Match Preview
Fulham versus Blackpool
Championship Match Day 28 21/22 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 29th January 2022 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Peter Bankes (Lancashire)
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Fulham play host to Blackpool on Saturday afternoon looking to strengthen their position at the top of the Championship standings.
At a time when the Cottagers are searching for their fifth successive win, the visitors have ended an indifferent run of form with back-to-back victories of their own.
Without the services of Harry Wilson and Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham boss Marco Silva may have had concerns about his side as they went up against Stoke City in the Potteries.
However, despite two goals being conceded for the third successive match, the Cottagers came through with flying colours, posting a thrilling 3-2 win to move one step closer to earning an immediate return to the Premier League.
Solving Fulham's defensive issues will be of increasing concern for Silva, but he would have been satisfied with the impact of Rodrigo Muniz, who scored his fifth goal of the Championship campaign.
The big-money summer arrival has needed to become accustomed to playing backup to Mitrovic, although that only seemed to motivate the Brazilian to make a statement against Stoke.
With five of their next seven league games scheduled for Craven Cottage, Fulham have a window of opportunity to move to the brink of promotion, but they cannot afford any complacency against their next opponents.
Not only did Blackpool prevail when the teams met at Bloomfield Road in September, they have also got back on track with two wins in succession.
Although those victories were three weeks apart, head coach Neil Critchley will be delighted with back-to-back 1-0 triumphs over Hull City and Millwall respectively.
Sitting eight points adrift of the playoffs with 19 matches remaining, there is still scope for the Seasiders to make a bid for the top six.
However, Critchley will realistically be focusing on reaching the 50-point mark as soon as possible, one which would guarantee survival and give them the leeway to play without pressure during the closing weeks of the campaign.