Fulham manager Marco Silva has expressed his disappointment over the absence of key players Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, attributing their Africa Cup of Nations commitments as “two big misses” following Fulham’s recent exits from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Iwobi and Bassey, who played pivotal roles in Fulham’s successful December run, including victories against West Ham, Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal, have been representing Nigeria in the AFCON tournament.
Their absence was felt during Fulham’s Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Liverpool and a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle in the FA Cup.
Speaking ahead of Fulham’s upcoming Premier League clash with Everton, Silva acknowledged the impact of losing the Nigerian duo.
“They played in the last game against Arsenal, and the team was in a good moment. Bassey was in his best form since joining last summer. Alex has been an important player in our attacking line and someone who can play in many positions,” said Silva.
Despite the setbacks, Fulham remains optimistic, having secured victories against Everton earlier in the season, including a 1-0 league win in August and a penalty shoot-out triumph in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals in December.
Silva, who managed Everton from 2018 to 2019, believes that past successes against Everton provide confidence for the upcoming match.
“It gives us the confidence that we can repeat again. Everton will think the opposite way. It gives us confidence that we can perform well to get it done. It will be a competitive Premier League game, and we are positive we can get a result again,” he stated.
As Everton faces challenges, including a 10-point deduction in November for breaching Premier League financial rules, Fulham aims to capitalize on their recent form to secure a positive result and move further away from the relegation zone.
