English Premier League: Fulham vs West Bromwich Albion - Preview
When West Bromwich Albion hosted Fulham in October at the Hawthorns, the 2-1 win secured by the Baggies enabled them to jump into the top four in the Premier League table. The victory was a fine result for West Brom, who saw their form slump after the fixture
to lose the next eight out of eleven matches. Fulham have fared worse in recent times, as they currently are wallowing in the relegation zone, sitting on the eighteenth spot with nineteen points, having played twenty fixtures.
If the Cottagers manage a win over West Brom in this Premier League fixture, they will rise above their opponents in the table to a possible thirteenth position. Mark Hughes is a manager who has come under strong scrutiny by fans and neutrals alike, as Fulham
last year at this stage in the league, had eight more points than they do currently and were nine positions above their eighteenth spot this year. The season has caused many of the Craven Cottage faithful to criticize Hughes and reminisce about the club’s
time under Roy Hodgson. Ahead of the fixture, Roberto Di Matteo, the West Brom manager has stated that if his team were to avoid relegation, he would consider the feat the greatest in his career. The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 player has had an illustrious career, having
scored the fastest ever FA Cup final goal for the Blues at the Old Wembley stadium and also helped Italy win thirty four games.
Both teams have each played twenty games so far this season, when heading for the fixture at Craven Cottage. Fulham have nineteen points compared to West Brom’s twenty two and the Cottagers have won half the amount of fixtures compared to West Brom’s six.
The Baggies have drawn four games in comparison to West Brom’s ten and have lost ten games against Fulham’s seven. West Brom have scored twenty six goals against Hughes’ side’s nineteen this season. Di Matteo’s team have let in thirty six goals, and the Cottagers
have conceded twenty four.
Fulham have reason to be confident ahead of this fixture as they have not been defeated at Craven Cottage at the hands of West Brom since October 1967 in Premier League matches. The period of time marks a total of eleven matches. The two clubs have clashed
in seventy five games; with West Brom gaining an advantage having secured thirty six victories to Fulham’s twenty four. The Cottagers must improve upon their home form, as the London club have been without a win in their previous five games. Their last win
was against Wigan in a match where they scored two goals to nil on 30th October 2010. Hughes’ men had a dismal record in January of last season, when they were defeated in all their four league games. Fulham have been playing in the Premier League
for ten years straight since being promoted to it in 2001. It may be a meeting of familiar faces when these two sides clash in the midweek fixture, as three current players of Fulham used to play for West Brom. They include Zoltan Jera, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jonathan-c18993 Greening and
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Diomansy-Kamara-c11343.
Fulham’s regular goal keeper Mark Schwarzer will be unavailable for his side as he has to serve international duty in the Asian Cup competition. Moussa Demebele is speculated to be returning after suffering for seven weeks at the sidelines with an ankle
problem. Di Matteo may choose to not risk playing Pablo Ibanez and Steven Reid, who were unable to continue against Manchester United in their previous fixture due to injuries. The Baggies squad will be welcoming back Gonzalo Jara who has served his one match
ban, but will not see the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gabriel-Tamas-c14343 who has been banned for two matches.
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