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.

The Brazilian striker was among 10 alterations for Saturday’s fourth-round tie against the 2013 winners at the Brick Community Stadium.

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.

“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.”

Counterpart Shaun Maloney played under Silva at Hull and was part of Wigan’s greatest day as they lifted the FA Cup in 2013.

The Latics boss said the atmosphere around the Brick Community Stadium felt like it did during his playing days and hopes for more of the same moving forwards.

“I think Marco’s done an amazing job – really difficult to play against, really good players,” Maloney said.

“I think that’s probably why I feel so happy with our boys today. The second half they really believed that they could beat Fulham and showed that maybe on another day they could have done.

“The whole feel of the club was completely different. Today felt like the club that I knew a long time ago. A different feel, different sense from the fans, songs that have not heard them sing for years.

“If there’s anything to take away – I know there’s the performance, the young lads and things like that – but the biggest thing I want to take away is the feeling of the club today.

“I want that feeling and this is something I maybe haven’t got right with the fans of where we are at the moment, trying to rebuild.

“I want to feel like that in every home game. I know that comes from me and the team, but I genuinely felt like the club was moving forward today.”