Match Preview
Fulham vrs West Ham
Premier League Match Day 17 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 15th December 2018 KO: 17:30
Referee:
Mike Dean (Wirral)
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Fulham host West Ham United in a London derby at Craven Cottage and will be hoping for three points as they plot a route out of relegation.
The Cottagers are rock bottom of the Premier League table and have just nine points having picked up just two wins all season
Claudio Ranieri has a huge task on his hands as he tries to tighten a defence which has conceded a staggering 40 goals in just 16 matches.
West Ham will travel with plenty of confidence, having scored nine goals in their past three games.
Wins against Newcastle, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace have helped the Hammers move up to 11th in the table and another victory will push them into the top half.
West Ham’s win ratio against Fulham is 55 per cent – their best against any London opponent in the Premier League.
Claudio Ranieri (Fulham)
“The first month has been positive,” he said. “Of course we wanted a little more but I’m satisfied with our job. Now it’s important with this group of matches to make some points.
“Keeping a clean sheet is our first problem, but only with the work we do together every day we can find a solution.
“Now we meet a team who scored three goals every match in the last three matches. But they also conceded goals.”
Manuel Pellegrini (West Ham)
“We are improving, without any doubt. The results say that we are improving and we are scoring goals, which is not easy, especially, in this league and this season, to win three games in a row and score three goals in each game.
“But we must be very careful about that because things change in football and two or three balls can quickly change the result, so we must continue working in the same way we are doing now.
“In our worst moment, I always say the same. We are improving and we are in the correct way and now we must keep these good results going.”
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Fulham have won on three of the last four occasions they have hosted West Ham.
- The sides last met in the 2013-14 season, with West Ham's 3-0 victory at Upton Park in November 2013 resulting in Fulham boss Martin Jol getting sacked.
- Fulham beat the Hammers 2-1 at Craven Cottage a month later - one of only four wins in 20 Premier League meetings.
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Fulham have won just one of their last 13 Premier League matches (D3, L9).
- Eight of their nine Premier League points this season have been earned at Craven Cottage.
- Fulham are without a clean sheet in 20 Premier League games, conceding 51 goals since a 1-0 win against Norwich City in April 2014.
- They are one of only three Premier League clubs to have conceded 40 or more goals in the first 16 matches of the season - and the first since Sheffield Wednesday in 1999-2000.
- They have lost seven of their last eight Premier League London derbies (D1, L7), including all four this season. Their most recent derby victory was against West Ham at Craven Cottage on New Year's Day 2014.
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West Ham are aiming to win four league games in a row for the first time since February 2014.
- The Hammers have scored three times in their last three wins - they haven't done so in four consecutive top-flight matches since 1928.
- West Ham have won six of their 16 Premier League fixtures this campaign. Their seventh league victory last season didn't come until their 27th match.
- Javier Hernandez has scored three goals in his last three league games. His next goal will be his 50th Premier League goal, with all 49 so far coming from inside the penalty area.
- Manuel Pellegrini was Manchester City manager when they beat Fulham 4-2 at Craven Cottage and 5-0 at Etihad Stadium in 2013-14.