Rene Meulensteen urges hitman Dimitar Berbatov to stay

RENE MEULENSTEEN hailed wantaway striker DIMITAR BERBATOV after he inspired Fulham to victory over Villa.

SPOT PRIZE: Berbatov celebrates with Steve Sidwell after netting Fulham's second [AP]

“I thought he was excellent on Wednesday against Tottenham as well, but you saw what he's capable of out there”

Rene Meulensteen

Fulham claimed their first win of Meulensteen's managerial reign thanks to Berbativ, who scored his second league goal of the season.

Meulensteen said: "He makes a difference, absolutely. I thought he was excellent on Wednesday against Tottenham as well, but you saw what he's capable of out there."

Berbatov rocked Fulham in midweek when his agent revealed that he wants to quit in January.
And Meulensteen was staying tight-lipped about how he plans to resolve his star striker's future.

He said: "I can't and don't want to answer that. I'll do that with the people who are relevant to discuss these things. I just had a good chat with him. Berbatov's not a stranger.
"We had a good chat and we know what games we've got coming up to January, and he's committed to Fulham. I'm just concentrating up until January.

DONE IT: Rene Meulensteen celebrates his first victory [REUTERS]

"This is a massive boost. There was a feel-good factor on Wednesday and we wanted to maintain that. We did that."
Fuming Steve Sidwell fired Fulham ahead before Berbatov sealed Fulham's first league win since October 21 from the penalty spot after Alexander Kacaniklic was knocked down by Leandro Bacuna.
But Paul Lambert was fuming about that penalty, and referee Mike Dean's decision not to give Villa a late spot-kick for an Aaron Hughes foul on Gabi Agbonlahor.

The Villa boss said: "I don't think we did enough to win the game but I am disappointed at some of the decisions, the two penalties for instance.
"If you look at it on the rerun, Kacaniklic has actually backed in to Bacuna. Gabi's one is clear."