Fulham and Leeds United will be desperate for a win to turn their fortunes around when they clash at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
The games are coming thick and fast across Europe. And in the Premier League, Gameweek 32 will begin on Friday with the match between Arsenal and Southampton at the Emirates. And the action on Saturday will kick off when Fulham and Leeds United meet at Craven Cottage in the lunchtime match.
Fulham returned to the Premier League last year, hoping to avoid an immediate drop to the EFL Championship. But the Cottagers have defied conventional wisdom to rise into the bottom half of the Premier League table. However, Marco Silva needs to galvanise his troops, with his side losing five of the last six matches.
On the other hand, 2022/23 has been a nightmare of a season thus far for Southampton. The Saints have been flirting with relegation for a few seasons and might finally crumble in the ongoing campaign. Ruben Selles is the third manager in charge at the club. And despite some promising performances, the visitors remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The reverse fixture saw Fulham come from a goal down to beat Leeds United 3-2. The Cottagers were also victorious against the Whites in the FA Cup, clinching a 2-0 victory in the fifth round. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
How our passing looks this season. 🔎
Data insights presented by @Acronis x @EveryCloud_UK. 📊 pic.twitter.com/RvwEnz3URY
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) April 21, 2023
Marco Silva has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Leeds United on Saturday, the Fulham manager will be bereft of the services of four first-team players.
Daniel James is the latest player unavailable, with the Welshman ineligible to face his parent club. Meanwhile, Aleksandar Mitrovic is the most notable absentee as he continues to serve his suspension. Layvin Kurzawa (knee) and Neeskens Kebano (Achilles) are also on the sidelines.
Bernd Leno is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Fulham lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. The defensive unit should feature Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, and Antonee Robinson.
As for the midfield unit, the in-demand Joao Palhinha will shore up things in front of the backline, with Harrison Reed accompanying him. The duo will be primarily defensive-minded in the middle of the park while looking to initiate rapid transitions.
Andreas Pereira will pull the strings high up the pitch, with the Brazilian looking to create the bulk of the chances for his side. Willian, Harry Wilson, and Carlos Vinicius will complete the offensive unit, with Vinicius deputising for the suspended Mitrovic.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Ream, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Wilson, Pereira, Willian; Vinicius
Leeds United
Unlike his counterpart in the Fulham dugout, Javi Gracia does not have any new issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage. The Leeds United manager will be without two first-team players.
Gracia is sweating over the fitness of Patrick Bamford, who faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. But the English striker should be fit enough to make the matchday squad. Meanwhile, Stuart Dallas (hamstring) and Tyler Adams (thigh) are the only Leeds players on the sidelines.
🎙 Javi Gracia chats to the media ahead of Saturday's trip to face Fulham https://t.co/wReCsOsiDm
— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 20, 2023
Bamford will unlikely start, meaning Rodrigo Moreno will spearhead the Leeds attack against Fulham on Saturday. Brenden Aaronson will play just behind Rodrigo, having the freedom to express himself high up the pitch. Meanwhile, Luis Sinisterra and Jack Harrison will be the two wide men for the visitors.
As for the midfield unit, Weston McKennie and Marc Roca pick themselves. While the latter will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, the former will aim to provide the forward thrust from the centre of the pitch.
Meanwhile, the 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool will come with consequences for the defensive unit. And Liam Cooper and Maximilian Wober should form the central defensive partnership. Luke Ayling should return as the right-back, with Junio Firpo continuing on the left flank. Finally, Illan Meslier picks himself between the sticks for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Cooper, Wober, Firpo; McKennie, Roca; Harrison, Aaronson, Sinisterra; Rodrigo
Key Stats
- Following the 3-2 win at Elland Road in October, Fulham will look to complete the league double over Leeds for the first time since 1959/60, when the Yorkshire side faced relegation from the top flight. The Cottagers have already beaten Leeds twice this season. As a top-flight side, they have defeated a team three times in one season on three previous occasions – Blackburn Rovers in 1961/62, Charlton Athletic in 2002/03 and Norwich City in 2013/14.
- Leeds United have lost all five of their Premier League games in London this season, conceding 16 goals in the process. The last time they lost five in a row in a single campaign in the capital was in 2020/21, a run which they ended with a 2-1 win at Fulham.
- Fulham have lost their last two Premier League home games, as many as they had in their previous nine (W4 D3). This season, their five home league defeats have either come in London derbies (vs Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and West Ham United) or against teams currently in the top four (Newcastle United and Manchester United).
- Leeds United have conceded 16 goals in four Premier League games in April 2023, letting in at least four in three of those matches. The Whites already hold the record for most goals conceded in a calendar month in the competition, shipping 20 in February 2022.
- Patrick Bamford has been directly involved in six goals in his last four league starts against Fulham, scoring four and assisting two. He has both scored and assisted a strike in both of his Premier League starts against the Cottagers.
Player to Watch
Andreas Pereira
With Fulham sorely missing Aleksandar Mitrovic, one player has to work harder than usual to help the Cottagers. We are talking about the West London club’s playmaking extraordinaire Andreas Pereira.
The Brazilian international has risen in stature this season, with clubs like Chelsea noticing his progress. But with Mitrovic unavailable, Pereira’s chance creation does not meet the desired output. So he will need to produce more high-quality openings for his teammates to help his team find the back of the net. If that happens, the Cottagers will get past Leeds United on Saturday.
Prediction
Fulham 2-1 Leeds United
Leeds United’s offensive output has improved considerably, and they have found the back of the net in the last six games. But that has invariably left the defensive unit exposed, with the Whites conceding 16 goals already this month. That should provide the impetus for Fulham to pounce.
The Cottagers have blown hot and cold in the last few weeks. But they are facing Leeds United at a best possible time to regain their form. And while Fulham’s own defensive frailties will come to the fore, the hosts will have enough quality to get past the Whites. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Marco Silva and his charges.
