Alex Iwobi is quietly Marco Silva’s best player, he just proved it away from Fulham

Marco Silva is bound to miss the services of Alex Iwobi as Fulham contiune to keep afloat above the Premier League relegation zone.

The Cottagers have moved 10 points above the dropzone, with Fulham beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 shortly after a five-goal thriller against Burnley.

Harry Wilson has become key to Fulham’s starting lineup, notching five goals and three assists in the league so far, with several stars around him at Craven Cottage.

Having signed the likes of Samuel Chukwueze, Kevin, and Jonah Kusi-Asare, the Cottagers are far below where they are expected to be in the standings, with Silva facing criticism.

Fulham without Alex Iwobi for weeks due to AFCON

Some of the blame can certainly be put down to the club’s lack of activity during the summer transfer window, but even so, there is more than enough talent in the squad already.

One player who has been a constant for the West London club is Iwobi, who could now be unavailable for weeks after jetting out to AFCON with Nigeria, but those back in England will be keeping a close eye.

Silva is under pressure at Fulham, given his honesty about disagreements behind the scenes, and he cannot afford any more major injuries. Thankfully, Iwobi has come through his first game unscathed.

His Nigeria side beat Tanzania 2-1 on Tuesday, 23 December, with goals from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman, and yet, the former Everton man grabbed the highlights in the competition.

How Iwobi orchestrated Nigeria’s opening victory

According to OptaJoe (24 December), the 29-year-old became the first player since John Obi Mikel in 2013 to register two assists in a single AFCON game.

He created a total of six chances during his 90 minutes on the pitch, completing 91 per cent of his passes, accurately finding teammates with 75 per cent of his long balls, and making three recoveries [FotMob].

Back at Craven Cottage this season, he has been given a different role, often falling back into a defensive midfielder spot, so it was ideal for him to feature in a midfield trio for the Super Eagles.

Silva likely cannot wait for him to return to England, with some difficult matches coming up for the Cottagers, and records like the one above prove just how important he is to the team.

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