Fulham manager Marco Silva spoke to the press for the first time since the news of Rodrigo Muniz’s hamstring injury was announced.
The Club have confirmed that Muniz would undergo surgery on a hamstring injury which forced him off in the 2-0 defeat at Everton earlier this month.
While not ideal news for Silva, Harry Wilson’s hat-trick while playing as a striker in Wales’ 7-1 thumping of North Macedonia, and Raúl Jiménez returning from international duty in rude health, gives the Fulham boss plenty to think about ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland.
“Rodrigo had surgery last Saturday,” said Silva. “Really bad news for us. A long period for him to be out and for him to have a setback in his first game back is painful for him.
“He’s a player that has big aims for the season. It’s sad for him, his teammates and all staff at the football club. In terms of time scale, the middle of February is probably the time for him. If he can come back earlier then that’s better for us, but it’s a long period without him.
“We have Raúl, with help from Jonah [Kusi-Asare], and Aaron [Loupalo-Bi] from the Under-21s. We have different solutions. We have wingers who can adapt, not replicating what we usually do with Raúl and Rodrigo.
“Harry Wilson played as a number nine [for Wales]. We tried something similar with Josh King against Bournemouth when we didn’t have Rodrigo and Raúl at the same time. Harry Wilson was a second striker, almost, during some moments of that game.
“The first time for him to be the captain of his national team and to score three goals, you can imagine it was an amazing night for him.”
Sunderland have been grabbing the headlines since their promotion from the Championship in May.
Régis Le Bris’ newcomers are currently in the Champions League spots – and became just the third team to take points off Arsenal last time out, with Brian Brobbey’s stoppage-time equaliser earning the Black Cats a dramatic point at the Stadium of Light.
But Silva was keen to point out to the press that Sunderland’s position isn’t a false one – and are deservedly competing at the top among the Premier League’s elite.
“First of all, it’s about the quality they have been showing,” said Silva. “They’ve done brilliantly the last few seasons to come from lower divisions up to the Premier League.
“I think back to the Semi-Finals of the Play-Offs last season, a late goal from a set-piece.
If you look at this season, they’ve scored many late goals and many set-pieces. One of the good things when you get promoted is you come up in a good mood.
“The mood, environment and good vibes are always there, and in football, good vibes and mood aren’t always decisive, but sometimes it can be that difference at the end of the match.
“They have quality, individual quality, with the money they’ve spent, but the reality is, clubs in the past have spent heavily in the market as well and haven’t been able to achieve.
It’s a mix of everything; individual quality, a great job from the Manager, players with lots of experience. They deserve the position they’re in right now and it’s going to be a very good test for us.
“We know we are capable of doing much better than the last game and we have to prove our quality tomorrow at Craven Cottage."