Marco Silva pleased to see Fulham avoid a Carabao Cup upset | OneFootball

Marco Silva was relieved to avoid a Carabao Cup upset after his Fulham side dispatched Championship Bristol City 2-0.

Raul Jimenez pressured George Tanner into scoring an early own goal and then grabbed the second midway through the first half as the Cottagers cruised through.

Silva had watched Manchester United go out on penalties to Grimsby before saying: “These types of games are very tricky.

“It was a better first half than second, It was important for us to start well, to be clean and ruthless, That’s important in these type of games. It was also important to keep a clean sheet.

“When you are at home or away the motivation from teams from lower divisions is always high.

“It’s important to get through. Five Premier League clubs are out. It is always a competition where many teams get surprised.”

Silva had been stung by City in the competition before, when they knocked his top-flight Watford side out with a 3-2 result at the same stage eight years ago.

So he named a strong starting XI despite making nine changes from the side which drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Sunday.

Two of the players drafted in, Adama Traore and Jimenez, combined to put Fulham ahead after seven minutes.

Timothy Castagne chipped the ball forward to Traore, who controlled it with his shoulder while outmuscling Robins wing-back Ross McCrorie.

Traore’s volleyed cross was arrowing towards Jimenez but unfortunate City defender Tanner stretched out a leg to make the block and succeeded only in prodding the ball into his own net.

Jimenez got on the scoresheet himself 13 minutes later when he was allowed to control, turn and lash home Harrison Reed’s near-post corner.

City never really threatened an upset in west London, although a late rally in stoppage time saw the ball fall to Fally Mayulu 15 yards out and he crashed a low drive beyond Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte and against the base of the far post.

City head coach Gerhard Struber said: “The two goals we conceded changed the mindset from the boys, the belief crashed a bit and the respect goes up to a level that is necessary.

“We changed it in the second half and the game went in a little different way. We were brave and had the freedom to play.

“But in the end we could see how high the level is in the Premier League and how high Fulham’s level is.”