BREAKING! Fulham Revealed What They Intended Doing On The Carabao “Clash” With Birmingham City Carabao

1. Up next: Birmingham City (a)

a partnership with another new arrival in Jorge Cuenca, who the Fulham boss confirmed yesterday would start, could be smart with Saturday’s trip to Ipswich in mind.

Sander Berge could also be offered valuable minutes in the middle of the park having not played a competitive game so far this season, whilst talented teenager Josh King – so impressive in pre-season – will be pushing for a place in midfield. Both Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney could also be options in the engine room depending on the scale of Silva’s planned rotation, whilst Martial Godo – who also caught the eye over the summer after an encouraging loan spell with Wigan Athletic last term – might be in line for an outing on the wing if, as expected, Ryan Sessegnon’s first appearance of his second spell with the Whites comes at left back.

The summer saw plenty of column inches filled by the possibility of Jay Stansfield, who scored thirteen goals for Blues on loan at St. Andrew’s, making a permanent move to join Birmingham but the England under-21 international was always likely to be part of Silva’s plans. He has had to make do with a substitute appearance on the opening night at Old Trafford but could lead the line in surroundings he knows very well. As well as the memories of a personally successful season with City, Stansfield can also reflect on how he scored his first Fulham goal with a superb strike in this competition three years ago.

Silva will need to strike the right balance between ringing the changes and avoiding a banana-skin because a revitalised home side in what have always been intimidating surroundings will be all too eager to take a top flight scalp.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Benda; Castagne, Sessegnon, Andersen, Cuenca; Berge, Reed; Wilson, Godo, Cairney; Stansfield. Subs: Borto, Tete, de Fougerolles, King, Pajaziti, Iwobi, Osmand, Jimenez, Muniz.