The Digest:
Fulham manager Marco Silva has highlighted Alex Iwobi's indispensability after the Super Eagles star made his 100th appearance for the club in their 2-1 FA Cup comeback victory over Stoke City. Silva made ten changes from the side that lost to Manchester City but kept Iwobi in the starting lineup, explaining: "Alex, another game, it was not possible to rest him. Probably it was a good game to rest him, but we don't have many solutions to do so." Since returning from AFCON, Iwobi has featured for 448 of a possible 450 minutes across all competitions, underlining his importance. The Nigerian nearly marked his milestone with a goal, but his header drifted wide. Calvin Bassey was benched while Samuel Chukwueze was left out entirely.
Key Points:
- Iwobi's ever-present status demonstrates his transformation into Fulham's most reliable midfielder.
- His durability (448/450 minutes post-AFCON) underscores his physical resilience and tactical importance.
- Iwobi gains recognition as indispensable, while Fulham benefits from his consistency.
- This signals the gap between Iwobi and other Nigerian internationals like Bassey and Chukwueze in Silva's plans.
- The timing, with 100th appearance, cements his legacy at Craven Cottage.
Sources: Pulse Sports, FFCtv
