‘He started because he deserved it’ - Fulham manager hails Chukwueze’s performance against Spurs

The Cottagers claimed a 2-1 away victory against Tottenham on Saturday night in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old delivered an impressive display, particularly in the first half. He was instrumental from the start, setting up Kenny Tete's opening goal just four minutes into the match. 

Chukwueze was also unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself, hitting the woodwork with one attempt and being denied by a last-ditch tackle from Micky van de Ven after rounding the goalkeeper.

Silva acknowledged the winger's standout performance but called for greater consistency from the Nigerian international over a full 90 minutes.

"He was definitely knocking on the door before the game. He is a very good player, we all know that," the Portuguese manager stated.

"Unfortunately, with some injuries and three international breaks away from us, it probably didn’t give us time to get to know each other better. 

“We have worked together for short spells, but he has always shown a very good level. It’s just a matter of him being in his best physical condition to start games."

"He started because he deserved it, and it was another great performance from him," Silva continued.

"Let’s hope he can continue in this way and be more resilient over 90 minutes. He is going to be a very important player for us, like he is right now."

Reflecting on the match, Silva felt his team could have been more clinical. "We should have scored more in the first half, with the off-the-post ball from Chukwu, and then the big chance again. The first 35 minutes, the way we controlled the game, it was good."

The win lifts Fulham to 15th place in the Premier League table with 17 points from 13 matches, signalling a positive turn in form after a challenging start to the season.