Fulham boss delivers verdict on Sunderland win and explains his crucial half-time intervention

Silva was forced to watch the game from the Premier Concourse gantry as he served a touchline suspension on Wednesday night, and while pleased with how his side started the game, he was forced into a double substitution at half time as Sunderland responded.

The introduction of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Andreas Pereira proved crucial, as the pair combined for the second goal.

The hosts fought back through a Jack Clarke goal and then again when Jewison Bennette reduced the deficit following Layvin Kurzawa's close-range strike.

"First of all, congratulations to Sunderland because they made it hard for us," Silva said.

"I thought from the first minutes we were the better team on the pitch, in some moments we played a little bit slower than we like but we created more dangerous moments.

"We scored early and in the first 30 minutes, I think we created enough chances to score another goal.

"I made two changes because in the last fifteen minutes of the half, I think we lost a bit of our shape and our first pressure was not as good as it should be. I thought we improved off the ball after that, and we scored the second goal. Luke [Harris] started the game because he showed me in training that he was ready. It wasn't because he was playing badly, it was because I expected a reaction from Sunderland and I felt we needed a bit more maturity on the pitch.

"But at this level the game is never done, they kept believing. I think overall, we were the best team.

"I think we deserved to go through, but we have to congratulate Sunderland for the way they fought and believed across two games, probably even better at Craven Cottage.

"It was a really good FA Cup tie and I think we deserved to go through."

Fulham will now face Leeds United in the fifth round.