Match Preview
Fulham vrs Cardiff City
Premier League Match Day 36 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 27th April 2019 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
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Fulham caretaker boss Scott Parker believes tackling Cardiff as they fight to stay in the Premier League will be one of the toughest games his side have faced this season.
The Cottagers' own fate was sealed at the start of April, following Huddersfield back to the Championship.
Which side will join them in dropping out of the top flight, though, has yet to be confirmed.
Cardiff gave their survival bid a shot in the arm with victory at Brighton, before then losing at home against title challengers Liverpool last weekend.
With just three points between them and the Seagulls, Neil Warnock's men will be desperate for a maximum return from their trip to Craven Cottage.
Fulham have won both of their matches since relegation was confirmed with a 4-1 defeat at Watford, but Parker - who replaced Claudio Ranieri at the end of February - knows just what challenge awaits on Saturday.
"They come on Saturday fighting for their lives, and I'm looking at this game thinking it's probably one of the toughest we've had, certainly since I've been here, due to the manager we're facing and the fact the team is scrapping," Parker said.
"I think we realise the challenge and we'll get that message into the players for the weekend."
Warnock has admitted he is surprised Cardiff are still fighting for Premier League survival, and says his team have the opportunity to make "history".
He said: "I think you have got to be [surprised] really from the situation we have been in since day one.
We knew it was going to be difficult but one-by-one we have overcome all the doom and gloom predictions.
"We've enjoyed it.
We've still got our biggest challenge ahead.
It's an opportunity for the lads to write their names in history.
"The pundits did not give us any hope of staying up, and quite rightly so when you look at our different circumstances compared to other clubs.
We've never thrown the towel in, even with heavy defeats.
"We appreciate what our fans have been like, they have been with us the whole way and if anything they have got louder and louder.
"They can forgive other things if you are trying hard.
We've really put every ounce in.
Whatever happens this season it would be one of my biggest achievements.
"I think the players are the same.
You can point at our mistakes but all I have asked is they do their best week in, week out."
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Fulham suffered their first defeat in eight meetings in all competitions last October when Cardiff won the reverse fixture 4-2.
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Cardiff have won all three Premier League meetings, including by a 2-1 scoreline at Craven Cottage in 2013.
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The Bluebirds have scored in 19 successive league matches against Fulham since a 2-0 away defeat in the third tier 30 years ago.
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Relegated Fulham could equal their club record of three consecutive Premier League victories. which they last achieved in March 2012.
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They have kept successive clean sheets, as many as they managed in their previous 37 games in the top flight.
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The Cottagers have won all four home matches this season against the other teams currently in the bottom six of the table.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic ended a nine-match run without a goal last weekend. He has scored the winner in five of his team's six league victories this season - the highest percentage of any player in the division.
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Ryan Babel has been directly involved in each of Fulham's last five league goals at Craven Cottage, scoring two and setting up three.
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Cardiff have lost seven of their past nine league games, conceding at least twice in each defeat but keeping clean sheets when winning the other two matches.
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The Bluebirds could earn successive top-flight away victories for the first time since February 1957, having beaten Brighton in their most recent game on the road.
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They are unbeaten in all seven league matches this season against the rest of the current bottom five, winning five and drawing two.
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Their only victory in 11 Premier League fixtures in London came at Fulham in September 2013 (D1, L9).
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Cardiff have lost 22 league games in 2018-19, one shy of the club record for most top-flight defeats in a season. That was set in 1956-57.
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Neil Warnock has never won a league match away to Fulham in 10 attempts (D3, L7).
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Bobby Reid has scored in each of his four league starts against Fulham.