MARCO Silva revealed the fierce competition for a starting spot up front as Rodrigo Muniz scored twice to edge Fulham past League One Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Cottagers were 1-0 up at half-time after Muniz had headed home Ryan Sessegnon’s cross at the Brick Community Stadium.
The Latics equalised against the run of play five minutes into the second half through Jonny Smith’s brilliant curling strike.
But that lead lasted only another five minutes as Andreas Pereira found Muniz who beat onrushing goalkeeper Sam Tickle.
“It has been a great fight between him and Raul Jimenez, great competition, healthy competition,” Silva said. “Every single day they are trying to help each other but they know the most important thing is the team. Both are in a great moment. The last game against Newcastle is a good example. It is a good situation for us so let’s keep working hard with them and it’s up to me who starts the next game.”
Silva started youngsters Martial Godo and Josh Kingin the wide attacking positions as he rotated his side from the Premier League.
Silva said:“They are players we believe and trust. We have to give them this experience for them to grow. Martial has had some senior football last season already and it made him grow in a good way. Josh is a top talent we have on our hands that we have to keep giving these experiences too. I think he showed his quality, his bravery and the way he can play between the lines.”
Silva added: “It was a tough game. As I said before the match, you get nothing as a guarantee at this level. We were the favourites and I think we showed that throughout the game but the last fifteen minutes we showed them they could fight for something. I don’t remember one shot from them in the first 45 minutes. We had two or three chances to kill the game and we didn’t and of course when the game is 1-0, anything can happen and they have belief.
“It was a great strike for the equaliser but a good reaction from us. When it was the moment to keep more of the ball in the last fifteen minutes, we should have kept it a lot more. It was open and we didn’t want that because we gave them belief. It was a tough one but I think we deserved the win and deserve to be in the next stage.”
