An underperforming Fulham facet host a high-flying Sunderland at Craven Cottage. BBC Sport examines among the key speaking factors surrounding this conflict.
Not many would have predicted Fulham to path one of many three promoted sides by eight factors virtually a 3rd of the way in which into this marketing campaign.
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Nevertheless, some followers may recommend they’ve been going by means of the motions because the again finish of final season. The Whites set a membership report Premier League factors whole in 2024-25 with a tally of 54 however suffered seven defeats of their last 11 matches between March and Might (gained 4).
A summer season of minimal recruitment adopted with simply 4 gamers arriving and though the membership’s switch report was damaged with a £34.6m outlay on Brazilian winger Kevin, supervisor Marco Silva bemoaned what he referred to as a “passive” strategy throughout the switch window.
After a good begin to this marketing campaign the membership have struggled over the previous two months and 5 losses from their previous six league video games has them sitting a degree above the drop zone in fifteenth.
Comforts of the Cottage
4 of these previous 5 losses have come away and their sole victory was a 3-0 win over at Craven Cottage, which has change into one thing of a fortress for Fulham this season. No facet has earned a better share of their Premier League factors at residence than Silva’s facet.
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The Whites have been victorious in three of their previous 4 residence league matches, shedding the opposite 1-0 to , and provided that 4 of their subsequent seven are at Craven Cottage they are going to be anticipating outcomes to enhance.
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They’re additionally unbeaten of their previous 10 Premier League conferences with promoted opposition (gained 5, drawn 5), profitable the earlier three in a row. The final time they triumphed in 4 consecutive matches towards Premier League newcomers was 14 years in the past.
Black Cats flying excessive
Sunderland fought again to grab a deserved level towards league chief Arsenal of their final Premier League outing two weeks in the past.
Brian Brobbey’s 94th-minute equaliser in that 2-2 draw was the primary time the Gunners have conceded twice this season in any competitors and it helped silence any doubts about Sunderland’s means to compete with the division’s finest sides.
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The Black Cats stay unbeaten at residence this time period however outcomes on the highway have been extra blended for Regis le Bris and his facet, with two wins, a draw and two losses from 5 away matches.
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Each of these defeats got here within the north west, however latest visits to London have proved much less problematic. Sunderland are unbeaten in 14 away league video games towards sides from the capital, a run that features a 2-1 win over final month. Nevertheless, their final defeat within the metropolis was a 2-1 loss to Fulham at Craven Cottage in April 2018.
That triumph at Stamford Bridge means Sunderland may win back-to-back Premier League video games in London inside a single season for the primary time since Peter Reid’s facet beat and Chelsea in March 2001.