Match Preview
Fulham vrs Charlton Athletic
Championship MatchDay 11 19/20 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 5th October 2019, KO: 12:30
Referee:
Keith Stroud (Hampshire)
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After a mixed start, Fulham have got into the groove in the last month and are unbeaten in all competitions since exiting the Carabao Cup following defeat to Southampton on August 27.
Last time out, they thumped Reading 4-1 and, four days earlier, ran out 2-0 winners against Wigan.
Those two victories came after a run of three successive 1-1 draws.
The Addicks' form has been almost totally contrasting.
In the early weeks, Lee Bowyer's promoted side were winning games left, right and centre, but since star man Lyle Taylor suffered an injury during the international break, they have suffered. On Tuesday, they lost to Swansea but a brilliant 1-0 win at home to Leeds came in between that and defeats to Wigan and Birmingham.
Fulham manager Scott Parker told BBC Radio London:
"I have been back to Charlton as a player and normally get a lot of stick. I left on bad terms and I understand the fans' disappointment when I left
"It was a club that was a large part of my life and one which I owe so much to, because it gave me an opportunity to become the player I became. I hold Charlton in nothing but high regard.
"Lee was a couple of years older than me, a goalscoring midfielder who then went off to Leeds and had a fantastic career.
"We played together at Newcastle and is someone I would call a real close friend, who is doing a fantastic job there."
Charlton boss Lee Bowyer said:
"It's a tough challenge. They are one of the favourites to get promotion and for me they have the best squad in the division, with a lot of Premiership players.
"They have a lot of players that can hurt you so defensively we will have to be right. Once we do that, we have to move the ball quickly.
"Scott is a nice fella and I've known him from when he was younger. We formed a good partnership at Newcastle and he is a winner.
"He will have his lads up for it, the same as I will with our lads. It will be good to come up against him and have a different type of battle."
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Fulham are unbeaten in their past 10 matches against Charlton in all competitions (W5 D5) since a 2-1 defeat in December 2004 in the Premier League.
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Charlton are winless in 12 away matches against Fulham in all competitions (D3 L9), losing their last three visits by an aggregate score of 10-0.
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Fulham have won 16 of their past 20 home Championship games (including play-offs), losing just once in that run (W16 D3 L1).
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Fulham have lost only one of their past 10 London derbies in the Championship (W5 D4 L1), a 3-1 defeat by Brentford in December 2017.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic is joint top goal scorer in the Championship after his brace against Reading.
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Tom Cairney and Ivan Cavaleiro are joint third in the Championship Assists Table.
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Of the 8 league games Fulham has won at home, they scored first 6 times.
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Charlton haven't lost consecutive away league matches since December 2018, losing to Coventry and Barnsley in League One.
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Charlton have won their past three league London derbies - they haven't won four consecutively since March 2000 under Alan Curbishley.
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Darren Pratley has been yellow carded three times in eight starts this season.
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Of the 6 away games Charlton has lost, they conceded first 5 times.