Fulham manager Marco Silva has publicly urged Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze to battle for a place in the starting lineup after the player provided a decisive assist that secured victory last weekend.
Chukwueze arrived at the West London outfit on a season-long loan deal during the summer transfer window. The 26-year-old has mostly been deployed as a substitute to make an impact from the bench, having come on in five substitute appearances for the Whites to date.
The Nigeria international was praised for a “wonderful assist” that set up Raul Jimenez up for the late winner in Fulham’s vital 1-0 win against Sunderland last weekend. This was the winger’s second assist in the Premier League since joining the Cottagers.
In the aftermath of that display, Chukwueze was named Fulham’s Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match by the fans, seeing off competition from teammates Raúl Jiménez and Harry Wilson to claim the individual honour.
Silva commended the winger for the influence he has shown since arriving at the club, while making it clear what the next challenge is for him:
“He (Chukwueze) had a huge impact. It was a great assist from him, and we’re pleased for him. Now we need him to start games and keep the intensity throughout the 90 minutes,” Silva told Fulham’s official website.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli