Fulham boss Marco Silva has been discussing his selection headaches amid fine form from his men so far this season.

Arsenal star Reiss Nelson is enjoying a strong run of form with loan club Fulham, playing alongside former Gunners Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe. Nelson has already racked up eight league appearances for his loan club, aiding a superb start to the season from Marco Silva’s men.

The Cottagers moved up to seventh place after their win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, Silva’s men putting on a strong display to dominate at Selhurst Park, with the goals coming from Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson.

With so many players playing at a high level, Silva has some selection headaches currently, admitting it has been difficult to select a team of late. One player who does still hold a starting shirt is Arsenal man Nelson, with Silva saying after Saturday’s win: “Adama [Traoré] had a fantastic start of the season, too. Right now, he is on the bench because Reiss Nelson is doing so well. Great competition between them – it’s great for me. Good headache, but great for me and for the team as well. If I could play with 12 or 13, it’d be easier for me, but I can’t!”

Wilson may have scored on Saturday, but not even the in-form Welshman is able to get a start currently. “He’s doing the right things. He’s not doing anything wrong to not start. He’s competing against very good players, too. Alex (Iwobi), for example, is being one of the best players so far this season, if not the best. From the first day of pre-season, he’s been so, so brilliant.”

An ideal connection

With Iwobi and Wilson both in form, Silva is delighted to see them signing from the same hymn sheet when playing together. “It was a great week for him,” said Silva. “Last Monday, he decided the game for us. This afternoon again, one of the first times he touched the ball, he scored. A great move.

“His sharpness when he makes this type of move is really good, the capacity that he has to arrive in those areas is really good, too. That connection that he’s creating with Alex – it’s not the first time that we created a chance like that, and he did it again, and I’m really pleased for him.”

Wilson told the Fulham club website of the derby win: “It’s been a great week. For me personally, but also for the team. To win the local derby on Monday night the way we did was amazing, but we knew football can change quick so we knew we had to be on it today.

“Palace are not in the best of moments, have had a few injuries as well, but we knew it was going to be a tough game. Tight pitch here, fans get behind them, so we knew it was going to be tough, but I thought we controlled the game for large parts. The red card definitely helped us, but even until then I thought we were in control of the game and deserved the three points.”