Aleksandar Mitrovic injury update as Fulham boss Marco Silva gives verdict on Sunderland ahead of FA Cup tie

The Serbian striker, who has scored 11 Premier League goals this season, left the field with an ankle issue during Monday’s 1-0 defeat against Tottenham at Craven Cottage.

Yet while admitting he will make some changes like against Hull in the previous round, Silva says the FA Cup remains important for his side.

“Some players deserve their chance, definitely,” said the Fulham boss when asked about rotation. “We rotated against Hull away from home and performed well. It’s a moment for us to see more minutes from some players.

"It’s our ambition to do well in the FA Cup, a historic competition that's really important for all clubs. Myself as a manager and our players will do our best to go through."

Sunderland are set to be backed by another strong away following in West London and should be full of confidence following last week’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough - a result which moved Tony Mowbray’s side to within a point of the Championship play-offs places.

When asked about the Black Cats, Silva replied: "They're really well-supported and tomorrow we’ll feel that we’re playing an FA Cup match against a club with a great fan base and a squad of players who want to do well in the competition."

Fulham are seventh in the Premier League table with 31 points, despite back-to-back league defeats against Newcastle and Tottenham.