Anyone who watched the 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon will realise just how crucial Berbatov is to Fulham. On his day the Bulgarian is quite simply unplayable, floating around the pitch and causing havoc as he pops up in the most unlikely of places. After a week full of transfer speculation surrounding his future, the ex-Manchester United striker put it to one side as he ran the show against Villa. Those of a cynical nature will put Berbatov's match winning performance down to his desire to impress any potential suitors. However, if Fulham wish to survive it is crucial that Meulensteen manages to keep hold of the striker even if it is only till the end of the season. The Bulgarian transforms Fulham, providing them with that touch of class they need to unlock opposition defences. The Whites just aren't the same side without the 32-year-old and Shahid Khan should perhaps get the chequebook out to ensure he stays.
Simon is an NCTJ qualified sports journalist. He has conducted interviews with Tony Adams and Peter Shilton, while also having work published in The Daily Telegraph and The Sun. Follow him on Twitter via @sr_collings.
