It says something about the success of Fulham’s return to the top flight that a chance to reach the last eight of the FA Cup, sandwiched between a stirring second half fightback against Wolves last Friday and next week’s resumption of hostilities with Hounslow’s finest, feels like something of an afterthought. The club’s hierarchy have hardly helped by extending their premium matchday pricing model to a midweek fifth round Cup tie that will also be screened on terrestrial television, but Marco Silva is adamant that his side remain right up for a run in the world’s oldest club Cup competition and the Whites must start as favourites against Leeds – even if Javi Gracia has both tournament pedigree and momentum on his side after a crucial win over Southampton in his first game since taking over at Elland Road.
Leeds’ priority, after ending elongated search to find a successor to the dismissed Jesse March, has to be preserving their Premier League status. Both Gracia and the Yorkshire outfit’s famous travelling support appear to be prioritising the weekend trip to Stamford Bridge – although the scandalous price point of tickets for this fixture will undoubtedly play a part. The new Leeds boss insists his memories of reaching the Cup final with Watford three years mean the competition will never play second fiddle in his mind, but juggling three matches in eight days will undoubtedly require some rotation at Craven Cottage this evening.
Leeds haven’t reached the quarter finals of the Cup in two decades and they definitely won’t die wondering in SW6 this evening. They overcame potential banana skins to reach this stage, staging a late comeback in Cardiff to earn a replay where they eventually dispatched the Bluebirds, and saw off Accrington Stanley in round fourth. The composition of the starting line-up that the new manager puts out is the source of some serious speculation, with Archie Gray, Adam Forshaw, Stuart Dallas and Rodrigo definitely missing and Luis Sinisterra and Pascal Strujik set for late fitness tests. Gracia could recall the likes of Marc Roca, Sam Greenwood, Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter whilst promising teenage midfielder Darko Gyabi has also been tipped to feature.
Silva has again talked about the importance of the competition and it may be that progression in the Cup, with half of the top flight teams now eliminated, might be the easiest way for the Whites to secure another European tour. The Fulham head coach spoke last week about his desire to keep the fans dreaming and the prospect of a trip to Wembley, where London’s oldest professional side suddenly have quite a strong record, would be tantalisingly close if they win tonight. He will certainly ring the changes and the proposed line up might have needed to be reworked in recent days after Layvin Kurzawa, who had scored in both previous rounds from full back, ruptured knee ligaments in training.
Silva will undoubtedly employ an element of rotation but his choice at left back would be telling. Antonee Robinson probably needs a rest having missed only three league fixtures as well as playing every minute of the United States’ World Cup campaign, but the easiest way of replacing the American would be shuffle Cedric Soares across from his preferred right back role where they Arsenal loanee looked a good bet to deputise for Kenny Tete. Shane Duffy was outstanding in the replay at Sunderland and should have done enough to earn another opportunity after his loan from Brighton was converted into a permanent switch, but it remains to be seen who the Irish international’s partner will be at the heart of a reshaped rearguard.
Sasa Lukic added energy to the engine room as a half-time substitute on Friday and the Serbian should be paired alongside Joao Palhinha, who will now miss Fulham’s next two league fixtures, in central midfield. Manor Solomon must have done enough to earn a start after his third goal in as many matches, whilst Harry Wilson or Dan James could get an opportunity on the opposite flank. Andreas Pereira, who came off the bench to great effect at the Stadium of Light, is the man in possession of the number ten shirt but young Luke Harris has been in sensational form for the under 21s and this looks like another good moment to give the Welsh starlet another taste of senior football.
Silva confirmed yesterday that Aleksandar Mitrovic will be feet to lead the line. The only question is whether Fulham’s totemic number nine is used from the start this evening or left on the bench with Monday’s meeting with Brentford in mind. Mitrovic has never scored an FA Cup goal – and after a barren spell in the league even before his hamstring injury – tonight would be a wonderful time to break that duck.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Soares, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Duffy; Palhinha, Lukic; Wilson, Solomon, Harris; Mitrovic. Subs: Wickens, Tete, Ream, Reed, Decordova-Reid, Willian, Pereira, Hilton, Vinicius.
