LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 07: Marco Silva, Manager of Fulham, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Sheffield United at Craven Cottage on October 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Marco Silva now set to hand 23-year-old Fulham player his second league start vs Tottenham
Fulham manager Marco Silva is set to hand defender Calvin Bassey just his second league start for the club against Tottenham Hotspur this evening.
A report from the Standard has shared some early team news from the Whites ahead of a tough trip to North London.
Fulham’s record away to Tottenham is nothing to write home about as is generally the case whenever they face any of the Premier League’s biggest sides.
Last season’s visit ended in a 2-1 defeat and Fulham were outplayed for much of the game before Aleksandar Mitrovic nearly rescued a point late in the match.
He scored a consolation goal before his deflected looping effort was remarkably clawed away by Hugo Lloris.
Both teams will be missing key players going into tonight’s match.
Tottenham are missing Yves Bissouma after he was sent off against Luton and has been a revelation this season.
This should give Joao Palhinha the advantage in the middle of the pitch, although his likely replacement Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored in this fixture last season.
Fulham are without both Issa Diop and Tosin Adarabioyo tonight so Calvin Bassey is set to line up alongside Tim Ream against Tottenham tonight.
The £19m defender has looked bright in the few appearances he’s made so far this season.
His sending off against Arsenal is the only blemish on his short Fulham career thus far.
Bassey set to start for Fulham vs. Tottenham
The report from the Standard says Fulham are ‘set to hand’ Bassey a start tonight although Silva doesn’t have many other options.
Some fans will be calling for Luc de Fougerolles to be involved in the squad tonight after his impressive performances during pre-season.
The youngster was called up by the Canadian national team during the most recent international break but asking him to step up to play against Tottenham is another matter.
Silva also has to decide whether Ream or Bassey will play on the right-hand side of Fulham’s defence against Tottenham tonight.
Ream has formed a fantastic partnership with Antonee Robinson on the left over the years and it’s hard to see that being disrupted.
It means Bassey will be working alongside fellow new signing Timothy Castagne who has looked very bright in the absence of Kenny Tete.
Pundits haven’t Fulham much hope tonight and history suggests tonight will be a difficult tie.
However, Marco Silva has pulled off some brilliant results during his time at Fulham and is the only manager to have defeated Ange Postecoglou during his tenure so far.
