With key players rested or sidelined, opportunities arose for Andreas Pereira, Jorge Cuenca, Issa Diop, Ryan Sessegnon, and Rodrigo Muniz.
A switch to a wing-back system paid off, as early goals in each half from Sessegnon and Muniz secured the victory over Wolves.
“We knew that we were going to need some fresh legs inside,” Silva explained. “The last game for us on Saturday was a difficult one, performance-wise was not the best, and I knew that coming here the game was going to demand from us some fresh legs inside.
“Some players that we decided wouldn’t start the game, like Alex Iwobi, Robinson, Calvin, for example, they are the players with more minutes in our team.
“It’s not easy when you change five players, when you are playing at the level we are playing in the Premier League.
“Not starting with Alex, Willian is not ready to start a game yet from a physical point of view, and we don’t have other wingers, that is the reality, we don’t have solutions. And that was the first reason we changed the formation.
“We know that Sessegnon is able to play wing-back very well, he has the composure to attack the box in the right moment, like he did for the first goal. And with Jorge Cuenca there, we knew that he was always going to be very well covered.
“Of course, scoring very early in both halves had an impact on the game. There was a good reaction from Wolves after the 1-0. The game after the 1-0 was a little bit more balanced.
“We had a very good chance with Rodrigo to score the 2-1. After the 2-1, we controlled the game in a different way – a much more medium-low block.
“Sometimes we don’t like to not have the ball, it was difficult for us because we were not able to keep the ball the first 30 minutes of the second half.
“But the reality is that Wolves had all the ball, but didn’t create one chance second half. I think our organisation, the way we defended, togetherness was there – not one chance in the 52 minutes of the second half.
“And the reality is in that last 20 minutes we had two clear chances with Raúl, and one very good one with Andreas to score the third goal and kill the game.
“Overall, changing five players in a short period, and changing the formation, too, the boys responded really well and I’m really pleased for them.
“Players like Sessegnon – I don’t know how long but probably two years without a Premier League start.
“Jorge Cuenca, his second (start) in the Premier League as well, was really nice to see him do it in a really demanding game away from home against Wolves, where Fulham had not won in the last 40 years.”