Fulham will welcome Championship strugglers Rotherham United to Craven Cottage in their FA Cup opener of the season.
Premier League side Fulham are in excellent form at this moment in time and will kick off their 2023/24 FA Cup campaign against Rotherham United at Craven Cottage on Friday.
Marco Silva’s side recently made it to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and also upset Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League. The Cottagers are a solid side on their day and will go into the clash against Rotherham United as favourites.
The Millers, on the other hand, are fighting for survival in the EFL Championship. They are currently bottom of the English second tier and are seven points off safety. While a deep run in the FA Cup would come as a welcome distraction, their priorities lie elsewhere.
Fulham will also have an eye on their upcoming Carabao Cup semi-final first leg clash against Liverpool at Anfield. The Reds are a significant hurdle, and Marco Silva will be eyeing a spot in the final for the first time in the club’s history.
Fulham should have enough depth to see off a Rotherham side that are struggling with form and inconsistency. With home support to boot, Silva will be eyeing a spot in the draw for the fourth round. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
The win over Arsenal at the weekend took the pressure off Marco Silva following consecutive losses to Burnley and Bournemouth. Defeating the Gunners will have helped Silva and Co. regain their momentum as they aim to begin 2024 on a high.
The Africa Cup of Nations will force Fulham miss out on the services of Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Fode-Ballo Toure. More so, Adama Traore and Tim Ream also miss out thanks to injuries. With the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool to come and the opposition on the night also to come, it will come as a surprise if there are no rotations.
Marek Rodak should go in goal behind the back four of Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabioyo, Issa Diop and Antonee Robinson. Sasa Lukic and Harrison Reed should form the double pivot behind the trio of Willian, Andreas Pereira and Bobby De Cordova-Reid. Rodrigo Muniz should start up front. While it might prove unrequited, Silva should have options to bring off the bench if needed.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Tete, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson; Lukic, Reed; Wilson, Pereira, Decordova-Reid; Muniz
Rotherham United
The Championship minnows are struggling to put points on the board and will be forgiven if they do not take the FA Cup too seriously. With his team rock bottom of the second tier, Leam Richardson is expected to rotate his squad for the game.
The Millers will be without Cameron Humphreys, Lee Peltier, and Tyler Blackett. More so, Andre Green, Grant Hall, Fred Onyedinma and Shane Ferguson are also recovering from knocks.
The visitors are expected to line up in a 5-3-2 formation. Viktor Johansson should start in between the sticks behind the back five of Dexter Lembikisa, Hakeem Odoffin, Sean Morrison, Sebastian Revan and Cohen Bramall.
Samuel Raymond Clucas should form the base in midfield, with Christ Tiehl and Oliver Rathbone joining him in the middle of the park. Top scorer Jordan Hugill and fellow striker Sam Nombe should start upfront and will attempt to catch the Fulham out.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Johansson; Lembikisa, Odoffin, Morrison, Revan, Bramall; Rathbone, Tiehi, Clucas; Hugill, Nombe
Key Stats
- This is the first-ever meeting in the FA Cup between Fulham and Rotherham United. Fulham have won their last four clashes against Rotherham United in all competitions.
- Rotherham United have not defeated a top-flight side in the FA Cup away from home since their win over Newcastle United in 1953.
- A win on the night will see Rotherham United progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since the 2001/02 season.
- Marco Silva is yet to lose a third-round tie in the FA Cup as a manager.
- Neither side have won the FA Cup in their history. Of the two, Fulham came the closest when they made it to the final in 1975.
Player to Watch
Willian
The Brazilian veteran has previously won the trophy during his time at Chelsea and will be keen to repeat the trick with a second London side. His experience and clinical ability in front of goal will be key attributes that Rotherham could find themselves hard done by.
Prediction
Fulham 2-0 Rotherham United
Fulham not only have the better squad and momentum but also have the required depth to rotate effectively. In contrast, Rotherham are unlikely to put up much of a fight and will be keen to save their best to ensure survival in the Championship. It is difficult to see anything less than a convincing win for the Cottagers, aiding them in what could be another meaningful cup run this season.
