Marco Silva knows Fulham could face a ‘difficult’ night at Deepdale as they travel to Preston North End in the third round of the League Cup tomorrow night.
The Whites will look to bounce back from the desperate disappointment of Danny Ings’ dramatic stoppage-time equaliser for West Ham United at Craven Cottage on Saturday by avoiding an upset against Championship opposition having beaten Birmingham City in the second round. The Fulham boss knows just how stubborn an opponent Preston could prove after experiencing a frustrating afternoon at Deepdale three years:
“It’s always difficult to go there to play, always difficult. Of course, they changed the manager at the beginning of the season, but we know that it’s always a different game. It’s not a Championship competition for them, they are playing against a Premier League side and it’s always an opportunity for the players to show up, to show their quality.
I have good memories of the win that got us promoted, but we also remember the away game that season! We know this, we had a good experience 20 days ago against Birmingham away from home. Of course, we got the job done, but it was really difficult for us – the way Birmingham approached the game, the intensity, the energy, and we expect the same from Preston. We have to be really solid, and of course after show our quality, to implement our quality on the pitch, to be able to play [in] the next round.”
Silva stressed that the success of reaching the League Cup semi-finals last season has whetted the appetite for another Cup run, but expects a mature performance from his players to avoid embarrassment.
“Being professional, being serious, is the main thing for us in the competition. Playing with ambition, too. We know what we are capable of doing, but at the same time, we know that we must be fully focused and fully motivated for that game, because in that game anything can happen.
It’s important for what we have been doing the last two seasons in different competitions. Two seasons ago, Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup, last season [Carabao Cup] Semi-Finals for the first time ever in the history of the football club, and it’s really important for us to keep taking these steps forward. We are really positive, and of course we have to show tomorrow evening that we are capable of doing it again.”
The Fulham boss hinted at making changes to his starting line-up again but wouldn’t drawn on whether he alter the entire eleven as he did in the previous round at St. Andrew’s.
“It’s a different competition, but really important for us, too. It’s the beginning of the season, where if you change something it’s not really because of fatigue. We need all the players at the same level, and it’s always a chance to have all of them in action and to do more or less the things that we’ve been doing, looking serious for the competition. For us, it doesn’t matter who is going to start, it’s always going to be a team that is capable of winning the game.”
Asked about the bright cameo from Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson, Silva suggested that the winger might make his full debut for the Whites against North End.
“He had a very good impact since he joined. I know it was the international break and not all the players together, but he had a good impact. Of course [he made], a good impact in the game, like we expected, and we needed a player like him in the moment of this game. We got control again and started to have some chances to punish them, probably to kill the game at 2-0. Unfortunately we didn’t score but yes, definitely a very good impact from him. About tomorrow’s match? It will be an opportunity to see him again.”
