Fulham are 15th with 36 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 32 is 13th while
the lowest could be 16th.
- FULHAM stand 12 points above the relegation zone, going into this home fixture against a rejuvenated Portsmouth, who are three points below safety. The Cottagers will run out for the first time at Craven Cottage since their famous 1-0 win over champions, runaway leaders and near neighbours Chelsea, while Portsmouth return to London for the first time since ending a nine match losing streak away from home with a 2-4 victory at West Ham.
- The west Londoners have an amazing home record. They've picked up 10 Premiership victories at their Thames-side home - that's more than any other club outside the top six. On the other hand, the Cottagers will be keen to avoid a 50th Premiership defeat since Chris Coleman has been selecting the side.
- The Cottagers hold a 100% home Premiership record against Portsmouth (two out of two) and are chasing a fifth successive home League victory over them. Brian McBride stepped off the bench to earn Fulham the victory in this corresponding fixture last April when Fulham were the ones with relegation fears. It was the crucial goal which turned a game that eventually ended 3-1.
- Followed four straight League losses with a 1-0 home win over Chelsea, and goalless draw at Aston Villa.
- Managed 13 Premiership matches since a score draw (3-3, home to Villa on 28 December).
- One draw in 14 League and Cup matches.
- Not scored more than a single goal in any of the last six Premiership outings, since a 6-1 eclipse of West Brom on 11 February.
- Lost the lead 11 times in the Premiership - that's more occasions than any other club.
- Lost four top flight games from a winning position.
- Conceded five League goals in stoppage time.
- Premiership matches involving Fulham have yielded 91 goals (40 for, 51 against), a 2.84 goals per game.
- Won 45 of 91 home Premiership matches all time.
- Two shy of conceding 100 goals in Premier League matches on home turf all time.
- Won nine of the last 11 League games at Craven Cottage, drawing one and losing the other.
- Failed to score in only two home League encounters this term (against Birmingham and Arsenal).
- Michael BROWN was once on loan to Portsmouth from Manchester City.
- If he plays, Zat KNIGHT will be making his 150th appearance in a Fulham shirt.
- If he figures, Niclas JENSEN will be making his 50th appearance in English top flight football.
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| HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS |
|
Fulham |
Draw |
Portsmouth |
| League |
10 |
14 |
19 |
| Premier |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
| HEAD TO HEAD at Fulham |
|
Fulham |
Draw |
Portsmouth |
| League |
6 |
7 |
8 |
| Premier |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Portsmouth are 19th with 24 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 32 is 17th while
the lowest is also 19th
- PORTSMOUTH had to sit out last weekend, when their scheduled match with Arsenal was called off because of a waterlogged Fratton Park pitch. They've conceded an identical number of Premiership goals to Fulham (51), yet find themselves four places and 12 points below them.
- Pompey are aiming to enhance their survival bid by putting together three victories on the spin in the Premiership for the first time in 72 outings, since Birmingham (h), Manchester United (h) and Leeds (a) were defeated between 12 and 25 April 2004. They've lost three times as many top flight matches as they have won this season (18 defeats, six wins), but go into a 16th match under Harry Redknapp, looking to add to the four League victories gained since the manager's return to the Hampshire club.
- Gary O'Neil's goal earned Pompey a hard fought 1-0 victory in this season's reverse fixture three months ago. It gives the south coast strugglers the chance of a first League 'double' over the Cottagers since achieving three on the spin in 1949/50, 1950/51 and 1951/52, but they haven't won at Craven Cottage since a 0-1 triumph at second League level 21 years ago on 7 September 1985.
- Consecutive League victories followed four straight losses and an eight-match winless run in the top division.
- Gone 22 top flight games since a goalless draw (home to Newcastle on 1 October).
- Not kept a clean sheet in 10 Premiership games - the longest such sequence of any club in the highest League.
- Averaging a point per goal (24 goals scored, 24 points gained).
- Accumulated six points fewer than their previous lowest tally to this stage of a Premier League season.
- Chalked up 30 points after 30 games in 2003/04, when going on to finish 13th in their first Premiership campaign.
- Lost 12 of the 13 League games in which they failed to score.
- Kept only four clean sheets in this Premiership season. Only Sunderland have managed fewer - three.
- The 2-4 victory at West Ham last time out, were Portsmouth's first goals in five away games and first points in 10 on the road.
- Failed to score in seven of the last 10 away League matches.
- Villa have won only one of their last five Premiership games home and away, and one of five at Villa Park. Victory over the Cottagers would give the Midlanders their 125th home maximum in Premier League history.
- Sean DAVIS began his professional career with Fulham.
If he plays, loan signing from Liverpool Salif DIAO will be making his 50th Premiership appearance (Liverpool, Birmingham and Portsmouth).
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME -
3 April 2005
Fulham 3-1 Portsmouth |
|