- Fulham enter this vital match six points from safety
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Fulham are defending a 100% home Premier League record against Sunderland of three wins out of three.
- Sunderland have not won a top-flight match at Craven Cottage since the 0-1 success on 12 April 1952, when Fulham finished bottom of the table and were relegated.
- One win in seven.
- The draw specialists of the highest league; 12 of 32.
- Failed to score in four of the last seven, and kept one clean sheet in eight.
- Won only two of 12 under Roy Hodgson.
- 10 points down on their previous lowest to this stage. The clubs' lowest ever total of points accumulated in this league was 39 last season, when they also finished a lowest 16th.
- Only ahead of relegated Derby in the table and in three categories; won four (Derby one), dropped 72 points (Derby 85), and used 33 players (only the Rams have used more, 34).
- Lost the lead in 11 matches, and flittered away 27 points from winning positions. They were in front against Arsenal (a), Middlesbrough (h), Aston Villa (a), Chelsea (h) and West Ham (a), and went on to lose all five games. Only Tottenham have similar figures.
- A draw would bring up an all-time total of 300 points in this league, and four goals would total 300 all-time in this league.
- Scored in the first half for the first time in 10 outings, against Derby last Saturday.
- The run-in is:-
- Reading (a)
Liverpool (h)
Manchester City (a)
Birmingham (h)
Portsmouth (a)
- Clint DEMPSEY is Fulham's top scorer with six Premier League goals, but he hasn't netted in 13 outings (all competitions).
- Chris BAIRD, Paul KONCHESKY, Elliot OMOZUSI, Moritz VOLZ, Hameur BOUAZZA and Leon ANDREASEN have all been sent off. No club has had more than six players dismissed in Premier League competition this season.
- If selected:-
- Paul STALERI will be making his 50th Premier League appearance (Tottenham and Fulham).
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LAST CORRESPONDING FIXTURE
Craven Cottage on 02-Jan-2006
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John 43
John 61
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Lawrence 7
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Warner, Leacock, Pearce, Knight, Rosenior (Niclas Jensen 75), Boa Morte, Diop (Helguson 40), Legwinski, Radzinski, McBride, John (Malbranque 69).
Subs Not Used: Drobny, Rehman.
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Davis, Hoyte (Murphy 64), Breen, Caldwell, Arca, Lawrence, Whitehead, Collins, Le Tallec (Nosworthy 64), Stead (Gray 65), Miller.
Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Woods.
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Yellow card:
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Yellow card:
Miller,
Arca
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| Red Card: |
Red card:
Caldwell (57) |
Attendance:
19372 |
Referee:
D Gallagher (Oxfordshire) |
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- Sunderland with a seven point cushion above the drop zone.
- The Black Cats are chasing a third consecutive victory for the first time in 167 Premier League outings since 9 December 2001 when Newcastle (a), Charlton (a), Everton (h) and Middlesbrough (h) fell foul to them in consecutive matches.
- The Wearsiders are five places higher than Fulham, despite losing one more match (17 to 16), but they have won five more (nine to four).
- Managed back-to-back victories for the first time in 127 outings in this league.
- Netted a total of three goals in two games, after failing to score in the previous four.
- Scored seven times either in the last minute or stoppage time this term, and on three occasions their late score also won the match.
- Conceded the opening goal on 20 occasions; only Derby have allowed the opposition to open the scoring more frequently (22 times).
- 76% of their goals have come from open play (22 of 29).
- Lost the last 14 visits to London, and not won in 22 since defeating Chelsea 2-4 on 17 March 2001.
- Having broken their duck away from home with a first win in 25 on their travels in this league courtesy of the 0-1 victory at Aston Villa on the last trip, now seeking back-to-back away Premier League victories for the first time since winning at Newcastle and Charlton on 18 and 25 November respectively.
- Scored just one goal in six away in 2008.
- Gained 21 more points at home than away (27 at home, six away). It is the widest such disparity in this league.
- The run-in is:-
- Manchester City (h)
Newcastle (a)
Middlesbrough (h)
Bolton (a)
Arsenal (h)
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Kenwyne JONES is Sunderland's top scorer with six Premier League goals.
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Michael CHOPRA is one shy of 50 career league goals (Newcastle, Watford, Barnsley, Cardiff and Sunderland).
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Last season's top scorer David CONNOLLY needs one goal to total 100 in his league career (Watford, Wolves, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan and Sunderland).
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If selected:-
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Andy REID will be making his 50th career Premier League appearance (Tottenham, Charlton and Sunderland).
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If on the field from the outset:-
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Dean WHITEHEAD will be making his 250th club career start (Oxford United and Sunderland).
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| HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS |
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FULHAM |
Draw |
SUNDERLAND |
| League |
13 |
12 |
18 |
| Premier |
4 |
2 |
1 |
| HEAD TO HEAD at Craven Cottage |
|
FULHAM |
Draw |
SUNDERLAND |
| League |
9 |
4 |
8 |
| Premier |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|