Fulham have an immediate opportunity to bounce back from the disappointment of their League Cup semi-final defeat by Liverpool when Newcastle United head to Craven Cottage for tonight’s FA Cup fourth round tie.

Marco Silva has insisted that his side have already set aside their narrow failure to defeat the Reds on Wednesday night, even if the drama might have been a little too much for Jurgen Klopp. The Portuguese head coach is still fired up by the memory of how a place in the semi-finals slipped away during a minute of madness at Old Trafford last year and will be desperate to record a win over the Magpies, who have won all three encounters since Fulham returned to the top flight.

Newcastle’s aspirations to kick on from a sensational season last term have taken something of a nosedive over the last month. Eddie Howe’s side have only won two of their last nine games – once was against Fulham, when Raul Jimenez’s kung-fu kick gave them a numerical advantage midway through the first half at St. James’ Park last month, and the other was what became a relatively routine win in the Tyne-Wear derby at the Stadium of Light in the third round. The pressure could be creeping up quietly on Howe, whose side since tenth in the Premier League after a group stage exit from Europe, and Newcastle could become the first side to lose eight FA Cup ties in succession to fellow top-tier opposition in the competition’s history.

The visitors will, unlike Fulham, be well rested having not played in a fortnight since Oscar Bobb settled a five-goal thriller in Manchester City’s favour. Howe is battling a significant injury crisis – which will leave the Magpies without Callum Wilson, Joelinton, Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Matt Targett and Elliot Anderson – whilst Sandro Tonali is suspended for historical gambling offences. Former Norwich City winger Jacob Murphy could make a return to the squad having resumed training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Silva might be tempted to shuffle his pack with games against Everton and Burnley following in short order after this Cup double header. It remains to be seen how the exertions of a gruelling game against Liverpool will have affected the squad, but there could be a number of plausible alterations. Kenny Tete should replace Timothy Castagne at right back, whilst this would seem a suitable opportunity to offer fit again Tim Ream a return to first-team action. Birthday boy Harrison Reed might add a bit of rattle into central midfield, whilst Harry Wilson could prove a real threat wide on the right after giving Liverpool an almighty scare in midweek.

Andreas Pereira, who struck the woodwork again during another frustrating evening on Wednesday, has already alluded to a desire within the squad to set up more special nights at the Cottage, telling the Fulham website earlier this week:

“We live for these kinds of games, and that’s what we want to do more and more. That’s why I came to this club, and that’s what everyone is here to do, to keep Fulham pushing the limits every time. We know last year how bitter a feeling it was, so for sure we want to go far in that competition. We have to bounce back in the next game, we have to look forward to it.”

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Tete, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Reed, Palhinha; Wilson, Willian, Pereira; Vinicius. Subs: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Francois, Cairney, Lukic, De Cordova-Reid, Muniz, Jiminez.