Match Preview
Fulham vrs Bristol City
League Cup Round 02 25/26 at Craven Cottage
Wednesday 27th August 2025 KO: 16:30
Referee:
Lewis Smith (Lancashire)
Live on Sky+
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Fulham boss Marco Silva's Fulham were dreaming of European football in 2024-25, but they fell some way short and failed to even finish in the top half.
Having started the current Premier League campaign with back-to-back draws, the Cottagers are now 13th in the top flight, and they may be concerned about their chances of qualifying for continental competition once again this time around.
After watching Crystal Palace reach the UEFA Conference League as a result of lifting the FA Cup last term, Silva's side could see winning the EFL Cup as a viable path to gaining admission.
On Sunday, Fulham came from behind to secure a point in a 1-1 draw with Ruben Amorim's Manchester United, thanks to an Emile Smith Rowe strike that cancelled out an own goal from Rodrigo Muniz.
Aiming to build on that stalemate and earn their first victory of the season on Wednesday, the hosts may take confidence from the fact that they have won three and drawn one of their four most recent home games, though they did close out the last campaign by losing four of their final five competitive matches.
Meanwhile, Gerhard Struber's Bristol City suffered disappointment in 2024-25's Championship playoffs, but their unbeaten record so far this season suggests that they could get another shot at promotion this term.
While the Robins will be prioritising their efforts in the league, they could be inspired in their push towards the top flight by a deep cup run.
In the first round, Struber's men beat League Two's MK Dons 2-0 at Ashton Gate, courtesy of a Jason Knight header with just six minutes on the clock and a sealing strike from Yu Hirakawa around the hour mark.
Most recently, the Robins followed up their 0-0 stalemate with Charlton Athletic by earning another point in a 1-1 draw with Derby County last Friday, a result that left them ninth in the second tier, two points behind Preston North End, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City in the playoff spots.
Bristol City may be the underdogs given that they are a lower-division team, but considering that they ended last season with three straight defeats on the road, the visitors will take heart from the improvements they have shown during their current four-away-game unbeaten run.
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Source Anthony Nolan at SportsMole