Fulham head coach Marco Silva admits missing the suspended Joao Palhinha for Monday’s night derby against Brentford is a big blow – but insists nothing will change in how Fulham approach the fixture.
The Portuguese international, widely considered one of the signings of the summer, has completed the most tackles in the top flight since moving to Craven Cottage from Sporting and cracked in his fourth goal of the campaign against Leeds United to secure progression into the last eight of the FA Cup on Tuesday night. Palhinha will be banned for Fulham’s next two games after picking up a tenth booking against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Silva told Sky Sports that the midfielder’s absence presents an opportunity for another member of Fulham’s midfield to shine.
“He has been really important for us, of course, and when you cannot start with a player that is important for us, of course, it is a big miss. But, at the same time, I see this situation as a solution for the other [players] to come in and to pop up. It is clear for them, it will be a different profile of player who is going to play in that position, but – for sure – he is going to show his quality. It will be a good chance for him to perform at his best level.
When asked if he had considered altering what he asks Palhinha’s replacement – who looks likely to be January acquisition Sasa Lukic – to do in the engine room during the derby, Silva’s response was emphatic.
“No, no, no. Not at all. Our approach will be the same. It will just be a different player there. Our approach and what we demand from that position will be the same.”
