Marco Silva hailed Harry Wilson as being in the form of his life – but admitted he could not guarantee his Fulham future – after the Wales international inspired a 3-1 FA Cup comeback victory against Middlesbrough.
Fulham’s place in the fourth round was in doubt following Hayden Hackney’s first-half opener for the Championship side at Craven Cottage.
But substitute Wilson drew Fulham level with a fine equaliser just minutes after coming off the bench. Wilson also played a role in Emile Smith Rowe’s 77th minute strike, and Kevin’s third in stoppage time.
The 28-year-old, who has now scored in his last three games – with strikes in Fulham’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool and 2-1 win against Chelsea – is out of contract at the end of the season.
And Silva admitted: “I don’t know if I am going to have him (Wilson) in one week, 15 days, three months or at the end of the season, with good or bad news. I cannot guarantee anything.
“What I do know, is that he is playing the best football of his career. He is in the best moment of his career and there is no doubt about it.
“We are talking about a very humble player that will not take his foot off the gas and Fulham fans should enjoy the brilliant moment of him.
“I know he will keep helping the team with goals and assists, and hard work, and now it is for the board and the player’s representatives. He is in a happy place, and so is his family, and we will try to do our best to keep him.”
Fulham are unbeaten in their last six matches and Silva made seven changes for what was the club’s fourth match in 10 days.
He added: “It is always tricky when you come from (Premier League) games against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Chelsea, which do not demand a lot of mental work from me on the players because the motivation is always there.
“Even if the FA Cup is always special, and you play at home, it is always tricky to go from Liverpool and Chelsea to play a Championship side, albeit a very good side. And we did not want to underestimate them or think that our place in the next round was guaranteed. We had to be at our best level and we were in the second half.”
Boro’s Tommy Conway hit the crossbar for the impressive visitors just moments after Wilson’s equaliser. And Morgan Whittaker also wasted a good opportunity in the closing stages.
Manager Kim Hellberg said: “I have mixed feelings. I felt we had a good chance to win it, and it was there for the taking.
“Over 60 or 70 minutes the game was quite even, I was impressed with how he we played – a lot of good things – but was disappointed we didn’t win the game.”
