Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has heaped praise on Nigeria international Calvin Bassey following a standout display in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Craven Cottage.
Bassey played the full 90 minutes and was directly involved in the buildup to Fulham's opener, winning the ball back before driving forward with purpose. His shot was initially saved, but the resulting rebound was turned into his own net by Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez, handing Fulham the lead.
Although United fought back through a deflected Matheus Cunha strike late in the match to snatch a point, Arbeloa was full of praise for his defender's overall performance, singling out his composure on the ball and defensive discipline.
"Calvin is one of the best defenders in the Premier League; he plays at a high level with and without the ball. He is doing so well," Arbeloa said following the match.
The result means Fulham are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season under Arbeloa, but the manager took plenty of positives from his side's display, particularly the blend of experience and youth on show, with fellow Nigerian international Alex Iwobi also featuring prominently.
Bassey's confident outing offers a timely lift ahead of the upcoming international break and underlines his growing value to Arbeloa's rebuilding Fulham side as the club looks to kick-start their campaign.
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