Silva: 'Very important' Smith Rowe will shine

01/18/2025 06:11 PM

Marco Silva believes Fulham’s record signing Emile Smith Rowe will shine once he has put a series of injuries behind him after the England international put the Whites on their way to a comfortable victory at Leicester City this afternoon.

The former Arsenal midfielder has endured a patchy start to his Craven Cottage career since his summer switch, struggling for form and fitness in west London. Smith Rowe stooped to head in the opening goal as the Whites bounced back from their first defeat in ten games at West Ham in midweek to ease past the struggling Foxes in the Midlands this afternoon.

Silva told his post-match press conference at the King Power Stadium:

“He’s a very, very important player for us. Unfortunately for him and us, he had a difficult December month which broke the momentum and confidence he was playing with. He had a small issue in his hamstring. He’s a player who’s had injuries in the past that have completely broken his momentum. Of course, it starts to create some doubts in his mind.

We were able to rest him and manage him in the best we could, and it’s really important to have him back again. He’s going to arrive at his best again.”