With Monday’s defeat at Bournemouth, Fulham may have been knocked out of the race for a place in next season’s European competitions. After falling behind early on – Semenyo struck in the first minute – Marco Silva’s men were unable to get back into the game, suffering their third defeat in their last five Premier League matches, all away from home (their last away win came in February). The Londoners have now slipped to ninth place, level on 48 points with Bournemouth.
The Conference League zone is slipping away: seventh-placed Aston Villa are six points ahead of Fulham, who will need a perfect end to the season to get back into the positions that matter and avoid finishing in the so-called ‘mid-table’ for the umpteenth time.
Maresca with his back against the wall
The Cottagers’ main problem is their lack of consistency. The fact that Robinson and his teammates have failed to capitalize on the enthusiasm generated by their victory over leaders Liverpool is proof of this.
Marco Silva is hoping that home advantage will do his men good, as they have won their last two games at Craven Cottage. In any case, there should be no lack of motivation: the West London derby with Chelsea is always eagerly anticipated and keenly felt in these parts. One of the greatest joys of the year was the victory at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day, when Fulham won 2-1. For the Blues, despite reaching the Conference League semi-finals – Thursday’s defeat to Legia was painless, with a 3-0 thrashing in Poland – this is not an easy time: in the league, Enzo Maresca’s team is coming off two consecutive draws, the last of which caused quite a stir because it came against Ipswich Town (2-2), who already have one foot and a half in the Championship. Criticism of the Italian coach continues, and if he fails to secure a Champions League spot – Chelsea are currently sixth – he is unlikely to be reappointed.
Odds comparison
The “1X” result is priced at 1.55 on Goldbet, Lottomatica, and Snai. The “Over 2.5” sign is quoted at 1.77 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 1.75 on Snai.
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The prediction
Chelsea have lost only two of their last 26 matches against their “neighbors,” but both came in the last two seasons. The Blues’ lackluster performances, coming off a doubleheader, suggest a more balanced derby than expected, in which Fulham could at least avoid defeat.
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Probable lineups for Fulham-Chelsea
FULHAM (4-3-3): Leno; Castagne, Bassey, Andersen, Robinson; Lukic, Pereira, Berge; Iwobi, Muniz, Sessegnon.
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo Fernández; Madueke, Palmer, Pedro Neto; Jackson.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2