Team News

Marco Silva is looking forward to being able to call upon the services of Tom Cairney for the first time.

Our Club Captain had not been in one of Silva’s matchday squads before making the bench at the weekend, but his Head Coach knows he has plenty to offer following his recovery from injury.

“He will have an impact in our squad,” Silva said. “In the way I like to play, the way our team is playing, he will have an impact.

“You understand that he needs more time, of course, because he just started training with us 10-15 days ago and needs more time to get everything right in the idea of the team, what he needs to do in every moment of the match.

“But with his quality, his experience, and everything he can give – and has already given – for this football club, he will be an important player for us.”

When asked for team news ahead of our game against Cardiff City, Silva revealed that Ivan Cavaleiro and Joe Bryan – who both picked up knocks against Queens Park Rangers – will be absent on Wednesday, as will Fabio Carvalho.

“Both of them will miss the game tomorrow,” he explained. “The next game, it’s possible, let’s see.

“Ivan, we have to see every day and take a decision after that. Joe Bryan is nothing really serious but we have to check tomorrow again and take the decision, but both of them will miss the game.

“Unfortunately, Fabio got Covid. Now he’s recovering from that situation and was with us yesterday.

“Let’s see how he reacts from this situation because he stopped for 10 days and had a bad reaction from the situation. Of course, now he has to recover his physical condition.”

Better news came in the form of Kenny Tete, though, who we could see back in a Fulham shirt sooner rather than later.

“I can tell you that he can be involved if I decided to involve him in the squad list,” Silva stated. “Of course, he’s not ready to play 90 minutes in one football match, but if we need him he’s ready to help the team.

“He’s working hard and now he’s like Tom Cairney – he needs game time, he needs minutes, he needs more training sessions, to be back again strong, as we expect him to be and as he was at the beginning of the season.”