THE TWO BOSSES, PLUS MANOR SOLOMON, LAYVIN KURZAWA AND PATRICK ROBERTS, OFFER UP THEIR THOUGHTS ON FULHAM’S CUP CLASH WITH SUNDERLAND.
Marco Silva
It’s always a really tough game in this situation. It doesn’t matter if you are facing Premier League sides, Championship sides, League One sides, whatever it is, it’s always really special – their ambition, their desire. I think everyone will understand when the game starts. A big number of fans follow their team as well. All of us know how Sunderland is as a football club, and when they are in a good moment how they can be really well supported by their fans. Tomorrow we are going to feel that we are playing an FA Cup match against a club with a great fanbase, and a squad that wants to come here and do their best to go through in the competition.
Tony Mowbray
I know they have lost two really tight games [against Newcastle United and Spurs] and I have watched both of those games and they probably didn’t deserve to lose either of them, but they did. I think the balance for their manager is whether they try and find a winning way again to get more confidence and belief, or do they look to the next league game and keep going and see if they can qualify for Europe? When I look at their squad, even the players that haven’t played on a regular basis are still players that played every week in the Championship last year. The likes of Tom Cairney isn’t a regular starter, Harry Wilson hasn’t been a regular starter, and yet they ripped the Championship to shreds last year. They were way too good for that division. Whatever team they put out, they are going to be really difficult to play against and we should be ready for that.
Manor Solomon
My first game after the injury was in the cup [against Hull City], and hopefully against Sunderland I can get some more minutes, some more game time. That’s what I need the most right now, and then I can help the team more. We’re looking forward to this game. We want to win and we want to get through to the next game. Sunderland is a big club in England, we know they are a good team. I think in England there are no easy games, especially when you play against Championship teams.
Patrick Roberts
It will be nice to see everyone involved with Fulham, it will be nice to be back. I played [at Craven Cottage] with Middlesbrough a couple of seasons ago but it kind of wasn’t the same feeling. Coming with Sunderland in the FA Cup will be a big game. The fans are looking forward to it, the players are looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to it, coming back, and hopefully it’s a good game. We’re both good footballing teams so it should be a good day out for both sets of fans, but hopefully we win!
Layvin Kurzawa
It’s a big game for us and for Sunderland. The FA Cup is a big cup but tomorrow we need to win and progress. I’m happy because my family will be there for the first time so I need to enjoy and win tomorrow. Big crowd, big stadium, very good atmosphere. We just need to win and enjoy. Win, win, win, win, win.
