Match Preview
Fulham versus West Ham
Premiership Match Day 29 22/23 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 8th April 2023 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Jarred Gillett (Australia)
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Two out-of-sorts capital sides face off in a Premier League London derby on Saturday afternoon, as Fulham welcome West Ham United to Craven Cottage.
Marco Silva's side most recently went down 2-1 to relegation-threatened Bournemouth, while the Hammers' demotion fears deepened with a 5-1 loss to Newcastle United on Wednesday.
With Aleksandar Mitrovic beginning his lengthy suspension and the threat of sanctions on manager Marco Silva also looming, morale was not on Fulham's side for their trip to Bournemouth, and the Cherries needed no second invitation to take advantage of the Cottagers' predicament.
Andreas Pereira's 16th-minute strike broke the deadlock, but Marcus Tavernier's wonderful equaliser preceded Dominic Solanke's winner to prolong Fulham's misery on and off the field, as their European hopes continue to dwindle by the week.
Now enduring a miserable four-game losing run across all tournaments - including each of their last three in the top flight - this weekend's hosts have plummeted to 10th in the rankings and cannot rise any higher up the table no matter what transpires by the close of play this weekend.
The Cottagers also sit level on points with Chelsea - albeit with a game in hand on the Blues - and the fight for a top-seven finish is far from done and dusted, but recent defensive failures have done Fulham no favours whatsoever in their bid to crash the continental party.
Indeed, the Cottagers have conceded at least two goals per game in their four recent losses, and only one of their last four Premier League matches at Craven Cottage has ended in victory, but West Ham fans will no doubt make the trip across the capital in hope rather than expectation.
While admitting that his job is now in "jeopardy" as West Ham continue to dance with the devil, one had to feel a shred of sympathy for David Moyes, who could not have done anything to prevent two catastrophic individual errors during Newcastle's demolition job.
Lukasz Fabianski and Nayef Aguerd would have welcomed the London Stadium turf opening up and swallowing them whole on Wednesday, as Callum Wilson and Joelinton both hit braces alongside Alexander Isak's lob to render Kurt Zouma's header inconsequential.
The few West Ham souls that stayed until the bitter end made no bones about their side's dismal display, but MoyeSilva, Arsenals seemingly retains the trust of the powers-that-be for now, as the Hammers remain embroiled in a nine-team relegation dogfight - sitting in 15th place as the highest of four teams on 27 points thanks to a superior goal difference.
Prior to the Newcastle-inflicted humiliation, West Ham had strung together a four-game unbeaten run - attention will soon turn to their Europa Conference League quarter-final with Gent after seeing off AEK Larnaca with ease - but Moyes's side have been nothing short of horrendous on the road; failing to win in 11 Premier League away games since edging past Aston Villa 1-0 in August.
Recent history does favour the Hammers, though, as Fulham have lost four and drawn one of their last five meetings with their capital counteparts - including a 3-1 reverse at the London Stadium in October - since Steve Sidwell and Dimitar Berbatov were among the goals in a 2014 New Year's Day win.
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West Ham are unbeaten in five meetings with Fulham, winning four of those games.
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The Hammers have won seven of their 12 Premier League away fixtures against Fulham - the most they've managed against another Premier League team.
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Andreas Pereira has created 58 chances in the Premier League this season, already the fifth-highest total for a Fulham player on record in a single campaign (since 2003-04).
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Fulham have suffered three straight Premier League defeats, the longest current losing streak in the division.
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They have lost four games in a row in all competitions, twice as many defeats as in their first 14 matches after the World Cup break (W9, D3, L2).
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The Cottagers' two most recent losses have come despite them taking the lead in both fixtures.
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All four of their home league defeats this season were against teams currently in the top five of the table.
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Marco Silva's side have conceded 20 league goals at home this season. Only bottom side Southampton have let in more home goals in 2022-23.
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They are vying to win four top-flight London derbies in a season for the first time.
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Fulham's next defeat will be their 500th in the top flight.
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The Hammers are winless and without a clean sheet in 11 Premier League away games since beating Aston Villa in August (D3, L8).
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They have lost their last six Premier League away London derbies, equalling the club's top-flight record.
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West Ham have scored just seven goals in 13 Premier League away fixtures this season, compared to 16 goals in eight away games in all other competitions.
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They are the only team not to have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a Premier League match this season.
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David Moyes is unbeaten in 12 Premier League fixtures as a manager versus Fulham since his Everton side were beaten 2-1 at Craven Cottage in September 2009 (W8, D4).
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Michail Antonio is one short of 100 goals in the top four English divisions. He has scored in four of his six league appearances versus Fulham.
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Jarrod Bowen is currently on a run of 18 consecutive Premier League away games without a goal.