Marco Silva hails Fulham star Rodrigo Muniz after FA Cup win over Wigan | OneFootball

Brazilian forward bags brace as Cottagers book spot in the fifth round

Fulham boss Marco Silva praised Rodrigo Muniz for stepping up with a match-winning brace at Wigan in the FA Cup and continuing to push Raul Jimenez.

Muniz scored a diving header to give Fulham a deserved lead and fired home a fine strike shortly after League One hosts Wigan had levelled through Jonny Smith's stunner early in the second half.

The Cottagers held on against the spirited Latics and progressed thanks to another 2-1 win, a week on from Jimenez and Muniz goals securing a victory by the same scoreline at Newcastle.

"It's great competition between him and Raul, definitely," Fulham boss Silva said. "It's always good when you have two strikers that have been scoring goals, and important goals for us.

"The best example is what's happened last Premier League game against Newcastle, when both scored.

Match winner: Rodrigo Muniz scored twice as Fulham beat Wigan in the FA Cup

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"When you have a chance to start a game like Rodrigo got this afternoon, you have to step in and he did it. This is what you want.

"I know that I made 10 changes. Sometimes it's not easy to keep the same consistency in terms of the way to play, but most of the time of the game we did it.

"Rodrigo did something that is really strong. Inside the box is really strong. I'm really pleased for the second goal, because it's something that we have been working with him, with these type of runs and moves.

"That is something that is clear to improve, to understand sometimes that cannot play always the back to goal.

"Great response for him. Not surprised, as he's in a good moment, like Raul. Great competition, just to me, for me to decide who is going to be the best solution for each game related to the strategy, the moment, the opposition side too."