Match Preview
Fulham vrs AFC Wimbledon
League Cup Round 02 26/27 at Craven Cottage
Thursday 27th August 2026 KO: 20:00
Referee:
Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria)
Live on Sky Sports+
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Fulham play host to AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup second round on Thursday evening.
The Cottagers got their Premier League campaign off to a losing start earlier this week with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Chelsea.
With Alvaro Arbeloa at the helm, Fulham fans would have had high hopes of capitalising on a new era at neighbours Chelsea when the teams squared off at Craven Cottage.
Instead, Fulham were made to look ordinary in defence as Chelsea ran riot in the opening 49 minutes, something that will naturally concern Arbeloa even if there were positives to take from how the Cottagers performed at the other end of the pitch.
On another evening, the West Londoners would have earned a share of the spoils, with 14 shots - six of which were on target - recorded against a team tipped to challenge for Champions League qualification.
The general consensus is that Fulham need defensive additions if they are to compete for a mid-table spot and more in 2026-27, and this game will test the current depth of the squad when a trip to Sunderland is to come on Sunday.
This will be the first time that Fulham and AFC Wimbledon have met in a competitive fixture, with the last meeting coming in 2001 before the original Wimbledon moved 46 miles to Milton Keynes.
AFC Wimbledon have enjoyed an entertaining start to the new campaign, already being involved in two penalty shootouts.
Although they recently lost to Leyton Orient in the EFL Trophy via that method, they beat Newport County from 12 yards in this competition after a 1-1 draw with the League Two outfit.
As far as their start to the League One season is concerned, Johnnie Jackson's side are yet to score a goal, initially suffering a 3-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town on the opening weekend of the campaign.
However, a goalless draw with Reading on Saturday felt like a step in the right direction ahead of the short trip to Premier League opponents.
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Source Darren Plant at SportsMole/BBCSports