Match Preview
West Ham United vrs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 27 1819 London Stadium
Friday 22nd February 2019, KO: 19:45
Referee:
Lee Mason (Lancashire)
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Fulham, visiting West Ham on Friday Night Football, are eight points from safety and in desperate need of victory.
"We have to fight, every match is important in the fight for survival," said manager Claudio Ranieri.
"It is difficult because they have very good players. They are safe and for us it is important to show our strength and I want to see my players make their destiny."
While West Ham are winless in their last five matches in all competitions but appear to be safe from relegation as they have a nine-point gap over the bottom three.
Manuel Lanzini is in contention after recovering from a torn ACL that ruled him out of last summer's World Cup with Argentina. There was concern that he might miss the entire Premier League season.
"Seeing Manuel working during the last two weeks for me I am confident that he will return in a very good shape because he is not afraid," Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini said.
"He is working as if he has not been operated on for his knees, so I hope he will return a very good performance."
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West Ham won 2-0 away to Fulham in December and are hoping to complete a league double against the Cottagers for the time since the 2008-09 season.
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Fulham won their first Premier League game away to West Ham in 2001 but they are winless in nine subsequent league visits (D4, L5).
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The only club to have avoided relegation after taking 17 points or fewer from their first 26 Premier League games is West Brom in 2004-05.
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Claudio Ranieri's side have lost five of their previous six games.
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Fulham have taken just two points from their last 15 away games in the Premier League (D2, L13), and are the only top-flight side without an away win this season.
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They have conceded a league-high 58 goals this season, 10 more than any other side.
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The Whites have lost their last eight London derbies, a new record in the top flight, and have taken one point from the last 36 available in such matches.
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This will be Fulham's first Premier League game played on a Friday since Boxing Day 2008, when they drew 0-0 at Tottenham.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 40% of his team's Premier League goals this term - the highest figure for any player in the division.
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Mitrovic scored in Fulham's first two away league games this season but has failed to net in their subsequent 11 matches on the road. the road.
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West Ham have claimed just one victory in their last seven Premier League games (D3, L3), having won five of their previous six.
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They have won nine league games already this season, one short of their final total last term.
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The Hammers have kept four Premier League clean sheets this season - only Fulham, with two, have a worse record.
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Felipe Anderson has failed to score in his last seven Premier League games, having netted seven times in nine appearances before that.
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Michail Antonio could make his 100th Premier League appearance, while Javier Hernandez is one short of 50 goals in the division.