 v Southampton).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Aston Villa – 52%

Draw – 23.7%

Fulham – 24.3%