Fulham will be eager to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they welcome Burnley to Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Saturday will give us seven Premier League games as Gameweek 18 of the 2023/24 season continues. The action gets underway at the London Stadium with the match between West Ham United and Manchester United before Fulham and Burnley lock horns at Craven Cottage.
Fulham began the season poorly, dropping as low as 15th in the Premier League standings. They won just three of their first 12 top-flight games before seeing an improvement in form. The Cottagers have emerged victorious in as many games in their last five outings as they had in their first 12. Meanwhile, Marco Silva’s men head into Saturday’s fixture on the back of a victory over Everton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.
As for Burnley, the Clarets have endured a trial by fire in the 2023/24 Premier League season. Expectations were high after they stormed to the EFL Championship title last season. But Vincent Kompany has not succeeded in guiding his team to dominant performances in the top flight. His charges have won only two league games, with Burnley sitting second from bottom on the table.
Burnley won the most recent clash at Craven Cottage, beating Fulham 2-0 in May 2021. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
Marco Silva has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Burnley on Saturday, the Fulham manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
Raul Jimenez is the latest absentee, with the Mexican international serving a suspension after seeing red against Newcastle United last weekend. Meanwhile, Tim Ream (calf) and Adama Traore (hamstring) remain in the treatment room.
Bernd Leno, one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Fulham lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. Tosin Adarabioyo has been a revelation for Fulham in the last few weeks.
The exit-linked defender will accompany Issa Diop at the heart of the defence, with Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson being the two full-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past the in-form duo of Joao Palhinha and Alex Iwobi in the double pivot.
While Palhinha will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, Iwobi will provide the forward thrust from the central areas. Finally, Rodrigo Muniz will deputise for the suspended Jimenez, with Willian, Andreas Pereira, and Harry Wilson playing the supporting cast.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson; Palhinha, Iwobi; Willian, Pereira, Wilson; Muniz
Burnley
Unlike his counterpart in the Fulham dugout, Vincent Kompany has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage. The Burnley manager will be without only one first-team player on Saturday.
Luca Koleosho is the only absentee due to a knee injury that will keep him on the sidelines until June. The good news is Charlie Taylor is available after serving a suspension last weekend. Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Cork, and Johann Berg Gudmundsson are in contention to feature on Saturday.
Burnley will line up in the usual 4-4-2 formation against Fulham, with James Trafford taking his spot between the sticks. The system will thrive on directness and organisation. Vitinho and Taylor should be the two full-backs, with Jordan Beyer and Dara O’Shea being the two central defenders.
Sander Berge and Josh Brownhill will pair up in the middle of the park. The duo will look to keep things tight while providing the forward thrust during transitions. Jacob Bruun Larsen and Wilson Odobert will complete the numbers in the midfield unit. Finally, Lyle Foster and Zeki Amdouni should be the two strikers for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Trafford; Vitinho, O’Shea, Beyer, Taylor; Larsen, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Foster, Amdouni
Key Stats
- Fulham have lost three of their last four home games against Burnley in all competitions. The Clarets can win three consecutive matches at Fulham for the first time.
- Fulham have won their most recent three games at home against newly-promoted teams in the Premier League and beat both Luton Town and Sheffield United at Craven Cottage this season.
- Burnley have gone five league away matches without a win (D1 L4). Meanwhile, the Clarets have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 15 Premier League away matches.
- Fulham have scored 13 goals thus far in December, the most they have netted in a calendar month in the top flight since 1966.
- Jay Rodriguez, whose next Premier League appearance will be his 250th, has recorded two goals and two assists in his last three Premier League starts against Fulham.
Player to Watch
Joao Palhinha
Raul Jimenez, Willian, Harry Wilson, and Andreas Pereira have taken the spotlight in recent outings for Fulham. But without Joao Palhinha making it tick, the Cottagers cannot keep their opponents in check. So, the Portuguese international is our pick for the section.
Palhinha’s future remains uncertain amid links with Arsenal, Chelsea, and many others. But he has not let the speculation affect his form and continues to produce match-winning displays. That should also be the case on Saturday, with Fulham depending on him to negate Burnley’s threat from the central areas.
Prediction
Fulham 2-1 Burnley
Fulham’s home form has been exceptional in the last few weeks. But while everyone has stepped up, Raul Jimenez’s improving form played a big part in the convincing victories. So, the Cottagers will not blow Burnley away on Sunday.
But the Clarets have the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League. In addition, they are without a win in their last five games on the road. So, while the visitors will give their hosts a run for their money, they will fall short again. The Hard Tackle predicts Fulham to eke out a narrow 2-1 win over Burnley on Saturday.
