Smith Rowe and Kevin ‘have to be patient’, Arbeloa says

Alvaro Arbeloa says Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin must be patient to get their opportunities in the Fulham team.

Smith Rowe has been left out of the past two matchday squads, while Kevin has been an unused substitute.

Head coach Arbeloa said: “Yes, we have a big squad. It’s not easy to play in this team. It’s not easy for me to pick 11 players, even 20 players for every match.

“It’s not easy, but they need to continue working as they are doing. I have so many players that are working hard and they need to wait for this opportunity.

“For me, the players that are starting now and they are playing, they are doing well.

“The players that came on from the bench, they did really, really well. They give us energy, they give us quality. You have to be ready.

“I know for both, not an easy situation for both, and for the players that they are not playing. But they have to be patient, they have to work as hard as they are doing.

“It’s a long season, injuries will come, and opportunities will come, and until that day they have to wait and they need to continue working because we have so many good players.”

Both players were signed under Arbeloa’s predecessor Marco Silva, costing a combined sum of around £60m.

They could feature in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Crystal Palace.

Arbeloa says he will select “the strongest team possible” for the game.