Fulham will look to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals when they welcome Southampton to Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Fulham are coming into this game vs Southampton on the back of a defeat against West Ham United earlier this week, and they will be desperate to bounce back strongly and secure a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Marco Silva’s men picked up three wins in a row prior to that, and they will certainly fancy their chances at home. The home fans will expect a strong reaction from the players, and it will be interesting to see if they can get the job done.
The Cottagers are unbeaten in five of their last six matches against Southampton, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. Meanwhile, the visitors are in excellent form in the championship, having secured five wins from their last six matches across all competitions.
The Saints are unbeaten in their last six outings, and they will look to pull off an upset here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
Kevin is ruled out of the game due to an ankle injury. Meanwhile, Harry Wilson (ankle) faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. Fulham will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Southampton, with Bernd Leno in goal.
Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson will start as the full-backs here, and they will look to help the team at both ends of the pitch. Joachim Andersen will start alongside Jorge Cuenca in the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Sander Berge and Harrison Reed will add defensive cover and physicality in the middle of the park. They will look to win the ball back for their side. Emile Smith Rowe will start as the attacking midfielder here, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates in the final third.
Oscar Bobb and Alex Iwobi will start on the flanks, and they will look to add pace and flair to the side. Finally, Raul Jimenez will spearhead the Fulham attack vs Southampton at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Reed, Berge; Bobb, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
Southampton
Jay Robinson could miss out with a thigh injury. Mads Roerslev and Welington will also be unavailable to the visitors on Sunday due to Achilles tendon and muscular injuries, respectively.
Southampton will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Fulham, with Daniel Peretz in goal. James Bree and Ryan Manning will start in the full-back areas. They will look to keep things tight defensively and hit the Premier League side on the break. Tyler Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens will pair up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Cameron Bragg and Shea Charles will start in the middle of the park, looking to protect the back four and win the ball back for their side. Kuryu Matsuki and Leo Scienza will start on the flanks, looking to add pace and flair to the team.
Finn Azaz will reprise the attacking midfield role, looking to link the midfield to the attack. Finally, Cyle Larin will lead the line for Southampton vs Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Charles, Bragg; Matsuki, Azaz, Scienza; Larin
Key Stats
- Southampton have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven away matches against Fulham in all competitions.
- Fulham are without a defeat in five of the last six matches between the two teams.
- 12 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
- Southampton are coming into this game on the back of five wins and a draw from their last six matches.
- Fulham have three wins from their last four matches in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Oscar Bobb
The Norwegian winger will be our key player to watch out for. He will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net. Fulham will depend on him to make a defining contribution in the final third.
The former Manchester City prospect will fancy his chances of doing some damage here, especially against EFL Championship opposition. It will be interesting to see if he can help his team progress through to the next round of the competition.
Prediction
Fulham 2-1 Southampton
Both teams will look to book their place in the next round of the competition, and this will be a close contest. The two sides are likely to get on the score sheet, but the Premier League has more quality, and they should be able to grind out a victory here.
A narrow win for Fulham is on the cards. Southampton will put up a fight here, but they are likely to come up short as the gulf in quality grows late into the match. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Marco Silva and his charges.