Steve Sidwell hopes Fulham can benefit from Manchester United’s midweek exploits when they travel to Old Trafford this weekend.

The midfielder, who has taken his opportunity to show Mark Hughes what he can do in the middle of the park during the second half of the season, knows that Fulham will need to concentrate for the full ninety minutes if they are to come close to springing a surprise.

He said: “They’ve had a tough game Wednesday – and maybe that could have tired them. But such is the depth of their squad even if they rotate you know you’re in for a tough match. We’ve got to make sure we don’t switch off for even a second.

“They’ve been scoring late goals like they did at West Ham last Saturday for years – they even did it in a Champions League final. But for all that, this might be a good time to play them.”

Sidwell wants to earn more minutes at Craven Cottage and he could be partnered with Dickson Etuhu after finishing the win over Blackpool alongside the Nigerian international when skipper Danny Murphy was substituted.

“It’s got possibilities. I’ll take whatever chance I get to show what I can do, and in a long battling season there’s bound to be opportunities for different combinations to get tried. I would like to stay in London and win a long contract with Fulham – but at the end of the day I’ve got to be professional and go to a club that wants me, no matter where it is.”