Fulham take on Everton at Loftus Road this weekend hoping to overcome a recent slump in form. The two teams will face each other again in three weeks after being drawn together in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Cottagers had been enjoying some great success this season, but over the last couple of weeks this has tailed off and they have recorded four defeats in five games and narrowly avoided defeat to Third Division side Cheltenham in the FA Cup.
"We have not been playing particularly well over the last four or five games. We were outstanding against Southampton but otherwise our form has been a bit indifferent," said manager Chris Coleman prior to their midweek defeat at Middlesbrough.
"We were certainly poor at Aston Villa, especially in the second half. But all teams go through stages when they aren't firing on all cylinders and I'm confident we can get back to where we were.
"We have a strong dressing room - they're a great bunch of players - so we'll get through it. They've been a different class for me. A few of them are out of form right now, but it's up to me to make sure they start performing again."
Everyone knows that Fulham are capable of more than they are actually producing at the moment, after all, the league table does not lie. They are still in seventh and Coleman constantly reminds the fans and the players that they should not forget that they could just as easily be battling to avoid relegation, just as they were at the end of last season.
The Welshman has vowed to ring the changes though if things don't improve. They are playing at home this weekend, and that will no doubt give them a boost. They've won half of the fixtures played at Loftus Road - so it seems to be serving them well even if it isn't their real home.
Lee Clark and Luis Boa Morte will return after injury and suspension respectively, and Coleman wants them to share the goal-scoring responsibility with last weekend's two-goal hero Louis Saha, while at the same time he has urged his players to put all the week's transfer speculation behind them and focus on winning the points.
 Everton are currently enjoying the best form of their season so far and have taken 11 points from their last six league games, as well as seeing off First Division leaders Norwich in the FA Cup. Big things were expected from the Toffees after their tremendous success last season - but it never really happened for them until now.
Will they be able to turn it around now, and build on their recent success and finish in the top half of the table? Well only time and another 18 games will tell, but another good performance against Arsenal as they earned a 1-1 draw suggests they can go on to better things in 2004.
David Moyes revealed: "Our level of confidence is rising week by week and I hope that will be the case now right to the end of the season.
"I think there is a new confidence, particularly after the way we were playing a month ago. This season we have started the new year very well, much better than we did last season, and I believe we can continue in that vein."
However, Moyes warned (before Wednesday's match): "There are very difficult games that are coming up in the next month, starting with Arsenal [midweek] and Fulham this week."
Everton rose to the challenge during the busy festive period but it's not over yet, and during the next month they must play six games.
Wayne Rooney has been enjoying some great form as well. One week the young striker is getting all the stick and the critics are on his back, then the next all they can do is praise him. The 18-year-old has scored three goals in his last five Barclaycard Premiership games and despite missing a close-range header against The Gunners that seemed easier to score, he should be involved again at Loftus Road. Whether he will start the game is less certain though as Moyes also has Radzinski, Jeffers - who linked up to score the equaliser against Arsenal - and Ferguson to choose from
The only thing that will hamper the Toffee's progression up the table is more injuries and the loss of some key players. Joseph Yobo for instance will be departing after the Fulham game to link up with Nigeria for the African Nations Cup.
Kevin Kilbane will be looking to get his name on the score sheet more often after finding the net in the FA Cup win over Norwich. He said: "I should get more of them with me being as tall as I am. I feel I am good enough in the air and should be doing that more often. The manager has encouraged my to get into the box for corners and free-kicks, and I hope there are more coming for me like that."
Ferguson is also playing well having made his latest comeback and he will hope to make an appearance against Fulham. The strikers are definitely firing on all cylinders at the moment, perhaps it's just the defence that needs to be more solid.
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Craven Cottage on Loftus Road`
Premiership 21 - 10 Jan 04 |
Pos |
Fulham |
Everton |
Pos |
| Games Played |
|
20 |
20 |
|
| GOALS |
| Goals |
4 |
31 |
24 |
11 |
| Ave Goals Per Game |
|
1.55 |
1.20 |
|
| % Goals To Shots |
8 |
14% |
11% |
9 |
| Shots |
8 |
215 |
205 |
12 |
| Shots On Target |
7 |
101 |
82 |
13 |
| Ave Shots Per Game |
|
11 |
10 |
|
| Ave Shots On Target Per Game |
|
5 |
4 |
|
| % Shots On Target |
5 |
47% |
40% |
17 |
| PASSING |
| Short Passes |
|
5233 |
4478 |
|
| Long Passes |
|
2180 |
2166 |
|
| Total Passes |
7 |
7413 |
6644 |
15 |
| Ave Passes Per Game |
|
371 |
332 |
|
| % Overall Pass Completion |
|
71% |
70% |
|
| Ave passes completed per game |
|
263 |
233 |
|
| CROSSING |
| Total Crosses Made |
20 |
360 |
540 |
1 |
| Ave Crosses Per Game |
|
18 |
27 |
|
| DEFENDING |
| Goals Conceded |
12 |
28 |
26 |
11 |
| Ave Goals Conceded Per Game |
|
1.40 |
1.30 |
|
| Tackles |
1 |
679 |
616 |
4 |
| Tackles Won |
1 |
496 |
437 |
6 |
| % Tackles Won |
7 |
73% |
71% |
18 |
| Ave Tackles Won Per Game |
|
25 |
22 |
|
| Clean Sheets |
8 |
7 |
6 |
12 |
| DISCIPLINE |
| Fouls |
8 |
289 |
262 |
17 |
| Average fouls per game |
|
14 |
13 |
|
| Yellow Cards |
7 |
34 |
33 |
9 |
| Fouls per Yellows |
12 |
8.5 |
7.9 |
16 |
| Red Cards |
|
2 |
2 |
|
| Figures in the Pos columns indicate position in Premiership |
 |
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Cipher stat flash
Who would have thought last year that Fulham would have been 4 places higher, in the Premiership, than their weekend visitors Everton
- Everton are not one of the most prolific scoring teams in the Premiership but even with their lack of shooting power and inaccuracy Fulham's recent laughable defensive efforts could help them out.
- In the middle of the park Everton's squad make less overall passes than Fulham and also complete less of them. The Toffees are the top crossing team in the Premiership which should give The Cottagers' fans plenty of heart stopping moments.
- In defensive terms Everton have achieved similar results to Fulham. They have achieved one less clean sheet than Fulham and have conceded two less goals than Fulham. Fulham remain the top tackling team in the Premiership although Everton are not far behind.
- As far as fouls and cards are concerned it is hard to see any difference between the two squads.
With all the fun and games going on off the pitch at Fulham it is hard to know what team will turn up for the day. On form Fulham should win but at the moment, despite Everton winning just 1 away game, we are in a generous mood so forecasting a result is impossible
FULHAM
*Chris Coleman's side have lost four of their last five Premiership games home and away. But in front of the Loftus Road faithful, the 1-0 defeat by Chelsea has been the Cottagers' only set back in their last five League and Cup games.
*
Two own goals severely dented Everton's hopes of Uefa Cup qualification and made certain of Fulham's Premiership safety in this corresponding fixture last May.
*
All five Premiership meetings between these clubs over the last two and a half seasons have been home wins.
* Scored more times in the first five minutes of Premiership matches than any other club (three).
* Netted 19 goals in the second half of Premier League games. Arsenal have managed only 18, while the two Manchester clubs can only equal Fulham's tally.
Everton
* Lost six of nine away Premiership games this season, winning only one. That was 1-2 at Portsmouth on 13 December in their last but one * League game on the road.
* Kept just one clean sheet on their Premiership travels. That was the goalless draw at Aston Villa on 25 October.
* Come from behind seven times in Premiership games. No top flight club can beat that, though Newcastle can match it.
* Hold the fourth weakest away record in the top division (five points from a possible 27).
* Conceded more penalties in Premiership matches than any other club (five).
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