Team News
Aston Villa vrs Fulham
Championship Match Day 13 1718 Craven Cottage
Saturday 21st October 2017 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Michael Jones (Cheshire)
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Fulham captain Tom Cairney could be back in the starting line-up at Villa Park.
The Scotland midfielder had been sidelined for almost two months with a knee injury but returned as a substitute against Preston last weekend.
On-loan Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo is recovering from a dislocated shoulder which will sideline him for eight weeks.
Left-back Rafa Soares has recovered from an ankle problem and is pushing to make his debut following his summer switch from Porto.
Fulham defender Ryan Fredericks (foot) is a doubt, but forward Aboubakar Kamara (thigh) is back in training.
Fulham are ninth, unbeaten in four games and a point behind Villa, but they have won their last two away matches, at Nottingham Forest and QPR.
The Cottagers have won four of their last six league matches against the Villans (D1 L1), as many as they'd won in the 24 prior to this run.
Denis Odoi's 96th-minute equaliser against Preston last Saturday was the fourth successive league game in which Fulham have scored a goal in the 85th minute or later.
Stefan Johansen has created 31 chances for his Fulham teammates this season - more than any other midfielder in the league. Although, only one of these has ended in an assist.
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Aston Villa must once again do without Neil Taylor in Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with Fulham.
The Wales defender will serve the second of his three-match ban for a red card in Villa's 1-0 win over Bolton on September 30.
Gabby Agbonlahor, Mile Jedinak and Andre Green are all still working their way back to fitness.
Midfielder Jedinak appears the closest to a return, while Green could have the slimmest chance of the three of featuring on Saturday.
Seventh-placed Villa are looking for a response to last weekend's local derby loss to Wolves, their first defeat in nine games,
Aston Villa have only lost one of their last 16 home league games against Fulham (W8 D7), a 2-1 defeat in the Premier League in April 2014.
Aston Villa have lost just one of their last 14 league games at Villa Park (W9 D4), with a current unbeaten run of eight (W4 D4).
Scott Hogan has had a hand in three goals in three Championship appearances against Fulham (two goals, one assist).
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Source skysports/bbcsports