Fulham boss Marco Silva praises Calvin Bassey’s professionalism and impact after their 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Cambridge United at Craven CottageFulham manager Marco Silva has hailed Calvin Bassey’s professionalism and intensity, despite the Nigerian defender starting on the bench during Fulham’s 1-0 win over Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup third round.

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Silva made a full sweep of 11 changes from the weekend’s Premier League win against Brentford, yet it was the commitment of players like Bassey that stood out for the Portuguese manager.

“Serious again tonight, and as always, they have been very serious the way they work… Calvin Bassey and Joachim Andersen for them to be always top… it’s always good to see,”Silva said in his post-match comments.

While Bassey didn’t feature in the match, Silva’s remarks underline the defender’s growing importance behind the scenes—particularly in pushing teammates to maintain high standards during training and matches.

Fulham edged League Two side Cambridge United thanks to Emile Smith Rowe’s 66th-minute goal, tapping in a rebound from Timothy Castagne’s cross after Raul Jimenez’s initial effort was saved.

Bassey’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze, made his Fulham debut in the second half, coming on in the 60th minute.

Alex Iwobi was rested entirely, with both expected to return to the starting XI for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa.

Silva admitted that the performance was below his expectations, partly due to the wholesale squad rotation.

“Even if they have the quality, if you change three or four, it’s completely different from when you change 11. Tonight wasn’t the best,” he added.

Despite controlling 82% possession, Fulham managed just two accurate crosses from 11 attempts in the first half, struggling to break down their lower-league opponents.

Still, Silva emphasised that progression to the next round was the key objective:

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“The main thing for us was to be in the next round. I have to say that was our obligation.”