Marco Silva on Iwobi decision as Fulham coach explains why Nigeria star was not rested in FA Cup win over Stoke

Marco Silva has explained why Alex Iwobi was not rested during Fulham F.C.’s 2-1 comeback victory over Stoke City F.C. in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

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Speaking after the match, the Fulham head coach said squad limitations left him with little choice but to retain the Nigeria international in the starting line-up.

Silva made ten changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Manchester City F.C. days earlier. Iwobi was the only player to keep his place.

“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, and the backline was solid enough,” Silva said.

The decision underlines Iwobi’s growing importance in Silva’s plans.

Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, the midfielder has played 448 of a possible 450 minutes across all competitions.

Heavy rotation saw Calvin Bassey start on the bench, while Samuel Chukwueze was left out of the matchday squad.

Fulham were forced to respond after Stoke City opened the scoring. Silva’s side rallied with resilience to secure victory and progress to the next round.

Iwobi nearly marked his 100th appearance for the club with a goal, but his header drifted narrowly wide of the left post.

Since the start of the 2025 to 2026 season, the former Hale End Academy graduate has made 35 appearances for club and country.

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The numbers reinforce his status as one of Fulham’s most dependable performers during a demanding and relentless campaign.