Preview: Fulham vs Chelsea – prediction, staff information, lineups

An intriguer The West London Derby takes place within the Premier League on Thursday night time, ca Fulham play host Chelsea at Craven Cottage.

Mark SilvaHis facet remarkably discover themselves three locations and three factors higher than their nearest neighbors within the desk, regardless of having performed a sport extra.

Match preview

© Reuters

Not often in current occasions have Fulham followers been in a position to proudly say that their beloved staff occupy the next place within the English soccer pyramid than Chelsea, however the Cottagers are firmly within the European combine after a beautiful run of festive kind.

Since coming back from the World Cup break, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Leicester Metropolis have all fallen to Fulham’s superiority within the Premier League, and Hull Metropolis didn’t face a rotating Cottagers facet within the FA Cup on the weekend.

Photographs from Layvin Kurzawa and Daniel James both facet of the half-time whistle ensured a 2-Zero win and a spot within the fourth spherical for Fulham – who will host Sunderland – and Silva’s facet go into Thursday’s capital conflict sitting fairly in seventh place within the prime flight. 5 factors behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Now aiming to win 4 top-flight video games in a row for the primary time since 1965-66, Fulham put together for a grueling January run of video games towards Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham earlier than additionally touring to Stamford Bridge for an additional encounter with Early February blues.

Regardless of recording simply two defeats at dwelling all season up to now, Fulham haven’t outlined their consistency at Craven Cottage – successful simply two of their final six in entrance of their very own followers – however their state of affairs is actually extra favorable than in ​​out… type the opponents.

© Reuters

There seems to be no speedy hazard of the Chelsea boss being below fireplace Graham Potter having been given the boot, however with the Englishman’s undertaking nonetheless struggling to get off the bottom, disgruntled Blues supporters made their emotions clear throughout their FA Cup exit by the hands of Manchester Metropolis.

Three days earlier, Chelsea had given the English champions a superb run for his or her cash in a 1-Zero Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge, however Metropolis merely tore the Blues to items on Sunday as Riyad Mahrez she put a brace in her bag subsequent to her Phil Foden and Julian AlvarezHis efforts in a Four-Zero sport.

Those that confronted the journey to the Etihad and stayed till the final roared Thomas Tuchel and Roman AbramovichPotter’s title continues, and any constructive power emanating from early January switch enterprise counts for little.

Struggling to even save their European standing, not to mention a spot within the Champions League, Chelsea sit mid-table within the Premier League in 10th place, by the way, 10 factors off the highest 4 and 10 factors away from the relegation zone.

With 5 acrimonious defeats of their final seven aggressive matches in all competitions, Chelsea additionally make the quick journey to Craven Cottage with only one win of their final eight within the Premier League and never since beating Aston Villa on October 16 have they claimed all of the three factors on the street.

On a brighter notice, Chelsea have a seven-game successful streak towards Fulham to guard on Thursday – in addition to a 21-game unbeaten run in all competitions – however, as Potter rapidly came upon, all good issues should come concludes

Fulham Premier League kind:

Fulham kind (all competitions):

Chelsea Premier League kind:

Chelsea kind (all competitions):

Group information

© Reuters

The 78th minute of Fulham’s win over Leicester final week was one which Cottagers supporters will need to overlook as they noticed the star striker. Aleksandar Mitrovic receives his fifth reserving of the season – ruling him out of Chelsea’s go to by way of suspension.

Nonetheless, Silva has no new considerations to take care of for Thursday’s derby, the place Neeskens Kebano will stay out with the achilles harm, however Shane Duffy will hope to get better from an sickness. Within the meantime, The Solomon Mansion made his second look for Fulham since becoming a member of from Shakhtar Donetsk towards Hull and can lengthy for a extra lively position on this sport.

Solomon’s prospects of beginning are slim, although, as Silva reintroduces William within the final third alongside Mitrovic’s deputy, Carlos Vinicius.

As a substitute, Chelsea’s harm checklist once more reached double figures with none Edward Mendy, N’Golo Kante – One of the best of N’Golo Kante, Reece James, Armando Broja or Wesley Fofana able to return but from their troubles.

Christian Pulisic and Raheem Sterling are additionally sidelined by the issues they tackled towards Man Metropolis within the week – the previous is ready to be dominated out for numerous weeks – and it stays to be seen whether or not Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can come again for the derby.

With Potter’s choices severely restricted, the duo of David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile they’ll really feel assured of incomes their Premier League debut, albeit most definitely as an alternative.

Thiago Silva, César Azpilicueta, Marc Cucurella and Denis Zakaria are amongst these in line for returns to the primary XI after being benched on the Etihad.

Fulham potential beginning lineup:
Leno; Tete, Ream, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Reed, Straw; De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian; Vinicius

Chelsea potential beginning lineup:
Kepa; Azpilicueta, Koulibaly, Silva, Cucurella; Kovacic, Zakaria, Jorginho; Ziyech, Havertz, Mt

We are saying: Fulham 1-1 Chelsea

The youthful nature of Chelsea’s backline on the Etihad should be taken under consideration right here and even with their plethora of accidents and confidence points, Potter’s facet nonetheless gave Man Metropolis a scare or two in top-flight motion.

Historic outcomes towards Fulham could not matter a lot given the Cottagers’ European-worthy exploits this time period, and we will think about the capital counterparts canceling one another out on Thursday.

For information evaluation with most definitely outcomes, scores and extra for this match, please click on right here.

E mail previews