Match Preview
Fulham vrs Derby County
Championship Match Day 19 2122 at Craven Cottage
Wednesday 24th November 2021 KO: 19:45
Referee:
Keith Stroud (Hampshire)
Live on Sky Red Button
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Top meets bottom in the Championship on Wednesday evening as leaders Fulham play host to Derby County.
While the Cottagers sit nine points clear in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League, the Rams are 15 points off safety at the other end of the standings.
With 28 matches remaining, Marco Silva will not get carried away with the form of his Fulham side, but the Portuguese cannot be anything but satisfied with their efforts this season.
A shaky spell during September has been followed by pure dominance, the Cottagers extending their winning streak to seven matches at the weekend with a 4-1 victory over Barnsley.
Fulham now have 48 goals from just 18 games, 21 of which have come from Aleksandar Mitrovc, but Silva will take greater pride from four different players getting on the scoresheet at the weekend.
Harry Wilson and Neeskens Kebano now have 10 strikes and 12 assists between them, while youngster Fabio Carvalho got back in on the action during the fixture with the Tykes.
Silva's side have now prevailed in seven of their nine games in West London this season, and they will expect to improve on that against a struggling Derby outfit.
Nevertheless, in the face of persistent adversity, Wayne Rooney is working wonders at Pride Park, his side responding to their latest points deduction by recording a dramatic 3-2 triumph over promotion-chasing Bournemouth.
The argument will be that Derby are playing with less pressure on their shoulders given that they are seemingly at the point of no return, but there will be renewed optimism after closing the gap to safety to 15 points.
Although the Rams would only occupy 16th spot without their double punishment, losing just three of their last 12 matches is some achievement given the circumstances.
Goals have not always been Derby's strong point under Rooney, but they have now netted in six successive matches, scoring nine in total.