Fulham vs. Chelsea
Venue: Craven Cottage
Kick off: 6:30PM
Chelsea will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they take on local rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage this evening.
The Blues have dropped down to ninth position in the table, having been victorious in just one of their last six in the league, while Fulham have drawn each of their last five matches to sit in 18th.
Fulham were initially due to host Chelsea on Friday evening, but the match was rescheduled for this evening when the Cottagers were pressed into action on Wednesday to play their postponed fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
In what was the club’s first Premier League match since Boxing Day, Scott Parker’s side claimed a point at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Ivan Cavaleiro cancelling out a first-half effort from Harry Kane.
Fulham have now drawn each of their last five in the league against Liverpool, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Southampton and Tottenham, but they have only won once since the start of November and currently sit down in 18th position in the table, two points behind 17th-placed Brighton.
The Whites have only managed one away win in the top flight this term, but they did record a 2-0 victory at Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup last weekend, and there is no question that Wednesday’s performance and result against Tottenham will have left them in a confident mood heading into the derby.
Chelsea, meanwhile, were also in FA Cup action last weekend, comfortably dispatching Morecambe by four clear goals to ease their way into the fourth round of the competition.
The Blues have lost two of their last three in the Premier League, though, including a 3-1 home defeat to Manchester City at the start of the month.
Frank Lampard’s side have actually won just one of their last six in the league, which has seen them drop down to ninth position in the table, now 10 points off leaders Manchester United.
There is believed to be pressure building on Lampard, and a poor result this evening would leave the club’s former midfielder in a tough spot ahead of a difficult trip to Leicester City on January 19.
Chelsea’s record over Fulham is incredibly strong, though, having not lost to their rivals in the league since March 2006 – when Luis Boa Morte scored the winner at Craven Cottage – and the Blues will be targeting a sixth straight victory over the Cottagers this evening.
Fulham possible XI: Areola, Aina, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Tete, Reid, Reed, Anguissa, Robinson, Lookman, Cavaleiro.
Chelsea possible XI: Mendy, James, Zouma, Silva, Chilwell, Kovacic, Jorginho, Mount, Pulisic, Werner, Ziyech.
