Fulham welcome London rivals AFC Wimbledon to Craven Cottage for their EFL Cup second-round clash, with both sides looking for a confidence-boosting result after difficult starts to their respective league campaigns.
Alvaro Arbeloa is still settling into life as Fulham manager, while Wimbledon arrive without an outright victory this season. The difference in quality between the squads makes the Premier League hosts clear favourites, although significant rotation could give the visitors some hope of causing an upset.
Fulham’s transition under Arbeloa remains a work in progress. The Cottagers have won two of their last five outings but began their Premier League campaign with a disappointing 3-2 home defeat against Chelsea. There were encouraging attacking moments, but defensive vulnerabilities ultimately prevented them from taking anything from the contest.
One major positive was the performance of Gonzalo Garcia. Fulham’s record signing marked his debut with a goal, while Joshua King was also on the scoresheet. Their contributions showed that Arbeloa possesses enough attacking quality to trouble opponents, even if finding the right balance between attack and defence remains an early challenge.
Wednesday’s cup tie represents an excellent opportunity for the new manager to assess the depth of his squad. Several regular starters could be rested, with players such as Ryan Sessegnon expected to receive opportunities. Nevertheless, Fulham should still field a side containing considerably more top-level experience than their League One opponents.
The Dons have drawn three and lost one of their opening four competitive fixtures and therefore arrive at Craven Cottage without an outright victory this season and their biggest concern has been finding the net.
Wimbledon are yet to score in League One this term, highlighting the attacking problems Johnnie Jackson must solve. Creating opportunities against Premier League defenders represents an even greater challenge, regardless of how heavily Fulham rotate. However, Wimbledon have already demonstrated considerable resilience in this competition.
Their first-round meeting with Newport County appeared to be slipping away before Callum Maycock scored a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser. The Dons subsequently held their nerve in the penalty shootout to secure their place in round two. That experience should give them some belief that they can remain competitive even if Wednesday’s contest becomes difficult.
Rotation provides Wimbledon with some hope as Arbeloa is expected to make several changes following Fulham’s demanding Premier League fixture against Chelsea. That could slightly reduce the gulf between the teams, particularly during the opening stages.
Wimbledon’s clearest route towards an upset will be maintaining a compact defensive shape, frustrating Fulham and attempting to exploit set pieces or counter-attacking opportunities. The longer they keep the score level, the greater the pressure could become on a much-changed Fulham side.
The hosts should also approach the competition seriously. With Fulham unlikely to compete for the Premier League title, domestic cup competitions provide a realistic opportunity to pursue silverware. An early elimination at home to lower-league opposition would therefore represent a significant disappointment. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to make substantial changes for Fulham’s EFL Cup meeting with AFC Wimbledon after Monday’s demanding 3-2 Premier League defeat to Chelsea. Ryan Sessegnon, Rodrigo Muniz, Harrison Reed and Shea Charles were all substitutes in that game and are among those pushing for starts.
In terms of injury and suspension news, captain Tom Cairney remains sidelined with a knee injury and is not expected back until later in the autumn. Joachim Andersen served the final match of his three-game suspension against Chelsea and is available again for the cup tie, although Arbeloa could still use the fixture to give minutes to other defensive options.
Fulham are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Benjamin Lecomte replacing Bernd Leno in goal. Kenny Tete should start at right-back, with Jorge Cuenca and Luc De Fougerolles forming the central defensive partnership and Ryan Sessegnon operating at left-back. Sessegnon came off the bench against Chelsea and should provide considerably more attacking width if handed a start.
Shea Charles and Harrison Reed should form the central midfield double pivot. Reed offers experience and defensive discipline, while Charles can provide energy and help Fulham progress possession from deeper positions.
Further forward, Kevin should operate from the right wing, with Joshua King occupying the central number 10 position and Emile Smith Rowe starting from the left. King scored against Chelsea and could be particularly dangerous when receiving possession between Wimbledon’s midfield and defence.
Rodrigo Muniz is expected to lead the line as the centre-forward. His physical presence should provide Fulham with a clear focal point against lower-league opposition, while Sessegnon and Tete can look to supply him from wide areas.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lecomte; Tete, Cuenca, De Fougerolles, Sessegnon; Charles, Reed; Kevin, King, Smith Rowe; Muniz
Wimbledon
Wimbledon are likely to stick with Johnnie Jackson’s familiar 3-5-2 formation for the difficult trip to Craven Cottage. The Dons have struggled for goals at the start of their League One campaign, so their approach should be based around defensive compactness, wing-back width and attempting to create opportunities from transitions and set pieces.
In terms of injury and suspension news, Wimbledon currently have no confirmed unavailable players, giving Jackson a healthy squad from which to select his team. Veteran defender Andy Yiadom is available and could make his full debut, while Callum Maycock and Aron Sasu are among those pushing for inclusion.
Joe McDonnell is expected to start in goal, with Andy Yiadom, Dan Sweeney and Ryan Johnson forming the three-man defence. Yiadom should operate on the right side of the back three, Sweeney centrally and Johnson from the left. Their organisation will be particularly important against Fulham’s technically superior attacking players.
Steven Sessegnon should operate as the right wing-back, while Steve Seddon is expected on the left. Both will need to drop alongside the defence when Fulham dominate possession, effectively turning Wimbledon’s system into a five-man back line. Interestingly, Sessegnon began his professional career at Fulham and could now face his former club.
In central midfield, Alistair Smith should provide energy and defensive discipline, with Callum Maycock and Zack Nelson operating alongside him. Maycock will enter the contest with confidence after scoring the dramatic 97th-minute equaliser against Newport County that helped Wimbledon take their first-round tie to penalties.
Further forward, Marcus Browne and Aron Sasu are expected to form the two-man attack. Browne can drop into deeper positions to help connect midfield and attack, while Sasu’s mobility should give Wimbledon an outlet when they recover possession and attempt to counter quickly.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): McDonnell; Yiadom, Sweeney, Johnson; Sessegnon, Smith, Maycock, Nelson, Seddon; Browne, Sasu
Key Stats
- Wimbledon are still searching for their first outright competitive win of the season.
- Wimbledon are yet to score in League One this season, drawing 0-0 with Reading after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town.
- Wimbledon needed penalties to reach the second round, progressing after a 1-1 draw with Newport County in which Callum Maycock struck a dramatic late equaliser.
- Fulham have lost only one of their last six competitive Premier League home matches, with their most recent home league outing producing a narrow 3-2 defeat to Chelsea.
- Wimbledon have failed to win any of their last six matches across all competitions and friendlies, recording three draws and three defeats during that sequence.
Player to Watch
Joshua King
Joshua King is the player to watch for Fulham after making an impressive start to the new campaign. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder scored Fulham’s first goal of the Premier League season in their narrow 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, demonstrating his composure against elite opposition.
Expected to operate as the number 10 behind Rodrigo Muniz, King should find plenty of opportunities to receive possession between Wimbledon’s midfield and defensive lines. His close control, movement and willingness to carry the ball forward could be particularly effective against a compact 3-5-2 setup.
With Alvaro Arbeloa likely to rotate his squad, this cup tie also represents another opportunity for King to establish himself as an increasingly important part of Fulham’s attack. His confidence should be high after scoring against Chelsea, and he has the technical quality to unlock Wimbledon if the visitors defend deep.
Prediction
Fulham 3-0 AFC Wimbledon
Cup ties between Premier League and lower-league opposition can occasionally produce surprises, particularly when the stronger team makes numerous changes. Wimbledon’s resilience against Newport demonstrated that they should not be dismissed entirely, and Jackson will undoubtedly set his team up to frustrate Fulham for as long as possible. However, the visitors’ lack of goals represents a major problem.
Fulham should control possession and create enough opportunities to eventually break through, while their superior squad depth gives Arbeloa numerous options if the contest remains tight. Wimbledon may keep things competitive during the opening stages, but Fulham’s quality should eventually tell and allow the Cottagers to progress comfortably.