Willian lauded Fulham's fighting spirit after they claimed an impressive 2-1 comeback victory against title-chasing Arsenal yesterday.

Bukayo Saka struck first for the visitors but Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid goals turned the game around as the Cottagers upset Mikel Arteta's Gunners at Craven Cottage. 

And Willian, 35, praised the belief his side showed to break their three-game losing streak in the Premier League as they finished 2023 in 13th. 

He said: "We're a team that wants to get better and stay in a better position, so this is a game where we had to suffer. 

"But when we had the ball we showed the quality and we did it. 

"We cannot give up. In football you cannot give up and you have to play 90 minutes and fight to the end to try and make life difficult for the opposition. 

"We have to believe in ourselves and that's what we do. We always want to try and improve. 

"It's difficult to play against these types of teams and we've had some not great results against these teams in the last minutes."

Jimenez returned to the XI after serving a three-game suspension for the red card he picked up during the 3-0 defeat at Newcastle. 

The Mexico striker, 32, looked eager to impress and he drew Fulham level in the 29th minute with his fifth goal of the season. 

Willian, who played a key role in the build-up to the equaliser, said: "It's been good [to play with Jimenez]. We know each other better. 

"He's a player who moves all the time, fights for every ball and scores goals, so he's been brilliant for us."

After starting 2024 with cup games against Rotherham and Liverpool, Fulham will resume their Premier League campaign on January 13 against London rivals Chelsea. 

And Willian is looking forward to returning to the club he played for between 2013 and 2020, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and Europa League in the process. 

"The Brazilian said: "It's a place where I have so many good memories and it's special to go back there to play Chelsea."