Big match facts from BBCSport
FULHAM scored their first goals in five games and recorded their first victory in six Premiership outings when defeating fellow relegation threatened Portsmouth last Sunday. That leaves the Cottagers four places and six points above the drop zone, but defeat could see them drop back two spots.
- Chris Coleman's side have lost their last three on the road in the Premiership, and have not scored in three League and Cup games away from home, one of which was the FA Cup fifth round clash at the Reebok. Fulham last claimed maximum points away from the Cottage at St Andrews on 22 January, in a 1-2 triumph over Birmingham.
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The Cottagers ended last season with a 0-2 win at Bolton. They then beat the Trotters again 2-0 in their first match back at Craven Cottage this season, when Andrew Cole bagged a brace. The Londoners have not lost a top flight match on Bolton turf in over 41 years, since the 2-1 reverse on 8 February 1964. Fulham are aiming to do the 'double' over Bolton for the second successive season and third time in their history.
- Drawn six Premiership matches this season. Only Chelsea and Liverpool have finished level less often (five games each).
- Lost 15 games in the highest echelon. Crystal Palace and Norwich have each lost 17, and Portsmouth 16.
- Conceded the opening goal 19 times in top flight matches this term - only Norwich (23) and Portsmouth (20) have allowed the opposition to score first more often.
- Lost the lead only four times in top flight games this term. No club has surrendered the advantage less often.
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Lost the last four League and Cup games away from home, against Liverpool (3-1 PL), Bolton (1-0 FAC), Tottenham (2-0 PL) and Manchester United (1-0 PL).
- Drawn one and lost four away from home in all competitions, since beating Birmingham 1-2 at St Andrews on 22 January.
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Won only one of the last seven Premiership games on the road.
- Managed only one clean sheet in Premiership matches away from Craven Cottage (at Norwich).
- Claus JENSEN started his career in English football at Bolton.
- If he plays, Sylvain LEGWINSKI will be making his 150th appearance for Fulham.
- If Luis BOA MORTE is named in the eleven, he'll be making his 150th start for the Cottagers.
- Andrew COLE has scored five Premiership goals in his career against Bolton.
BOLTON WANDERERS are in sixth place and aiming to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history going into this home game against a Fulham side desperate to avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight, with just six teams beneath them. Bolton have amassed their highest ever points return to this stage of a Premiership season, while Fulham are on their lowest ever return in their fourth season in this League.
- Wanderers, with only four goals in six League games, could climb to within a point of Liverpool in fifth place if they win and the Merseysiders are beaten at Manchester City. Three points would extend the Trotters' undefeated home sequence to six matches, and would mean Sam Allardyce could go into his 2,000th day in charge of Bolton on Sunday in a joyous frame of mind.
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Fulham are Bolton's bogey team in the Premiership. The Greater Manchester side are yet to score at home against them, and are attempting to pick up their first win in eight League exchanges. This though is their third meeting of the season. It was a different story in the fifth round of the FA Cup, when Bolton's smallest gate of the season turned up to witness a 1-0 victory, but not a classic. Kevin Davies' early goal shot Bolton into the quarter-finals.
- Won 10 of the last 14 League and Cup games.
- Lost two of the last four Premiership games.
- Not won a top division encounter when the opposition has scored first - drawing four and losing eight of the 12 in which the opening goal has been conceded.
- Previous highest total of Premiership points after the first 31 games was 37 last season, when finishing a highest ever eighth.
- Won four of the last six home Premiership games.
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Unbeaten in five Premiership games at home.
Won three and drawn two home League matches since losing 0-1 to Blackburn on 28 December.
- Kept two consecutive clean sheets in League games at the Reebok.
- Not shipped a home League goal in over two months, or in 204 minutes (three hours 24 minutes) of Premiership football at the Reebok.
- Gary SPEED - the most experienced player in Premiership history, is the only remaining team member to have figured in every one of Bolton's League matches this term. If he maintains that sequence, this will be his 446th career appearance in the Premier League.
- If he plays, Jay-Jay OKOCHA will be making his 100th appearance for Bolton.
- Suspended: El-Hadji DIOUF
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| OPTA Stats from Premiership games |
| |
Fulham |
Pompey |
+/- |
| Games Played |
31 |
30 |
-1 |
| |
| Goal Attempts |
| Goals |
38 |
36 |
-2 |
| Ave Goals per game |
1.23 |
1.20 |
|
| Shots (excl blocked shots) |
327 |
292 |
-35 |
| Ave Shots per game |
11 |
10 |
-1 |
| % Shots on Target |
39% |
42% |
|
| % Goals to Shots |
12% |
12% |
|
|
| Passing |
| Short Passes |
6630 |
6831 |
+201 |
| Long Passes |
3345 |
3116 |
-229 |
| Total Passes |
9975 |
9,947 |
-28 |
| Ave Passes per game |
322 |
332 |
+10 |
| Overall Pass Completion % |
69% |
68% |
|
|
| Crossing |
| Total Crosses |
752 |
593 |
-159 |
| Ave Crosses per game |
24 |
20 |
-4 |
| Cross Completion % |
23% |
27% |
|
|
| Defending |
| Clean Sheets |
8 |
6 |
-2 |
| Goals Conceded |
35 |
48 |
+13 |
| Ave goals conceded per game |
1.13 |
1.60 |
|
| Tackles |
933 |
967 |
+34 |
| Ave Tackles per game |
30 |
32 |
+2 |
| Tackles Won % |
72% |
75% |
|
| Blocks, Clearances & Interceptions |
1337 |
1399 |
+62 |
| Ave Blocks, etc., per game |
43 |
47 |
+4 |
| Discipline |
| Fouls |
480 |
426 |
-54 |
| Yellow Cards |
44 |
50 |
+6 |
| Fouls per Yellow Card |
10.9 |
8.5 |
|
| Red Cards |
1 |
4 |
+3 |
| |
SkySport by Mark Buckingham |
| Top Opta Teams (after 30/31 games) |
| Aspect |
Top Team |
Bolton |
Fulham |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Goals Scored |
Arsenal |
72 |
8th |
38 |
12th |
36 |
| Shots onTarget |
Arsenal |
198 |
10th |
128 |
12th |
123 |
| Shots Attempted |
Chelsea |
429 |
8th |
327 |
13th |
292 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Passes Made |
Man Utd |
14950 |
15th |
9975 |
16th |
9946 |
| Crosses |
Man Utd |
1004 |
8th |
752 |
19th |
593 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Goals Conceded |
Norwich |
63 |
15th |
35 |
5th |
48 |
| Tackles Made |
Charlton |
1107 |
15th |
933 |
12th |
967 |
| Tackles Won |
Charlton |
793 |
14th |
672 |
9th |
721 |
| Clean Sheets |
Chelsea |
22 |
11th |
8 |
17th |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Fouls Conceded |
Blackburn |
532 |
3rd |
480 |
11th |
426 |
| Yellow Cards |
Blackburn |
60 |
7th |
44 |
3rd |
50 |
| Fouls per yellow |
Norwich |
17.6 |
7th |
10.9 |
20th |
8.5 |
| Red Cards |
Blackburn |
4 |
17th |
1 |
3rd |
4 |
| HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS |
| |
Bolton |
Draw |
Fulham |
| League |
24 |
16 |
21 |
| Premier |
0 |
2 |
5 |
|
| HEAD TO HEAD at Bolton |
| |
Bolton |
Draw |
Fulham |
| League |
15 |
8 |
7 |
| Premier |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
Fulham year on year Opta Stats comparison
(after 30 games) |
| Aspect |
04/05 |
03/04 |
|
| Goals Scored |
12th |
36 |
5th |
42 |
| Shots onTarget |
12th |
123 |
5th |
155 |
| Shots Attempted |
13th |
292 |
9th |
325 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Passes Made |
16th |
9946 |
10th |
10856 |
| Crosses Attempted |
19th |
593 |
19th |
566 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Goals Conceded |
5th |
48 |
11th |
40 |
| Tackles Made |
12th |
967 |
1st |
1035 |
| Tackles Won |
9th |
721 |
1st |
770 |
| Clean Sheets |
17th |
6 |
8th |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fouls Conceded |
11th |
426 |
8th |
436 |
| Yellow Cards |
3rd |
50 |
14th |
53 |
| Fouls per yellow |
20th |
8.5 |
11th |
8.2 |
| Red Cards |
3rd |
4 |
11th |
3 |
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