Match Preview
AFC Bournemouth vrs Fulham
Championship Match Day 43 21/22 at Vitality Stadium
Saturday 23rd April 2022 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
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Championship Leaders Fulham make the trip to Bournemouth knowing that they will effectively secure the Championship title if they can collect three points at the Vitality Stadium.
After the Cottagers already earned promotion back to the Premier League earlier this week, Bournemouth will move to the brink of joining Saturday's opponents if they can prevail on the South coast.
Despite having lost their previous two Championship fixtures, Marco Silva was unlikely to have had any concerns regarding his Fulham side eventually getting over the line for promotion.
That confidence came through in his side's 3-0 demolition of Preston North End on Tuesday night, the West Londoners scoring each of their strikes in the first half to ensure that it was party time after the break.
With the title still very much on their agenda, there is little chance of this Fulham squad switching off until they get their hands on that piece of silverware, but they deserved their moment of celebration after yet another dominant performance.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has now reached 40 goals for the league campaign, a sensational achievement and one which he will want to better, while Fulham are two away from reaching three figures with four matches remaining.
Holding the best away record in the division by a five-point margin, Fulham will want to back that up by wrapping up the second-tier crown in style, and complacency will certainly not be an issue against their nearest contenders.
Like the visitors, Bournemouth have endured a scrappy spell of late, the Cherries going three fixtures without success before they made light work of Coventry City.
Facing in-form opponents, Scott Parker knew that his side needed to deliver one of their best displays of the campaign, and that is what transpired as Jamal Lowe netted early before Dominic Solanke's double before the 55th minute.
As it stands, nine points are mathematically required to guarantee automatic promotion, such a scenario highlighting that the South-coast outfit cannot afford to take anything for granted despite being long-term occupiers of the runner-up spot.
On a positive note, three successive clean sheets have been recorded at the right time, currently leaving Parker's side with the best defensive record in the division.
In the reverse fixture back in December, the two clubs played out a 1-1 draw, Solanke's opener being cancelled out by Tosin Adarabioyo's late equaliser.
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