Match Preview
Barnsley vrs Fulham
Championship Match Day 01 at Oakwell Ground
Saturday 3rd August 2019 KO: 15:00
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia)
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Fulham new boys Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert should both feature for Fulham's first game back in the Championship.
But the Cottagers will be without Ryan Sessegnon, who continues to be linked with a move away from Craven Cottage, due to a hamstring injury.
Alfie Mawson joins Sessegnon on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during a pre-season match against West Ham.
Stefan Johansen faces a late test on a shin injury while Tim Ream is expected to feature at the back.
Barnsley will be without striker Jacob Brown.
Brown picked up an injury during the Tykes' pre-season training camp in Nice and is expected to be ruled out for four more weeks.
Boss Daniel Stendel is set to feature a significant proportion of the 10 new signings he has brought into the club this summer. But he is still without long-term absentee Kenny Dougall, who suffered a broken leg in March.
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Barnsley have lost their previous four league matches against Fulham, having been defeated during both matches in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons in the Championship.
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Fulham haven't faced Barnsley on the opening day of a league season since 1983-84, losing 3-0 at Oakwell under Malcolm Macdonald.
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Fulham have lost just one of their past 13 away league matches in Yorkshire (W7 D5 L1), though that defeat was their most recent visit in a 1-0 reverse at Huddersfield Town last season.
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Fulham won the fewest away league points of any side in the top four English divisions in 2018-19, picking up just five points in their 19 games (W1 D2 L16).
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Barnsley - 4-0 winners over Oxford United on the opening day last season - haven't won on opening day in consecutive seasons in the Football League since doing so in five in a row between 1974-75 and 1978-79.
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Barnsley are yet to lose a home match in any competition in 27 games under Daniel Stendel (W17 D10 L0) and were the only team in the top four English divisions to remain unbeaten at home in all competitions during 2018-19.