Monday Fulham Stuff (09/04/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's recall of Neeskens Kebano will be crucial to promotion hopes

The 26-year-old featured for the Whites versus Sheffield Wednesday.

In the 72nd minute in Fulham's match against Sheffield Wednesday, the Craven Cottage faithful were treated to a rare sight as Neeskens Kebano was sent on to replace Floyd Ayite.

A fan favourite in SW6 ever since he arrived in the summer of 2016, Kebano had mysteriously been frozen out of the Fulham squad for months. His return to the pitch won the match for the Whites, and his performances could provide the spark the club need to gain automatic promotion.

Bizarrely, the Democratic Republic of Congo international hadn't featured for Fulham for over two months. Kebano's last Fulham appearance had been in the 3-1 win over Barnsley in late January, in a match where the winger was excellent and delivered a brilliant assist.

Nonetheless, for reasons unbeknown to supporters, Kebano was omitted from the squad, playing no league minutes in February or March, and being left off the bench for many matches as well.

Slavisa Jokanovic recalled the winger to the bench versus Leeds, and then just four days later handed him his first appearance since January when Ayite went down with an injury.

The match was finely poised at 0-0 and appeared to be fizzling out for a goalless draw. Yet Kebano's introduction added intense pace and purpose to the Fulham attack, leading to a barrage of lethal attacks that eventually resulted in Aleksandar Mitrovic's 78th-minute winner.

Kebano was full of energy and direct running, slipping in dangerous through balls, darting behind the opposition defence, and giving the Wednesday back three a torrid time. His quick one-two with Matt Targett opened up space for Ryan Sessegnon to run free on the left wing, a burst of movement that led to the winning goal.

If Kebano can replicate Saturday's impactful appearance, it will prove to be a massive boost for the Whites in the remaining five matches. The option of the Congolese attacker adds an extra attacking dimension to Fulham's gameplan, one which can break down tight matches in the closing stages of games.

With the gap to Cardiff City in second whittled down to just two points after the weekend's results, fine margins will be vital in the run-in; and Neeskens Kebano could provide Fulham with that slight edge come May.



https://tbrfootball.com/why-the-recall-of-this-abandoned-fulham-winger-will-be-crucial-to-promotion-hopes/

[WhiteJC]

 
Who has the hardest fixtures? Wolves, Cardiff City, Fulham, Aston Villa, Derby County, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Bristol City

The race for the automatic promotion and play-offs is really hotting up

Wolves took a massive step towards promotion on Friday with their dramatic victory over Cardiff City.

Ruben Neves' second half first kick was enough to send the three-points back to Molineux but not before some very late drama.

Cardiff missed two penalty kicks during injury time with Gary Madine seeing his saved by John Ruddy before Junior Holliett smashed his effort off the bar.

The result means Wolves are nine points clear of Cardiff and 11 points clear of third place Fulham with five games left to play.

The Cottagers kept up the pace with a win over Sheffield Wednesday while there were important results in the race for the top-six.

Here's what you need to know about the run-in.

The table

Wolves

Wolves are just five points away from a place in the Premier League next season and they could complete the job against Midlands rivals Birmingham City next weekend.

First up is a clash against the Rams at Molineux in mid-week as they start their procession to the top-flight.

The final day encounter against Sunderland is very likely to see both exchanging divisions with Wolves on their way to be crowned champions.

Derby County (h)

Birmingham City (h)

Bolton Wanderers (a)

Sheffield Wednesday (h)

Sunderland (a)

Cardiff City

Neil Warnock's men are now under pressure for their second spot.

The Bluebirds have been in outstanding form since Christmas but last night's result means Fulham can cut the gap to two points with victory today.

The trip to Villa Park on Tuesday night will be testing before another difficult away game at Norwich.

Their game in hand over Derby County may proven crucial for their automatic hopes.

Aston Villa (a)

Norwich City (a)

Nottingham Forest (h)

Derby County (a)

Hull City (a)

Reading (h)

Fulham

Fulham's 2018 has been phenomenal.

The Cottagers are unbeaten in their last 19 Championship games, winning 15 on their way into the play-off places.

Fulham closed the gap on Cardiff with a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Three of their last five games are against teams battling relegation.

The away trip to fellow play-off rivals Millwall will be huge for their automatic aspirations.

Reading (a)

Brentford (h)

Millwall (a)

Sunderland (h)

Birmingham City (a)

Aston Villa

Draw, win, defeat - a run that sums up the season for Aston Villa.

Steve Bruce's side are now on 73 points and are all-but assured of a play-off spot.

Their automatic promotion hopes are in tatters following their 3-1 defeat at Norwich City on Saturday.

The aim will now be to build some momentum for the play-offs.

Cardiff City (h)

Leeds United (h)

Ipswich Town (a)

Derby County (h)

Millwall (a)

Derby County

The 4-1 home humiliation at the hands of Sunderland appears to been the kick Gary Rowett's side needed.

The Rams have since won matches against Preston and Bolton to strengthen their play-off spot.

They are now three points clear of seventh place Millwall and need a few wins to confirm their place in the top six.

It won't be easy with some tough fixtures to finish the season.

Wolves (a)

Burton Albion (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Middlesbrough (h)

Aston Villa (a)

Barnsley (h)

Middlesbrough

Boro bounced back from three games without a win as they saw off Nottingham Forest 2-0 on Saturday.

Tony Pulis' side are back in the top six and they could still be set for an immediate return to the Premier League.

Their next four fixtures are all against teams around the play-off spots and they know the job in hand.

Sheffield United (a)

Bristol City (h)

Derby County (a)

Millwall (h)

Ipswich Town (a)

Millwall

The Lions continued their red hot form as they dispatched Bristol City 2-0 on Saturday.

That makes it 15 games undefeated for Neil Harris's side and they are in a strong position for a play-off push.

Their fixtures are tricky but they have shown that they are capable of competing with the best in the league.

Bolton Wanderers (a)

Sheff United (a)

Fulham (h)

Middlesbrough (a)

Aston Villa (h)

Bristol City

The Robins are down to the last chance saloon after consecutive defeats to Brentford and Millwall.

Lee Johnson's side failed to have a shot on target in either match and their season looks like ending earlier than expected.

Only victory against Birmingham on Tuesday could offer some hope that the Robins are still in the race.

Birmingham City (h)

Middlesbrough (a)

Hull City (h)

Nottingham Forest (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Sheffield United

The Blades will be ruing throwing away a 2-1 lead against Barnsley on Saturday as they went down to a 3-2 defeat.

Next up for Chris Wilder's side are two of their play-off rivals.

It's in their hands with the fixtures to play but late goals could prove costly for the Blades.

Middlesbrough (h)

Millwall (h)

Birmingham City (a)

Preston North End (h)

Bristol City (a)

Brentford

Victories over Bristol City and Ipswich Town have kept alive the Bees play-off hopes.

They are still five points away from Boro in sixth and will need their rivals to slip up to seal a spot.

The game against Fulham will be crucial with the Bees likely to need at least 12 points from their last five.

Nottingham Forest (a)

Fulham (a)

QPR (h)

Barnsley (a)

Hull City (h)

Preston North End

It's only gone wrong for the Lilywhites who are now six points away from the play-off.

Four defeats in their last five games is likely to have ended their chances for the season.

The 1-0 defeat at Reading on Saturday made it three defeats in a row and they face an uphill battle.

Leeds United (h)

QPR (a)

Norwich City (h)

Sheffield United (a)

Burton Albion (h)



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/championship-fixtures-promotion-run-wolves-1413146

[WhiteJC]

 
Transfer gossip: Mail on Sunday say Moyes is keen on Fredericks

Some of the recent transfer speculation involving Fulham...

The Mail on Sunday say West Ham are considering a move for Fulham's Ryan Fredericks.

Hammers boss David Moyes recently attended a Fulham game, prompting speculation about who he might be interested in.

As a result, Moyes has recently also been linked with Fulham's Tom Cairney, keeper Marcus Bettinelli and on-loan striker Aleksandar Mitrović.

It is also claimed that Moyes is interested in Fredericks, whose Whites contract expires this summer. He has been discussing a new deal at Craven Cottage.

The Mail on Sunday reckon Moyes was "suitably impressed" when he saw Fredericks in action and that there is also interest from Swansea City and Southampton.

Speculation over Cairney's future
Leicester and Newcastle plan to battle it out for the signing of Cairney this summer, The Sun has claimed.

The Sun said Fulham face the prospect of losing Cairney as well as Ryan Sessegnon if they do not win promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Newcastle have previously shown an interest in the Scotland international and have been tipped to move for him, and it's claimed Leicester are also keen.

The Mirror  recently claimed Cairney will be allowed to leave for £20m if the Whites fail to win promotion.

The Mirror declared this will "spark a race" for the Scotland international and will interest West Ham, Watford and Newcastle.

Sessegnon speculation also continues
Speculation also continues over the future of Fulham youngster Sessegnon.

Tottenham have long been interested in the teenager and are hoping to agree a deal to sign him this summer, while a number of other Premier League clubs have been linked with him.

The Sun have claimed that Sessegnon, 17, could reject a move away  if Fulham win promotion to the Premier League.

The Sun previously claimed Manchester United are ready to pay £40m in order to land Sessegnon.

The newspaper quoted 'an Old Trafford source' as saying: "The club have been keeping tabs on him and the reports back are fantastic.

"He is even being compared to Gareth Bale at the same stage of his career. He has all the attributes.

"He is quick and has an eye for goal. Jose has been impressed with him and he will be a star."



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fredericks-west-ham-david-moyes-swansea-city-southampton-linked

[WhiteJC]

 
Despite Wolves loss, Cardiff City supporters should be confident of promotion

The Bluebirds' promotion hopes took a hit against Wolves on Friday evening.

Cardiff City have been in the automatic promotion places for a number of weeks now, but their gap to Fulham is narrowing after a couple of poor results.

Earlier this week, they had to rely on a late goal from Anthony Pilkington to take a point from their away match against Sheffield United.

They then dropped points to top-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite being awarded two penalties in stoppage time.

If they had scored one, they would have earned another point, but neither found the back of the net.

At this time of the season, every disappointment is felt more harshly as it could be the missed opportunity that costs a club promotion or relegation.

Cardiff remain in second position and have a five-point cushion to Fulham in third.

However, the Cottagers have been in rampant form, with their last loss in the league coming back in December. They have won six of their last seven matches.

There will be a lot of nerves among Cardiff supporters heading into the final six matches of the campaign, but they should remain confident that their team can win promotion to the Premier League for only the second time.

The loss against Wolves was only their second Championship defeat in 2018 and it came against the only team above them in the league table.

The players will be more affected due to missing two penalties in stoppage time, but if they reflect on what the result represents, it shouldn't hit their confidence too hard.

Prior to the Wolves defeat, Cardiff were unbeaten in 13 matches in the Championship and had won ten of those. That is the form of a team destined for promotion.

That run of wins came after four successive defeats in the league that momentarily derailed their season.

There will be fears that a similar run could be incoming, but Neil Warnock is an experienced manager who regularly delivers success. He will have made sure the players learned from that period and their form since suggests that they did.

Another reason for optimism is the defensive record sustained by the club.

The Bluebirds may not have the attacking talent possessed by either Wolves or Fulham, but Warnock has made sure they are difficult to break down at the back.

They have conceded only 34 times, which is the best defensive record of any team in the division.

It is often said that defences win championships and the solid foundations that have been built at the Cardiff City Stadium give them a great chance of maintaining their five-point lead.

Last season, Brighton, who finished in second, earned 93 points over the course of the season. That number will only be reached by Fulham if they win their remaining six matches.

Despite their good form, that remains unlikely as the Championship is a very competitive division. It is much more likely that 90 will be enough to reach the Premier League without going through the play-offs.

That means that Cardiff need to be targeting at least three wins and one draw from their remaining six matches.

They have some difficult matches against Aston Villa, Norwich City and Derby County, but this season has shown that the Bluebirds should go into each match with confidence of winning.

The other fixtures will see them face Nottingham Forest, Hull City and Reading.

The past week has shown that promotion is far from secured yet, but with a five-point cushion and four matches to play against teams in the bottom half, Cardiff should remain confident that they will finish in the automatic promotion places.

Warnock has a good promotion record and it would be a surprise if they are surpassed by an in-form Fulham team.



https://tbrfootball.com/despite-wolves-loss-cardiff-city-supporters-confident-promotion/

[WhiteJC]

 
3 bold Jokanovic decisions that will shape Fulham's 2018/19 season

There is a big month coming up for Fulham in the Sky Bet Championship, with Slavisa Jokanovic's side looking to secure a return to the Premier League. 

Last season saw Fulham fall short in the play-offs, despite many fancying them to come out on top against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Reading and Huddersfield Town.

However, this year there is a different feel around Craven Cottage, with Fulham in an excellent position to secure promotion either automatically, or at least through the play-offs.

Whatever happens to Fulham this season, Jokanovic will face a big summer at Craven Cottage, with the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and Tom Cairney sure to be attracting interest from the top-flight.

Since his arrival on-loan from Newcastle United, Aleksandar Mitrovic has also impressed, with Jokanovic potentially facing a big decision on the Serbian striker in the summer.

With that in mind, we identify THREE Jokanovic decisions that could define Fulham's 2018/19 campaign...

Cash-in on Ryan Sessegnon

The 17-year-old is the most exciting talent outside the Premier League and is sure to be on the radar of the top-six when the summer comes around.

The calibre of clubs who will be looking at the winger will pay big money, and Jokanovic will have to decide whether to cash-in on Sessegnon or stand firm and keep him at Craven Cottage.

Premier League football might make it easier to convince Sessegnon to stick around, but the teenager could be tempted to test himself with a potentially huge move.

Ryan Fredericks' future

Fulham really need to be looking to keep Fredericks for the long-term, as he is certainly the best right-back outside the top-flight.

For at least the last 12 months, the 25-year-old has been one of the Championship's outstanding defenders and Fulham's supporters would be gutted to lose him.

Pursuing a move for Aleksandar Mitrovic

Mitrovic has been brilliant at Fulham since his January arrival, and had Jokanovic had the striker at Craven Cottage on a season-long loan, it is frightening to think where Fulham would be.

Next season, either in the Championship or Premier League, Jokanovic needs to be making a move for the striker, who has the potential to become an outstanding No. 9 at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are likely to give him the chance that Newcastle will not.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-bold-jokanovic-decisions-that-will-shape-fulhams-2018-19-season/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham fans should savour these special moments
by Sarah on April 8, 2018

It occurred to me during the drive back from Sheffield last night that there might not be a better time to be a Fulham fan. We can all look back fondly on the Tigana promotion season, that magical run to the Europa League final or – if you're lucky enough – the joy of seeing Johnny Haynes pull on that famous number 10 shirt, but Slavisa Jokanovic's side's majestic unbeaten run will take some beating. The spellbinding quality of the football, the belief that is apparent among the squad and the desire to win were all on display at Hillsborough yesterday as the Whites moved just two points behind second-placed Cardiff.

Fulham aren't supposed to do things like this. It wasn't so long ago that they were notoriously poor travellers, a soft touch away from home and – even at times last season, likely to be roughed up by physical opposition. Jokanovic's team have put an end to much of that. It was telling that the Serbian saluted his side's game management after breaking the deadlock at Wednesday, as the Whites have added more of a steel about them when ahead during this incredible run (perhaps another legacy of competing for four seasons in such a cynical league as the Championship). The Owls kept going until the death but were largely restricted to long range efforts that didn't unduly trouble Marcus Bettinelli.

For a while, it seemed like Fulham would fall agonisingly short of taking advantage of Cardiff's crazy finish to their top of the table clash with Wolves on Friday night. The Whites had plenty of the play but a disciplined Wednesday defence kept them at bay. Not that this seemed to unduly perturb Jokanovic's players. They kept probing away, pushing the home back and passing the ball around, hoping to work an opening. Such confidence in their style of play is probably to be expected when you've not been beaten in the league since December 16th, but the pretty possession football also wears down opponents. Aleksandar Mitrovic's ruthlessly taken winner was the nineteenth goal Fulham have scored in the final fifteen minutes this term – the best record in the division.

The goal had its origins down the left flank in that devastating partnership between Matt Targett and Ryan Sessegnon. Those who just see the scorelines in the paper might remark on the difference Mitrovic has made up front – and boy, hasn't he just – but the key to Fulham's very real push for automatic promotion has been Targett's arrival from the south coast. Not only has the left back freed up Sessegnon to cause trouble further up the field, but his own attacking ability is staggering. Targett has an almost balletic running style and a beautiful first touch. He threaded through a number of brilliant balls in the second half – the easiest of which released Sessegnon down the left for Mitrovic's winner – and is such an asset to this Fulham side.

Targett's best pass sent substitute Neeskens Kebano clear on goal in the last ten minutes. The Congolese winger might have sent his shot wide, but his impact on proceedings after replacing the unfortunate Floyd Ayite – whose own substitute appearance was limited to ten minutes by injury – was unmistakable. Within eight minutes of coming on, he'd fashioned a fine chance for Stefan Johansen, linked up with Targett in the build-up to the winner and spurned a couple of openings himself. Quite why Kebano has been missing since the end of January, where he came off the bench to help the Whites come from behind to beat Barnsley, is anyone's guess but, like last season, his energy as an impact player could prove vital against tiring defences during the run-in.

Jokanovic was insistent after the final whistle that Fulham couldn't afford to get carried away, even with second spot now within touching distance. Professionalism will now be paramount for the players, who know that the Whites haven't achieved anything yet. But for the fans, recognising the class of this Fulham side is important. Whatever happens in the final weeks of the season – and, in this crazy league there are bound to be a few twists and turns, this has been a magical few months. It might not get better than this and we should savour the sumptuous football that this fearless team are producing.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/04/fulham-fans-should-savour-these-special-moments/

[WhiteJC]

 
Aleksandar Mitrovic makes it 9 from 9 and becomes joint top goalscorer this season

Rafa challenged Aleksandar Mitrovic to score '20 or 25 goals' in three months - The Serbian is having a pretty good try!

Aleksandar Mitrovic made it 10 goals in the last 45 days as his strike gave Fulham the win at Sheffield Wednesday.

They are now guaranteed a play-off spot and are only two points off automatic promotion.

As well as scoring for Serbia at the end of March, Mitro now has nine goals in his last nine Fulham matches.

The Cottagers winning nine and drawing three of the 12 games the Newcastle loan striker as been involved in.

Whilst Newcastle were winning 2-1 at Leicester and Ayoze Perez scoring his fourth league Premier League goal of the season to clinch the three points, Aleksandar Mitrovic was scoring his 10th league goal of the season.

This took him joint top when it comes to Newcastle players scoring league goals this season for NUFC and/or out on loan, with 10 in total – one for NUFC and nine now for Fulham.

Adam Armstrong played the full 90 minutes as Blackburn won 1-0 and stayed top, four points clear now of those outside the automatic promotion spots though he couldn't add to his record of eight goals in the previous eight games.

NUFC midfielder Sean Longstaff did get on the scoresheet though, scoring his seventh of the season a Blackpool hammered Bradford 5-0, Newcastle's Alex Gilliead a second half sub for Bradford.

Fulham struggled to find their rhythm in the second half as the home side pressed, and they probably should've taken the lead when Frederico Venancio popped up at the back post, but he fluffed his lines at the key moment.

However, it was Mitrovic who netted the goal for Fulham when he got on the end of Sessegnon's cross to send the fans behind that goal into raptures.

Another Aleksandar Mitrovic goal gave Fulham all three points at Hillsborough to cut the gap to Cardiff City in second to just two points.

Match Ratings – Mitrovic 7:

Had a header saved by a brilliant save, but not a great game from Mitrovic this afternnon. Great finish to give the side the lead.'

Newcastle players with most goals so far this season:

10 Aleksandar Mitrovic (1 Newcastle United and 9 Fulham)

(5 Championship matches remain, plus potential play-off games)

10 Adam Armstrong (1 Bolton and 9 Blackburn)

(6 League One matches remain, plus potential play-off games)

9 Ivan Toney (4 Wigan 5 Scunthorpe)

(6 League One matches remain, plus potential play-off games)

7 Sean Longstaff (7 Blackpool)

(5 League One matches remain, plus potential play-off games)

5 Dwight Gayle

(6 Premier League matches remain)

4 Joselu

(6 Premier League matches remain)

4 Ayoze Perez

(6 Premier League matches remain)



https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/04/aleksandar-mitrovic-makes-9-9-becomes-joint-top-goalscorer-season-newcastle-united-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic wants Fulham to focus on Reading
by Dan on April 8, 2018

Aleksandar Mitrovic insisted that it is not time for Fulham to celebrate despite following up his player of the month award with the winner at Sheffield Wednesday yesterday.

The Serbian striker scored his ninth goal in as many games to take the Whites to within two points of second-placed Cardiff but urged his Fulham team-mates not to get two excited as the Championship automatic promotion race looks set to go down to the wire. Mitrovic fired home a Ryan Sessegnon cross to eventually give the visitors a deserved lead at Hillsborough and acknowledged the importance of the three points when speaking to FulhamFCTV after the final whistle:

    A very big win. A very big three points. The first half was really tough against tough opponents. They defended really well, they were compact. They were very tough to play against. We found a way to score the goal and we won the game, so that is the most important. Now we have to recover and prepare for the next league game on Tuesday.

The on-loan Newcastle forward praised his side's patience as Fulham had to wait until the last quarter of a contest they had largely dominated before taking the lead.

    We had good chances but we couldn't score. So we had to stay patient, keep going, stay positive and to try to find a way to put the ball in the net. When we found it, it was a great team action and it was a big goal because we knew that we needed a result. We are very happy, but we don't have time to celebrate. We have to recover and prepare for Tuesday.

Mitrovic played down the importance of his player of the month award, revealing just how happy he was to be playing regular football at Craven Cottage and stressing that getting the wins for Fulham was most important to him.

    Personal awards are always nice to get but I am a team player and I'm even more happy when the team plays good and win the game. Since I came, the team has played really well and I really enjoyed playing on the pitch. I have scored goals. The team is creating chances for me, we have a really good relationship between us – it is very nice to go on the training ground and to see all the people and players. We knew where we want to be at the end of the season – and we will try to give everything to be in the first two places. Now, we have made a small step towards that, but we are not there – we have to keep fighting.

Fulham will now switch their focus to Tuesday night's home game with Reading and Mitrovic knows not to take the Royals lightly, even though they might be battling against relegation this season.

    It is hard to play against every team in this league so, like I say, every game until the end of the season is a final. We have to go out there with this mentality to try and win every game. It is going to be hard – it won't be easy – but that's football, that's the Championship, that's why this league is really interesting, so we have to stay hungry, to keep fighting and we will see what is going to happen.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/04/mitrovic-wants-fulham-to-focus-on-reading/

[WhiteJC]

 
The teams standing in the way of Fulham beating Manchester City's record

Can they post an English league record this season?

Fulham have not lost a game since December 16.

Just take a moment to let the magnitude of that sink in.

This is the Championship after all, where consistency is very hard to come by.

Yet still the White are short of the automatic promotion spots.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men have closed the gap to second-placed Cardiff City to two points, but there is still work to be done if they are to win promotion to the Premier League without the need of the lottery of the play-offs.

Since December 16 Fulham have won 15 games, drawing four - that's a whopping 49 points out of a possible 57.

But as well as aiming for the top two places in the table, there's a record they are now chasing - a record held currently by Premier League champions-elect Manchester City.

Fulham's 19-game unbeaten streak is the second-longest in English football this season - City went 22 games without defeat earlier in the campaign as they steamrollered their way towards the title.


(Image: Tim Goode/PA Wire)

So, three more games unbeaten would see Fulham equal that record, while four would see them break it.

Who are the team standing in their way of a little slice of history?

Reading (H) - Tuesday, April 10

The next game is at Craven Cottage against a struggling Royals outfit now led by Paul Clement. It will be a tougher proposition now, with Reading winning two of their three games under the former Swansea boss. However, given the Whites' run, you would expect three points to remain in west London.

Brentford (H) - Saturday, April 14

A west London derby. Never easy. The Bees have hopes of making the play-offs themselves and will be desperate to halt the Whites' charge towards promotion.

Millwall (A) - Friday, April 20

The Lions have been on a magnificent charge towards the play-off places and this London derby looks to be Fulham's most difficult game in the run-in on paper. They will probably be happy to take a point away from the Den, and if everything has gone to plan up until then, that would equal City's record.

Sunderland (H) - Friday, April 27

The last team to beat Fulham. That's almost as crazy as the run that the Whites have been on! This should not pose too much of a problem for Jokanovic's men.

Fulham then finish away at Birmingham City, hoping then that they've beaten City's record and only have a place in the top two to think about...



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/teams-standing-way-fulham-beating-14505318

[WhiteJC]

 
The Cardiff City v Fulham Premier League promotion battle - the good, bad and ugly from a dramatic weekend

Aston Villa also in the mix, while Wolves already have one foot in the Premier League

The race for the Premier League seems to have boiled down to Wolves plus one of Cardiff City or Fulham, following a dramatic weekend of action at the top of the Championship.

Aston Villa are still mathematically in the mix, but their 3-1 defeat at Norwich means they could only reach a maximum of 88 points - and it is highly unlikely that will be enough for second place.

Many Bluebirds fans are in despair after events of the past 48 hours. Cardiff's agonising 0-1 home loss to leaders Wolves, coupled with Fulham's win at Sheffield Wednesday, has seen the gap close dramatically.

But there are still plenty of reasons for Cardiff to be optimistic as the promotion battle approaches crunch point.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from a weekend of twists and turns...

THE GOOD
Almost 27,000 fans came to watch Cardiff City

The biggest crowd for any league fixture played in Wales over the past 42 years was recorded as the Bluebirds agonisingly fell to Wolves.

Cardiff announced a gate of 29,317, the highest for a league match since 35,549 poured into Ninian Park for a 1976 Division Three promotion clash with Hereford.

There was actually a bigger attendance earlier this year when 32,339 watched the Bluebirds' 2-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City.

But, rightly or wrong, the feeling was that a few had come to watch Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions elect for a close glimpse of Kevin de Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Vincent Kompany and the other superstars in the side.

Whether that is true or not, this time Bluebirds fans flocked to the ground for one reason - to watch and roar on their team.

Cardiff City have a huge armchair fan base they can tap into and that was evidenced by the Wolves and Man City gates.

If those penalties had been converted at the end, many of the newcomers would have been persuaded to come back again.

Hopefully they still will anyway. We've heard plenty about Cardiff City and a disconnect with their fans, but the reconnection was well and truly there again on Friday night.

It was an epic night. Just a shame about the result.

Bluebirds are still in pole position

Listening to some, you'd think the world had caved in after the weekend results.

But let's have a little perspective. There is absolutely no shame in losing to the best team in the division, which Cardiff did despite pushing big-spending Wolves to the brink.

And whilst Fulham are truly a formidable force, a wonderful footballing side who are unbeaten in 19 games, the fact remains promotion is in the Bluebirds' own hands.

They are still two points clear of Fulham and have a game in hand, albeit a difficult one at Derby. Win that and the gap would be five.

The issue for Neil Warnock is raising his players again for another daunting challenge at Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Given the magnitude of the Wolves occasion, they gave everything physically and mentally and will have been left utterly devastated by the never-seen-before finale.

How they respond is key.

But one way of doing that is to ask yourself this question: Would you rather be in Cardiff's position or Fulham's position right at this moment in time?

The prospect of a five point gap sways it Cardiff's way for me.

Gunnar is back

Having missed four months of action, Aron Gunnarsson returned against Sheffield United and played the full game against Wolves despite being exhausted towards the end.

Cardiff need their Icelandic warrior to drive the midfield. There has been no time to ease him back, Gunnarsson has been kind of forced to get up to match sharpness straight away.

The miles in the legs from the Wolves game will hold him in good stead for Aston Villa on Tuesday night and the remaining five games after that.

Aston Villa are in a mess

Everything being equal, going to Villa Park to take on Steve Bruce's star-studded outfit should be the most difficult challenge in the division.

Villa should have won the league. Instead, they languish in fourth and automatic promotion seems to have gone as they can only reach 88 points, which won't be enough.

Villa ooze talent, but the sum of the parts does not match up. Since thumping Wolves 4-1 they have lost to Norwich, Bolton and QPR, drawn 0-0 with Hull and have a solitary win over Reading from the last five games.

The fans turned on the team after Saturday's lunchtime loss to Norwich, Steve Bruce turned on his players.

That put momentum back in Cardiff's favour a little as they head to Villa Park on Tuesday night.

A huge crowd will be expected and that should work in Villa's favour. But given the way things have gone, the unrest that has crept in as a result of Villa punching below their weight, the pressure could become over-bearing for Bruce's players.

Morrison and Bamba are brilliant

Cardiff have the best defence in the division and Sean Morrison and Sol Bamba were very good again in trying circumstances against Wolves' feared front line.

Bamba will ensure the players are up for battle again at Villa Park and beyond, while Morrison has developed a special rapport with the fans.

Realising the hurt and despair they were feeling at the final whistle, he made a point of going across to them and demonstratively pointed to the badge on his shirt.

It was Morrison's way of saying 'Be proud, keep supporting, we'll be back'.

It may seem a small gesture, but in that moment Morrison lifted spirits again.

THE BAD
Those missed penalties

Can you recall a game of such drama where two spot-kicks are awarded deep into injury-time and each are spurned?

Junior Hoilett was a tad unlucky with the second of those, hitting the underside of the bar and seeing the ball bounce out.

Gary Madine was said to be distraught following his miss and he will wish he had handled the situation better.

In a situation like Friday night, huge crowd, huge game, huge stakes, if you're a right-footed centre-forward taking a penalty to equalise in the closing seconds is it not better to go with the momentum of your run, put your laces through the ball and smash the thing into the right hand corner of the goal?

Give the goalkeeper no chance.

Madine did the opposite and John Ruddy was able to spring across to his left to keep the ball out.

At least Madine had the guts to take the spot-kick. But if Cardiff do end up in the play-offs, and are involved in a penalty shoot-out, he may well revert to basics and lash it, rather than try to place the thing.

Fulham win again

The Cottagers are the best footballing side in the league and it's just as well for Cardiff, and everyone else, they started the campaign so slowly.

But since beating the Bluebirds 4-2 on Boxing Day, Fulham have gone on an incredible run, winning 13 and drawing four.

It is only because Cardiff have won so many games themselves that Fulham have been prevented from rampaging into the top two.

However, their 1-0 triumph at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon means the gap has been closed to two points.

They have home games with Reading and Brentford this week, whereas the Bluebirds go to Villa and Norwich.

It is not inconceivable that by the end of the next few days, Fulham will have opened up a points gap on the Bluebirds.

Paterson injury

Every player is going to be carrying a knock or three at this stage of the season, but Cardiff could have done without Callum Paterson hobbling off against Wolves.

It is unclear how bad his injury is, but Paterson has offered a new dimension to the Bluebirds since being moved to the 10 position because of his goal threat.

He was moved from there on Friday night to play deeper on right midfield, but Cardiff need the power and presence Paterson offers in the closing stages of the season.

Losing him will be a blow.

THE UGLY
The Cardiff v Wolves ending

The after-match talk was about two things... those missed penalties and the spat between Neil Warnock and Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Wolves boss did not win with class, as Warnock pointed out afterwards and the Cardiff manager made his views clear out on the pitch.

Some will feel the whole episode was a little unsavoury, but these are two managers who clearly care deeply and their emotions poured out at the end of an epic night.

It's time to move on.

THE REMAINING FIXTURES

Cardiff City:

Aston Villa (A)

Norwich (A)

Nottingham Forest (H)

Derby (A)

Hull (A)

Reading (H)

Warnock's men have the tougher run-in on paper, with four away games and just two at home.

They need to take something from Villa Park and Carrow Road this week to set up the final four games.

It's vitally important they are somehow still in the driving seat come the final day, when they should beat Reading at Cardif City Stadium.

It's still in Cardiff's hands.

Fulham

Reading (H)

Brentford (H)

Millwall (A)

Sunderland (H)

Birmingham (A)

The Reading and Brentford games should represent a further six-point haul for the Cottagers. Sunderland is a shoo-in win.

Cardiff have to hope play-off chasing Millwall can do them a favour. Bluebirds fans will then be rooting for Garry Monk, believe it or not, and his Birmingham team on the final day.

Aston Villa

Cardiff City (H)

Leeds (H)

Ipswich (A)

Derby (H)

Millwall (A)

They could yet win the next four and set up a huge final day clash at Millwall, but the gap looks a little too big.



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-v-fulham-premier-14505035

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West Ham United, Swansea City and Southampton keen on Fulham defender

West Ham United, Southampton and Swansea City are all keen on signing Fulham's Ryan Fredericks, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The right-back is out of contract at Fulham at the end of the season and could leave the London side if they are not promoted to the Premier League.

The Whites are currently 3rd in the Championship and are in contention for automatic promotion to the top flight. Ryan Fredericks has been a key player for them this season and his contract situation has put Premier League clubs on red alert.

West Ham United boss David Moyes was spotted at Fulham's recent home fixture against Leeds United, said to be watching Fredericks. The Hammers are keen on a move for the former Tottenham Hotspur right-back in the summer as another defensive option.

Their top flight rivals Swansea City are said to be keen as well. Their manager, Carlos Carvalhal, has doena  great job with the Swans since he took over. The former Sheffield Wednesday boss may see Fredericks as a long-term replacement for their current right-back Angel Rangel.

Southampton are the final team to be credited with an interest. The Saints are currently in a relegation battle and could be heading back down into the Championship if they are not careful. They are now managed by Mark Hughes, who may be plotting potential targets already for next season.



http://the72.co.uk/100161/west-ham-united-swansea-city-southampton-keen-fulham-defender/

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Owls work hard but Cottagers have the quality - Sheffield Wednesday 0 Fulham 1

Their attitude and application on the day was spot on.

But despite a dogged, hard-working performance, Wednesday lacked the quality and self-belief in the final third to seriously trouble a strong Fulham outfit.

And with 12 minutes left of Saturday's tussle, Aleksandar Mitrovic popped up to claim his ninth goal in as many matches to secure a vital three points in the Cottagers quest to pip Cardiff City to the second automatic promotion berth. There is certainly no shame in losing to Fulham. The West London club are one of the best footballing sides in the division and possess a number of players who would not look out of their depth in the Premier League.

The key to the Cottagers extending their club-record unbeaten league run to 19 matches was staying patient at Hillsborough. They wore the Owls down. Mitrovic's predatory finish was no more than the visitors deserved. As Wednesday chief Jos Luhukay pointed out post-match, Fulham were "too strong" and the "better side". There was plenty of pride and passion in the Owls' display but Fulham were worthy winners.

Fulham were superior in every department and one of the best teams to visit S6 this year. They monopolised the ball and racked up 22 shots compared to Wednesday's four. While Fulham had eight shots on target, the Owls had zero. Wednesday battled hard and defended manfully but would have lost by more had it not been for the heroics of Joe Wildsmith. The young goalkeeper caught the eye, pulling off a series of superb stops either side of half-time.

Fulham were superior in every department and one of the best teams to visit S6 this year. They monopolised the ball and racked up 22 shots compared to Wednesday's four. While Fulham had eight shots on target, the Owls had zero. Wednesday battled hard and defended manfully but would have lost by more had it not been for the heroics of Joe Wildsmith. The young goalkeeper caught the eye, pulling off a series of superb stops either side of half-time. "We are disappointed we lost the game," said wing back Jack Hunt. "Fulham had a lot of possession and I think we limited them to only a few chances but nothing special. Before the game, we had a bit of confidence back in the team but it wasn't meant to be."

DIAMOND JOE
Wildsmith, a consistent performer for the Owls in the second half of the campaign, is a superb shot-stopper. His distribution remains a work in progress but he came to Wednesday's rescue on a number of occasions versus third-placed Fulham.

The Owls struggled to create chances in the opening 45 minutes and Wildsmith had to be alert to deny Sheyi Ojo and Kevin McDonald. Teenage sensation also clipped the crossbar. Wildsmith's best save of the afternoon came near the end of the first period when he expertly tipped Mitrovic's bullet header over the bar following a fine run and looping cross by full-back Ryan Fredericks.

Wildsmith, a lifelong Owls fan, was also busy after the break, thwarting Stefan Johansen and Neeskens Kebano in one on one situations with solid blocks. "Joe kept us in the game with his reflexes," acknowledged Luhukay. "We know that he is a very talented goalkeeper. "Joe was the best player in our team. That says enough about our team.

"We lost the game against a very strong team. The problem was when we had the ball in the second half. We gave it away too fast. "We were losing the ball and Fulham were pressing us directly and we could not come out." Losing Barry Bannan to injury around the half hour mark was a big blow to Wednesday. His dynamism and creativity was missed as Fulham took control of the midfield battle.

The visitors speed in wide areas caused Wednesday lots of problems. Sessegnon, 17, was instrumental in the winner. He burst into the box from the left and threaded a lovely ball across to Mitrovic, who coolly tapped home from close range. Hunt said: "It was difficult for me because I had two v one down that side all day. But I'm not going to be happy with how I played because he (Sessegnon) set the winning goal up." Deep into added on time, substitute Fernando Forestieri fired narrowly over after good play by Daniel Pudil and Adam Reach but it wasn't to be for the Owls.

LONG WAY TO GO
Both Wednesday and Fulham finished in the play-offs places last term but came up short at the semi-final stage. Since then, the Owls have regressed while Fulham have kicked on and are firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish. The stats don't lie as Fulham are 13 places higher and 31 points better off than Wednesday with five matches remaining. On the evidence of Saturday's meeting, it looks a long road back to the top for the Owls.



Read more at: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/owls-work-hard-but-cottagers-have-the-quality-sheffield-wednesday-0-fulham-1-1-9104408

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Super computer's Championship promotion prediction will surprise Aston Villa, Cardiff and Fulham fans - but not Wolves fans

Championship predictor has this to say about outcome of promotion race as Villa strive to go up

A computer programme has delved into the Championship data and predicted how the season will end.

And it makes interesting reading for Aston Villa fans - but spare a thought for Cardiff City supporters!

The predictor at Football Web Pages reckons Villa will finish fourth, the position they're currently in, while Fulham will pip Cardiff City to the second automatic promotion spot.

It uses an algorithm based on previous scorelines to predict the outcomes of future matches.

Villa will finish the season on 83 points, the predictor says, a haul which will see them contesting the play-offs at the end of the season.

Cardiff will finish third with 87 points, with Fulham ending the campaign in second with a haul of 91 points.

The predictor thinks Steve Bruce's Villa will beat Cardiff 1-0 on Tuesday evening before winning 2-0 against Leeds United on Friday.

Then. they will draw 1-1 with Barnsley, beat Derby County 1-0, and end the regular season by losing 1-0 to Millwall at the Den.

The least surprising thing about the table is Wolves at the top - with boffins expecting them to amass 104 points.

At the other end of the table, the predictor reckons Birmingham City, Burton Albion and Sunderland will be relegated.

Blues will finish the season on 41 points, the predictor says, a haul which will see them finish in 22nd place.

Sunderland and Burton will also go down, while Barnsley will survive in 42 points and so too will Bolton Wanderers on 43.



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-championship-promotion-fulham-14506587

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Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic takes a jab at Neil Warnock after Fulham's win over Sheffield Wednesday: 'Cardiff feel pressure... they can lose something'

    Fulham beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 to put the pressure on Cardiff City
    Neil Warnock's men narrowly lost to Wolves after missing two late penalties
    Slavisa Jokanovic insists he 'feels relaxed' in the race for automatic promotion
    Fulham are now two points behind Cardiff after their win at Hillsborough

A much vaunted side unbeaten in 19 league matches, winning 15, can hardly be described as setting out to gain promotion by stealth.

But that is exactly what Slavisa Jokanovic and his Fulham team are doing. What's more, the manager is playing on it big time.

He employed mind games of which Cardiff boss Neil Warnock would have been proud after closing to within two points of the Welsh club, who occupy the second automatic promotion spot.


Aleksandar Mitrovic (R) celebrates with Ryan Sessegnon (L) after scoring on Saturday


Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic insisted his team 'feels relaxed' in automatic promotion race

Warnock's side are very much the target after a weekend that shook up the race to go up with leaders Wolves. Still steaming over the way Wolves celebrated victory at his expense on Friday, Cardiff's boss now has another rival digging him in the ribs.

Cardiff's defeat and Fulham's win at Hillsborough have created a test of nerve in the final straight — and one which Jokanovic insists only Cardiff, and not Fulham, can fail. 'I don't know how they feel but we feel completely relaxed,' said the poker-faced Serb, as calm as Warnock is combustible.

'We've never been second. Cardiff can feel some pressure. We can win something; they can lose something.'


Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores his side's first goal of the game to secure 1-0 victory


Mitrovic broke the deadlock in the 78th minute to move Fulham to within two points of second

That would be from a position in which Cardiff have an extra game to play on top of the two-point advantage.

'We can make some kind of surprise — but if they don't give us some kind of push it's not possible for us,' was the final thrust from Jokanovic.

Impressive left back Matt Targett weighed in: 'This was probably the biggest game of the season, with Cardiff and Aston Villa losing.

A massive chance to extend the gap behind us and chase down those in front. If we keep winning I think we're going to get in there.'


Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon (right) and Sheffield Wednesday's Jack Hunt battle for the ball

Thing is, you can't see Fulham losing. They host struggling Reading tomorrow night, four months since their last league defeat (by Sunderland of all clubs).

Saturday's third clean sheet in a row also suggested the one flaw in a free-flowing side has been corrected. Here, poise and patience was required to engineer a late breakthrough from a dominant performance.

Unsurprisingly, Ryan Sessegnon was the creator and Aleksandar Mitrovic the executioner, the on-loan Serb netting his ninth goal in as many matches.


Sessegnon celebrates the 1-0 win at Hillsborough after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon

Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay watched on with some admiration and said: 'Fulham were better than us. They could have scored three or four more. They showed why they are fighting for the top two.'

His side were unimpressive in the first half but played with more conviction after the interval.

However, Luhukay, who conceded his overstretched side would have been much more soundly beaten but for keeper Joe Wildsmith, admitted: 'Fulham always look to play football and they have dangerous, quick players left, right and centre . . . fantastic players who are good crossers.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5592395/Fulham-boss-Slavisa-Jokanovic-takes-jab-Neil-Warnock-Fulham-win-Sheffield-Wednesday.html#ixzz5C9cXmWru
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David Moyes makes comment on Tom Cairney that will interest Fulham supporters

David Moyes has played down speculation linking West Ham United with a move for Tom Cairney, despite the Fulham captain attending the Hammers' fixture with Chelsea yesterday afternoon.

Images emerged on social media yesterday afternoon of Cairney in attendance at Stamford Bridge, as West Ham took on Chelsea in the Premier League. @JoshWHUnited shared the image on Twitter, with the 27-year-old Fulham midfielder narrowly behind Moyes and the Hammers' dugout.

However, Moyes has played down Cairney's presence to Football London, insisting after the contest that he was unaware the midfielder was behind him. When asked about Cairney, he said: "No idea, was he?

"If he was then it certainly wasn't a ticket from us. I was hoping you were going to say Lionel Messi was sitting behind us!"

West Ham were keen to take Cairney to the London Stadium during the January transfer window, and according to Sky Sports, the midfielder was keen on making the switch across London, but Fulham blocked a big-money move as they continue their quest for promotion.

Cairney has once again helped Fulham into promotion contention in the Sky Bet Championship this season, scoring four goals and adding five assists from a central midfield role.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side currently sit third in the Championship table, trailing the top-two by just two points.

The Verdict

Moyes' comments on Cairney will ease fears within the Fulham camp, but there is no denying that the images emerging yesterday didn't look good for Fulham, particularly with the midfielder's previous links to West Ham.

There is still a lot of football to be played between now and the transfer window, and with Fulham in firm promotion contention, Jokanovic and everyone at Craven Cottage will want Cairney's full focus on the run-in.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/david-moyes-makes-comment-on-tom-cairney-that-will-interest-fulham-supporters/