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Goal-shy neighbours set to share the spoils when Fulham and Chelsea lock horns
It says everything about Chelsea's current plight that they are 100/1 to be relegated and 200/1 to win the Premier League title.

Clearly neither is going to happen but, as the odds indicate, the Blues look more likely to face a season of struggle.

Mauricio Pochettino may have been handed a small fortune to invest in new recruits in the summer but there's patently a problem at Stamford Bridge that can't be solved by money alone.

Chelsea create plenty of chances but can't convert them into goals.

Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson has scored just twice in eight appearances since his £35million summer move from Villarreal and the fear must be the 22-year-old is like so many others who have needed time to settle into life in the top flight.

He's not getting much support from his team-mates either and the Blues aren't going to start climbing the table until they start finding the net on a regular basis.

They head to Craven Cottage just one point and three places above the relegation zone.

Fulham have seven points after wins against struggling Sheffield United and Luton and a draw at Arsenal but have also found it difficult to score.

They only time they have hit more than one goal in a league game was against the Gunners so all the indications are the London derby will be short of thrills.

Under 2.5 goals is 17/20 -with 888Sport and can be backed with confidence as there have only been more than that in four of the last 15 matches between the two neighbours.

A 1-1 draw is 6/1 with bet365 but predicting who is going to score those goals is a far trickier proposition.

Raheem Sterling has been anything but sharp in the opposition penalty and his two goals this term were both against Luton but he is worth a small investment to get on the scoresheet at any time at 11/5 with William Hill.

Ex-Wolves man Raul Jimenez has yet to break his duck for Fulham but is 10/3 with the same firm to do so in front of the Monday night cameras.

• Tyler Lockett is 8/5 with William Hill to score a touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football and help them to beat the New York Giants by over 3.5 points, which is 13/10 with Bet Victor.

• Baseball's regular season has finished and the Atlanta Braves were the best team by a mile. The postseason can be a bit of a lottery but they are the worth backing at 3/1 with Betfred to win the World Series.



https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/01/chelseas-struggles-are-set-to-continue-with-a-draw-at-fulham-19585345/?ito=newsnow-feed

Latest Chelsea injury news with 7 Fulham doubts with Carney Chukwuemeka boost and Chilwell update
Chelsea injury news as Mauricio Pochettino provides an update on a number of his players ahead of Monday's clash with Fulham

 Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino will go into Monday night's Premier League clash with Fulham without a number of first-team players.

At times already this season, the Blues have been forced to be without over 10 players. Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana and Reece James have been out for a period of time - players who all are likely starters for Pochettino when fit.

The injury concerns at Cobham increased this week with Ben Chilwell suffering a huge blow. The left-back is set for a period on the sidelines after suffering a "bad" hamstring injury in the Carabao Cup win over Brighton.

"It was bad that it was in the last minute of the game, and of course, we are really sad about the news around Ben," Pochettino said. "Time, it's difficult to know now because it was less than two days since it happened.

"We need to assess him over the next few days, and for sure the club will communicate."

Despite the blow at left-back, the Blues have been handed a huge boost ahead of tomorrow's trip to Craven Cottage with Carney Chukwuemeka. The midfielder has been out since the second weekend of the season having sustained a knee injury in the 3-1 loss to West Ham United.

After the club confirmed on Friday that the ex-Aston Villa man had returned to full team training, Pochettino was on hand to provide a minor update in his pre-match press conference. "I think maybe Carney [will be available], and of course Noni [Madueke] also," he said.

Defender Benoit Badiashile continues to recover from his knock and is in 'partial team training'. Elsewhere, club captain James could be ready for next weekend's league game with Burnley. Pochettino did, however, claim that the trip to Fulham is too soon. "Reece James, maybe [soon]," he said.

"For Monday, I don't believe. Maybe the week after, we'll see. The week after, we will assess him and I'll confirm then."

Romeo Lavia, who is yet to make his debut for the club, is still out after injuring his ankle in training earlier this month. Trevoh Chalobah is another name in the treatment room at Cobham.

Players unavailable against Fulham: Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Trevoh Chalobah, Romeo Lavia.



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-injury-fulham-chilwell-chukwuemeka-27821290

Chelsea look to Raheem Sterling for Fulham clash as they seek to end goal drought
Blues are scoreless in three league games and have no fit strikers for London derby

Chelsea's goalscoring issues are unlikely to be helped by the fact they head to west London rivals Fulham on Monday night (11pm UAE time) without a fit senior striker.

The Blues, who did manage a narrow 1-0 win over Brighton in the League Cup in midweek, haven't registered in their last three league games, losing twice and drawing once to sink to 15th place in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have found the net just five times in the league this season - only Burnley have scored fewer - with the absence of summer signing Christopher Nkunku keenly felt.

The France international is out until December, while Nicolas Jackson is suspended tonight after racing to five bookings and Armando Broja is not deemed fit enough to return. That's likely to mean Raheem Sterling will start through the middle for a Chelsea side who travel to Craven Cottage without 11 first-team players.

"The most important thing is to adapt to the players that are available, to try to find a way to perform," said Pochettino. "Maybe different characteristics we can use, like we can play with one striker or without a striker. I need to asses all the squad and take that decision."

Among those ruled out are Chelsea's England international full-back pairing of Reece James and Ben Chilwell, players Pochettino described as "the best full-backs in the world".

Their absence has certainly contributed to the shortage of creativity in recent games and the Chelsea boss admits they have been missed. There's currently no timescale for Chilwell to return from a "bad injury", but James is thought to be targeting the Arsenal game on October 21.

"At all clubs, important players are missed when they don't play," said Pochettino. "If the question is 'do we miss them?' Of course. Reece is a top player and [Chilwell] also. When they're at their best, they are the best full-backs in the world.

"But all teams when they miss important players are affected [in their] performance. Why did we not sign another Ben Chilwell and another Reece James? Because there's only one Reece James and one Ben Chilwell."

Fulham, who sit 11th in the table, will be without defender Tosin Adarabioyo and winger Adama Traore.



https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/10/01/chelsea-look-to-raheem-sterling-for-fulham-clash-as-they-seek-to-end-goal-drought/

Chelsea lineups vs Fulham as Armando Broja decision made and Conor Gallagher dropped
Chelsea travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham on Monday evening as the Blues look for their first Premier League victory in over a month against their west London rivals

Mauricio Pochettino has some huge decisions to make ahead of Chelsea's short trip to Fulham on Monday night. The Blues are looking for their first Premier League victory since August 25 when they beat newly-promoted Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.

September saw just one goal for Chelsea in all competitions – with Nicolas Jackson the only man to net in their win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. And unfortunately for the Blues, they will be without the services of Jackson at Craven Cottage, with the 22-year-old serving his one-match ban after accumulating five yellow cards in the early stages of the season.

Pochettino hinted in his pre-match press conference on Friday that his side could set up without a natural striker. But with Armando Broja close to being back to full fitness now, the Albanian presents a much-needed option to the Argentine head coach.

Playing a natural striker or not is just one of the big decisions Pochettino has to contend with ahead of the game. With that said, football.london writers Bobby Vincent and Jake Stokes discuss what XI they would choose at for the West London Derby.

Bobby Vincent
Robert Sanchez has been in fine form recently so there is no doubt the Spaniard will continue in the lineup. Ahead of him is more up for debate, however, with Malo Gusto serving the second match of his three-game suspension following a straight red card against Aston Villa last weekend.

Axel Disasi can play at right-back so the Frenchman may slot in there, with Levi Colwill coming into the centre of defence alongside Thiago Silva. Ben Chilwell is out, so Ian Maatsen could deputise.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez should play in a double pivot, with Conor Gallagher dropping to the bench. In doing this, it will allow Chelsea to put more attacking players in the side, with Cole Palmer playing in front of them as a No.10 behind the striker.

Mykhailo Mudryk has shown some encouraging signs in recent games and Pochettino should persist with the Ukrainian. Raheem Sterling on the right, behind Broja. Deivid Washington as a potential option from the bench in west London.

Vincent's lineup: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Maatsen; Enzo, Caicedo; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Broja

Jake Stokes
Pochettino will have learned a lot about his side following Chelsea's win over Brighton on Wednesday night. The first of which being that the Blues perform best in a back-four – especially with Colwill at centre-half.

The Cobham graduate has often featured at left-back this term in order to shoehorn the likes of Chilwell and Silva into the starting lineup. But, after impressing at centre-half against the Seagulls, Colwill reminded Pochettino just how effective he can be when given the license to dictate possession from deep.

With Gusto out due to suspension and Reece James still nursing an injury, Marc Cucurella staked a claim for the right-back position following his lively performance against Brighton. But, after Chiwell picked up a hamstring issue, it seems Pochettino will be left no choice but to push Disasi to right-back and revert the Spaniard to left-back.

Moving up the pitch, the Blues' midfield pivot picks itself. Palmer more than deserves to start in the number ten role, flanked by Mudryk and Raheem Sterling. While both Palmer and Sterling have previously played the false-nine role at Manchester City, Broja is available so Pochettino will surely opt for an orthodox number nine!

With that being said, Washington could be a wildcard option for the Blues. The wonderkid striker is yet to make his debut for Chelsea but, with Broja unlikely to complete 90 minutes, he could be given the chance to finally impress...

Stokes' lineup: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo; Mudryk, Palmer, Sterling; Broja




https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-vs-fulham-broja-gallagher-27821670

Fulham vs Chelsea: Preview, team news, how to watch, kick-off time & prediction
Chelsea face Fulham in the west London derby on Monday night at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino's side make the trip of around two miles down the road to face their London neighbours and head into the fixture off the back of a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup.

Nicolas Jackson, who is suspended for the Blues against Fulham, scored the only goal of the cup tie to set up a fourth round clash against Blackburn Rovers. Malo Gusto is also suspended following his red card in the defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.

Chelsea will also be without Ben Chilwell (hamstring) and Reece James, but Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke could both return for the Blues. Armando Broja will be hoping for some minutes after making his long-awaited return from an ACL injury.

"I think it is bad news," Pochettino said of Chilwell's injury on Friday afternoon. "The doctor told me it's not a good thing. It's a bad injury but we need to assess in the next few days and we'll see the period he is going to be out of the squad and the team. But I think it doesn't look good, the injury. It was in the last minute of the game. Yes, we are really sad about the news of Ben."

He added: "Time? It's difficult to know now. It was only two days ago since it happened. We need to assess him and for sure, the club will communicate."

On team availability, Pochettino continued: "Hope that maybe Carney and of course Noni, also, after his injury when he came back from the national team. He is getting ready, working hard. Yes, hope these two players maybe will be available for selection on Monday."

Here are all of the details ahead of Fulham versus Chelsea in the Premier League.

Date, time, location of Fulham vs Chelsea
The Premier League fixture will take place on Monday 2nd October at 8pm BST at Craven Cottage, London.

How to watch Fulham vs Chelsea
Chelsea's clash against Fulham will be available to watch live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom.

Prediction
Fulham 1-2 Chelsea



https://absolutechelsea.com/fulham-chelsea-preview-team-news-how-to-watch-kick-off-time-prediction/6461/

How Iwobi's pressing can ignite goal-shy Fulham


Adrian Clarke says attacking midfielder could be missing link for Marco Silva's side against Chelsea

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 7.

Fulham v Chelsea
Scoring only five goals across their opening six matches, Fulham are still searching for attacking inspiration.

The departure of talismanic centre-forward Aleksandar Mitrovic was bound to impact their goal threat, but Marco Silva would still have expected better output in the final third at this stage.

So far this season no Fulham player has mustered more than six shots, excluding blocks, which outlines a lack of creative spark in their play.

Silva's side will need to show more potency in the final third if they are to beat Chelsea at home for the second successive season on Monday evening.

As reflected in the table below, there has been a significant downturn from Fulham compared to 2022/23.

Raul Jimenez and Carlos Vinicius are doing their best to fill the void left by Mitrovic, but the Serb's aerial threat was on another level to anything they can provide.

Registering only three headed shots in the campaign so far as a team, Fulham no longer have that "fear factor" when balls are sent into the box.

They are creating fewer chances and being less clinical when those opportunities do come their way, so it is no surprise Fulham are struggling for goals.

Fulham's attacking stats comparison

Player	22/23	PL rank	23/24	PL rank
Shots/90	11.28	12th	9.33	18th
Shots inside box/90	7.55	12th	5.33	20th
Headed shots/90	2.16	5th	0.50	20th
Conversion rate %	17.50	5th	12.5	12th

A lot of Fulham's best moments and performances last season came when they feverishly pressed the opposition.

Showing no fear, Silva's side were terrific at forcing turnovers, especially during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign.

This time around they have been far less ferocious in their attempts to regain possession in advanced areas.

Possession won in final third comparison

Fulham	22/23	PL rank	23/24	PL rank
Possession won final third/90	4.53	12th	3.17	19th

If they can get back to a mode of play that sees them apply greater pressure high upfield, it will be a way of carving out extra chances to score.

Facing local rivals Chelsea could be the perfect moment for Fulham to go up a gear when they press.

Silva's side are making 20 fewer sprints per match than they did last season, so the head coach would be justified to demand greater intensity from his players.

Decrease in sprints

Player	2022/23	2023/24
Sprints/90	133.4	113.3

Time for Iwobi?
Summer signing Alex Iwobi scored in an EFL Cup success at home to Norwich City, so must be pushing hard for his first Premier League start in Fulham colours.

Iwobi's goal v Norwich
https://twitter.com/FulhamFC/status/1707358240164712631

The former Everton star is a very hardworking attacking midfielder, who presses with conviction.

Indeed, no Everton player regained possession more times inside the final third than Iwobi's total of 35 last season, so he could act as a catalyst in that department.

Most Fulham shots 23/24 (exc. blocks)

Player	Mins played	Shots
Raul Jimenez	456	6
Bobby De Cordova-Reid	362	6
Harry Wilson	424	6
Alex Iwobi	183	4

In only 183 minutes of top-flight action this season, 44 of which have been for Fulham, Iwobi has also attempted four shots on goal, so his positivity inside the final third could give Fulham the lift they need.

It should be remembered that Iwobi created 57 chances in open play last season in a struggling Toffees side.

The only individuals to top that number were Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah, Martin Odegaard, Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes.

A fired-up Iwobi, eager to impress the Craven Cottage supporters, may just be the spark Fulham need to raise their level against Chelsea.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/3712472

Confirmed Officials: Fulham vs Chelsea | Premier League
The officials have been confirmed for Chelsea's Premier League clash against Fulham at Craven Cottages on Monday night.

It's 12th versus 15th in the Premier League and victory for Chelsea will see them leapfrog their west London rivals into 11th place.

Mauricio Pochettino's side suffered defeat last time out in the league following a narrow a 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge to Aston Villa. However, they managed to record a confidence-boosting 1-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night to progress into the Carabao Cup fourth round.

"I think it was a really important victory," said Pochettino ahead of facing Fulham, "not only because that victory puts us into the next round of the Carabao Cup, but to build our trust and for our confidence.

"I think another solid performance which we translate into a victory which the players need, the team need and the fans also need. The effort was fantastic from the team. This situation can make us stronger and make us confident for Monday."

Now the officials for the league meeting have been revealed by the Premier League ahead of the encounter.

Referee
The Premier League have confirmed that Tim Robinson will take charge of the meeting in London.

Assistants
Tim Robinson will be supported by Stuart Burt and Eddie Smart on the touchline.

Fourth Official
Simon Hooper has been named as the Fourth Official for Monday's match, with the referee overseeing conduct within the two dugouts, and the behaviour of Marco Silva and Mauricio Pochettino.

VAR/Assistant VAR
Overviewing proceedings from Stockley Park on Monday night will be John Brooks, who has been named as the Video Assistant Referee, with the Assistant Video Assistant Referee being Mark Scholes.



https://absolutechelsea.com/confirmed-officials-tim-robinson-fulham-chelsea-premier-league/6466/

Fulham v Chelsea: All you need to know


Get all the stats, manager quotes and details as Chelsea hope to avoid a fourth PL match without a goal

Chelsea make the short trip to Craven Cottage for a west London derby with Fulham on Monday evening.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have failed to score in each of their last three matches and have not gone four in a row without netting since September 2007.

Scoring against Fulham will not be an easy task for Chelsea, especially given the hosts have kept a joint-high three clean sheets along with Manchester City.

When the two sides met in this fixture last season, Fulham earned a 2-1 success. However, they have failed to win their following nine London derbies since that victory.

Team news
Fulham will be missing Tosin Adarabioyo and Adama Traore, while Kenny Tete is to be assessed. Sasa Lukic will return to the squad for the first time since August.

Chelsea will be without defenders Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Malo Gusto, the latter serving the second of a three-match suspension following a red card against Aston Villa.

Nicolas Jackson is also suspended after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season in the same match.

Last five meetings
3 Feb 2023: Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
12 Jan 2023: Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
1 May 2021: Chelsea 2-0 Fulham
16 Jan 2021: Fulham 0-1 Chelsea
3 Mar 2019: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea

Key facts
Four of Willian's five Premier League goals for Fulham have come at Craven Cottage, including one against his former side Chelsea in this exact fixture last season. The Brazilian made 234 league appearances for the Blues between 2013 and 2020, scoring 37 goals and providing 33 assists.

Fulham are winless in their last nine Premier League London derbies (D4 L5), since beating Chelsea 2-1 back in January. This will be their fourth derby already in 2023/24, losing their first at home to Brentford (0- 3) before drawing at both Arsenal (2-2) and Crystal Palace (0-0).

Chelsea have failed to score in each of their last three Premier League matches, despite attempting 45 shots (15 per match) with a total expected goals tally of 5.5 in this run. The Blues last went four league matches without scoring in September 2007.

Chelsea lost this exact fixture 2-1 last season – only once before have they ever lost consecutive away league matches against Fulham, doing so in April 1977 while in the second tier.

What the managers said
Marco Silva: "Of course, they [Chelsea] haven't started the way they would like. Since Mauricio [Pochettino] came in, he is trying to get the things in the right direction for them to fight for titles, like they want to be, but really that's not the most important thing for us. We will look for ourselves."

Mauricio Pochettino: "It's really important the victory [1-0 EFL Cup third round win against Brighton] because it gets us to the next round, but also for the trust and to build our confidence. It was another very solid performance which we translated into a victory, which the players needed, the team needed and the fans also.

"I am happy, the effort was fantastic from the team and now this situation can make us stronger and give us confidence for Monday."



https://www.premierleague.com/news/3713085

Fulham smash sixteen past Steyning Town
Fulham Women scored sixteen goals as they eased into the Women's FA Cup third qualifying round with a ruthless display against Steyning Town at Motspur Park this afternoon.

Steve Jaye's side took their fine league form – they had won their last four games – into their first Cup outing and needed just six minutes to break the deadlock against the Sussex side. After Lilly Lambird had seen a speculative shot deflected wide of goal, Megalie Mendes floated a fine cross in from the right and Sasha Adamson headed emphatically into the net at the back post. Adamson, who has made a fine start since signing from Hashtag United earlier this summer, doubled Fulham's advantage three minutes later when she latched onto a lovely through ball from Georgia Heasman and lifted a deft finish over the goalkeeper.

Adamson could have completed a twenty minute hat trick but slotted just wide after a fine ball from Sophie Manzi before turning provider for the former Dulwich forward. Manzi powered a finish beyond the helpless Steyning keeper after being teed up by Adamson to make it 3-0 midway through the first period. Lambird's persistence saw her get free down the right flank and the midfielder forced the ball past the keeper – although the last touch came off a visiting defender.

Adamson completed her hat-trick with a fierce drive three minutes later and the floodgates appeared to have well and truly opened. Heasman made it six seven minutes before the break when her cross from a short corner was deflected home and Fulham found a seventh before half time when Lambird lashed in Heasman's near post cross.

Jaye made three substitutions at half time – sending on Ede Buchele, Ava Huntrods and Alex Hayman – but there was no respite for Steyning. Buchele took just five minutes to add her name to the scoresheet, spinning superbly in the penalty area after timing her run perfectly to sprint onto a marvellous Manzi pass. Manzi was left unattended at the back-post to head home Mendes' corner four minutes later and needed just two more minutes to bring up her hat-trick from close range.

Buchele then laid on another goal for the unstoppable Manzi before the teenager showed just dexterity to fire home from seven yards despite being knocked to the floor. Manzi made it thirteen from the penalty spot before Buchele burst into the area and unselfishly squared for Manzi to score his sixth of the afternoon from five yards out. Manzi was only denied another by the crossbar when her dipping drive from distance rattled the woodwork – but the reprieve was shortlived for sorry Steyning.

The bright Buchele brought up her hat-trick with a clinical finish after fine approach play along the left wing by Hayman before Fulham rounded off the scoring from their very next attack. Adamson advanced into the area and struck the base of the near post with a powerful shot that cannoned back into the net off a luckless Steyning defender. This was a tough lesson for the London and South East Division One side who gamely kept going to the end – but Fulham's superior class saw them ease into the hat for Monday's draw. The third qualifying round will be played on Sunday 22 October.

FULHAM FC WOMEN (3-4-3): Parker; Dale, Tagliavini (Hayman 45), Southgate; Bird, Mendes, Barron-Clark, Lambird (Huntrods 45); Adamson, Heasman (Buchele 45), Manzi.

GOALS: Adamson (7, 10, 33), Manzi (23, 54, 56, 58, pen 65, 66) own goal (31), Heasman (38), Lambird (40), Buchele (50, 61, 75), own goal (78).



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/fulham-smash-sixteen-past-steyning-town/

Fulham vs Chelsea Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats
Bottom-half strugglers Chelsea will travel the short distance across to Craven Cottage to face their neighbours Fulham in the West London derby on Monday night.

Monday night's Premier League showdown sees Fulham entertain their underperforming West London neighbours Chelsea at Craven Cottage.

The Blues got back to winning ways in midweek when Nicolas Jackson notched the winning goal in a resilient 1-0 third-round victory over high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge to both ease the early pressure on himself and manager Mauricio Pochettino following a torrid start to the campaign.

It was not pretty by any means. But Chelsea managed to hold on and see out only their third victory in eight matches across all competitions so far this term, having ended a concerning goal drought that had almost reached 350 minutes in total after three consecutive blanks in the league before Jackson's second strike of the season.

Despite spending more than £1 billion since Todd Boehly's arrival at the helm, their fortunes have not improved at all. Chelsea currently sit 14th in the table with just one victory from their first six games, and they will be looking for only their second Premier League win of the campaign here.

Fulham, meanwhile, are playing pretty football like they did last term, but they are grinding out results right now. They were thrashed 5-1 at Manchester City, but they won't be the last team to suffer at the Etihad and eased past Norwich City in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Currently sitting comfortably 11th in the Premier League table, the mood in Marco Silva's camp is positive at the moment. They have been particularly solid at the back of late and are eyeing their third consecutive clean sheet in the English top flight.

The Cottagers are once again happy to cause a few problems to their most illustrious opponents and have so far already taken a point at Arsenal as well as knocking Tottenham Hotspur out of the Carabao Cup. Fulham won their most recent encounter 2-1 against Chelsea at Craven Cottage on January 12. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics
Fulham

Marco Silva has two confirmed absentees for the derby clash against Chelsea, namely centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo (groin) and winger Adama Traore (thigh), both of whom sustained injuries in mid-September and will not be available before the international break.

Kenny Tete, who is nursing a groin problem, will be assessed late before the game and could return to the starting XI after missing Fulham's last two games, while Calvin Bassey is also a doubt for the match, having come off with a slight knock against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup.

Midfielder Sasa Lukic is set to finally get back on the pitch after a prolonged spell on the sidelines. The Serbian midfielder has been missing for the Cottagers since the end of August with a knee injury.

Head coach Marco Silva is expected to line his side up in a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Bernd Leno a safe pair of hands in between the sticks. Tete and Antonee Robinson are expected to line up as the full-backs here, with Issa Diop and Tim Ream starting as a central defensive pairing.

Joao Palhinha's return to the starting lineup has been crucial to their improved form in recent weeks. The Portuguese international will continue to form a double pivot alongside Harrison Reed. Andreas Pereira will be the creator-in-chief from the No. 10 position behind the main striker.

With Raul Jimenez still yet to score for Fulham, Silva will surely be considering Carlos Vinicius, who scored midweek, for the central striker role, while Alex Iwobi was also on target in the Carabao Cup and could be selected ahead of Bobby Decordova-Reid from the get-go here.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Ream, Diop, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Iwobi, Pereira, Willian; Vinicius


Chelsea
Chelsea's extensive absentee list has shown no signs of dropping off, with Ben Chilwell's name now added to it after picking up a hamstring problem in the Carabao Cup. Mauricio Pochettino could be without the services of up to 11 players for the trip to Fulham.

Nicolas Jackson grabbed a much-needed goal — his second of the season — in the midweek win over Brighton. But will be absent for the Fulham clash after somehow collecting five yellow cards in his first six games.

Malo Gusto is also suspended after receiving a straight red card against Aston Villa in the Premier League last weekend, leaving Pochettino incredibly light in the full-back position, with Reece James still sidelined.

Midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who suffered a knee injury following a flying start to the season, has returned to training and is expected to be on the bench at Craven Cottage. However, Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Romeo Lavia, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, and Christopher Nkunku all remain out for this one.

The defensive absentees mean that Pochettino will have to shuffle his backline around in front of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, with out-of-favour left-back Marc Cucurella coming into the side as a makeshift right-back, while Levi Colwill will slot in as the left-back. Axel Disasi and Thiago Silva will form the central defensive pairing.

Conor Gallagher will partner Moises Caicedo at the heart of Chelsea's midfield. Caicedo will look to break up the play, and the England international will be the box-to-box midfielder here. The Englishman will also be expected to provide defensive cover and add drive to the midfield.

Jackson's suspension could also cause significant problems up top, with young Armando Broja only just returning from a long-term layoff. Pochettino may need to come up with a creative solution there as well. Raheem Sterling could lead the line, with Enzo Fernandez acting as the creative No. 10, flanked by the impressive Cole Palmer and misfiring Mykhailo Mudryk.

Pochettino is also considering recalling Noni Madueke to the squad for Monday's west London derby against Fulham. He was left out of the squad in last week's Carabao Cup win over Brighton, with Pochettino saying it was not due to an injury. But his "choice" after the Chelsea winger was spotted partying when he was injured.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Cucurella, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Fernandez, Mudryk; Sterling


Key Stats

    Fulham are winless in nine consecutive Premier League London derbies since beating Chelsea in January (D4 L5).
    Chelsea have failed to score in their last three Premier League matches.
    Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven matches against Fulham in all competitions.
    Mauricio Pochettino is now without a win in each of his last 14 Premier League matches on the road (D4 L10).
    No Premier League side has picked up fewer points in the current calendar year than Chelsea (25).

Player to Watch
Raheem Sterling
Nicolas Jackson silenced his Chelsea detractors by guiding Mauricio Pochettino's struggling side into the fourth round at Stamford Bridge, scoring the winning goal against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup.

However, the Senegalese forward is suspended for the Premier League clash against Fulham. So, the onus will be on experienced speedster Raheem Sterling, who scored a double against Luton Town, to produce the goods in the final third. Without a doubt, Sterling is a top player who has shown he can deliver at the highest level.

But his form has blown hot and cold since arriving at Chelsea from Manchester City. The Blues need experience, creativity, and goals to kick-start their season, and the electric attacker could be the man to do it, being the biggest attacking threat for the visitors.

Prediction
Fulham 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea may have relieved some of the pressure off their shoulders with a win in midweek. But it was far from convincing against an admittedly tough Brighton & Hove Albion team. Although confidence is rising, injuries are still wreaking havoc, potentially handing Fulham's attackers a big boost on Monday night.

Marco Silva's men will relish trying to increase the misery on their west-end rivals. But they have not been free-scoring either this season. It is difficult to back either side here with any real degree of conviction, and a low-scoring share of spoils has to be the sensible call.



https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2023/10/01/fulham-vs-chelsea-preview-probable-lineups-prediction-tactics-team-news-key-stats-2/

Team News: Fulham vs. Chelsea injury, suspension list, predicted XIs
Two West London derby rivals languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table square off at Craven Cottage on Monday, as Fulham play host to Chelsea.

The Cottagers overcame Norwich City 2-1 in the third round of the EFL Cup in midweek, while Mauricio Pochettino's men bested Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 at the same stage, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

FULHAM vs. CHELSEA

FULHAM
Out: Tosin Adarabioyo (groin), Adama Traore (thigh)

Doubtful: Sasa Lukic (knee), Kenny Tete (groin), Calvin Bassey (back)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Leno; Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Decordova-Reid, Pereira, Iwobi; Jimenez

CHELSEA
Out: Nicolas Jackson (suspended), Malo Gusto (suspended), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (ankle), Benoit Badiashile (hamstring), Reece James (hamstring), Christopher Nkunku (knee), Wesley Fofana (knee), Marcus Bettinelli (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring)

Doubtful: Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), Noni Madueke (unspecified)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Sanchez; Cucurella, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher; Palmer, Sterling, Mudryk



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/west-london-derby/team-news/team-news-fulham-vs-chelsea-injury-suspension-list-predicted-xis_525355.html?newsnow

Fulham boss Silva hails Willian ahead of derby clash
Fulham boss Marco Silva believes veteran winger Willian is back to his best ahead of Monday's derby against his former club Chelsea.

The 35-year-old has been a revelation since signing on a free transfer last year following difficult spells at Arsenal and Corinthians.

The Brazilian came close to exiting Craven Cottage this summer after a huge offer came his way from Saudi Arabian side Al Shabab, and he also held talks with Nottingham Forest before finally signing a new one-year deal.

He was a surprise inclusion in a much-changed Whites side that defeated Norwich in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, having played 90 minutes in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, but Silva feels he is now up to full speed following a disrupted pre-season.

"I played with him against Norwich as I think he needed more games," Silva said.

"I know him really well and it wasn't the best pre-season for him. I know from last season that although he had no pre-season as he only arrived late in August, but he at least came from a competition in Brazil with Corinthians.

"But I told him 15 or 20 days ago that I am finally starting to see the best of him in training sessions. He is so sharp, so good, he is a top player, a class player.

"It is up to me to and to him as well to keep him fit and playing with a smile on his face like he is right now and I am really pleased because we need the best of Willian.

"He is a great example to any player of this team and any other wingers because it's not just what he does with the ball but without it as well."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-boss-silva-hails-willian-ahead-of-derby-clash

MATCHDAY: Pochettino's struggling Chelsea faces another test at Fulham
A look at what's happening in European soccer on Monday:

ENGLAND
Struggling Chelsea plays at Fulham and is looking for only its second win in the Premier League this season. Despite hiring a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino and signing a host of players in the off-season, the 2021 Champions League winners continue to struggle on the field. Chelsea endured a miserable campaign last season as it missed out on the Champions League and finished in the bottom half of the table. Its only win in the league this season was against newly promoted Luton but it goes into the game against Fulham having beaten Brighton midweek in the English League Cup. Fulham has won two, drawn two and lost two so far in the league.



https://apnews.com/article/pochettino-chelsea-fulham-fiorentina-4791905d43c6bb9a4f957a85098381c3

Up next: Chelsea (h)
Marco Silva strode into Craven Cottage 27 months ago with a point to prove. The Portuguese coach, lauded for his managerial ability on the continent, was desperate to prove his English critics wrong and show he could crack the Premier League. He took the circuitous route to doing so so – winning the Championship at a canter was a strong start, but his achievement in keeping Fulham above water on their return to the top flight was not just ground-breaking after five years of yo-yoing between the two two divisions, but easy on the eye as well. His crowing glory was guiding the Whites to a first win in the SW6 derby for seventeen years last January – and Silva followed it up with a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge three weeks later, despite Chelsea spending more than £300m since Carlos Vinicius' first Fulham goal had clinched victory at Craven Cottage.

Opportunity knocks for the Cottagers again this evening. The late Mohamed Al-Fayed might have taken one of the capital's sleeping giants back to the top tier of English football ahead of schedule and overseen thirteen consecutive years in the top flight as well as a European final, but he didn't manage to make Fulham 'the Manchester United of the south'. Roman Abrahamovic's ill-gotten gains made local dominance difficult to achieve as well but Silva, who continues to keep Fulham moving forward despite the Aleksandar Mitrovic's move to Saudi Arabia this summer, will privately fancy his chances of adding to Chelsea's misery by the banks of the Thames this evening.

The Blues have amassed just five points from six games – their worst start to a top flight campaign in 45 years when they ended up getting relegated – and Mauricio Pochettino, a class coach already under pressure, is wrestling with the division's longest list of injuries and suspensions. The Argentinian will be without twelve first-team players and can't field a recognised centre forward, with Raheem Sterling set to lead the line in the absence of the suspended Nicolas Jackson on his 300th top flight start. Ben Chilwell is the last big name to face a spell on the sidelines having injured his hamstring, whilst Pochettino will also be without the likes of Malo Gusto – sent off in the defeat by Aston Villa last Saturday, Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Trevoh Chalobah and Romeo Lavia.

The gloom around the Bridge was lifted by a League Cup success over Brighton and Hove Albion in midweek and both Silva and the Fulham players have been at pains to point out the perils of underestimating their local rivals, who still possess real quality despite languishing in the lower reaches of the embryonic table. The Whites will need to earn the bragging rights on the field with a dominant display full of desire and intensity much like that did last January when a swift start was rewarded with Willian's deflected opening goal against his old club. The Brazilian is almost back to his best, according to Silva who was waxing lyrical about his recent displays at Motspur Park on Friday, and seems set to start on the left wing.

Fulham's strength in depth appears stronger than at any time since Silva succeeded Scott Parker although they have struggled for goals since Mitrovic forced through his move to Al-Hilal. Raul Jimenez might not have scored in 27 top flight fixtures but he retains his head coach's confidence and the Mexican will probably lead the line this evening, despite Vinicius opening the scoring as the Whites reached the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday night. The Fulham boss might be pondering how to fit Alex Iwobi, whose opened his Fulham account with a wonderful winner against Norwich, into his best eleven but the Nigerian international will probably have to make do with a place on the bench. Andreas Pereira made the winner for Vinicius on that special night in January and was inches away from scoring his first goal of the season at Selhurst Park last weekend – whilst Harry Wilson and Bobby Decordova-Reid will compete for the starting spot on the right wing.

Right back Kenny Tete will have a late check on his troublesome groin injury that has seen him miss Fulham's last two fixtures but even if the Dutch international is ruled out, Silva can now call upon Timothy Castagne, who has starred when deputising for the former Ajax right back or Antonee Robinson on the other side of the back four. Sasa Lukic has recovered from the knee complaint that has kept the Serbian international out for six weeks – although Silva will most likely rely on the tried and trusted combination of Harrison Reed and Joao Palhinha to edge the essential engine room battle tonight.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A, Robinson, Diop, Ream; Palhinha, Reed; Decordova-Reid, Willian, Pereira; Jimenez. Subs: Rodak, Castagne, Bassey, Lukic, Cairney, Wilson, Iwobi, Vinicius, Muniz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/up-next-chelsea-h-2/

Full Chelsea squad revealed for Fulham with Armando Broja dilemma and Ben Chilwell replacement
Chelsea news as Mauricio Pochettino forced into some big changes against Fulham with injuries and suspensions

 Mauricio Pochettino continues to work without a set of key players as Chelsea prepare to take on west London rivals Fulham. The Blues have been struggling with injuries for much of the season and now there are suspensions to add into the mix of issues being balanced by the head coach.

Against Brighton in midweek Pochettino turned to an unorthodox backline that included Marc Cucurella at right-back with Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill acting as a new central pairing, Ben Chilwell played his first game of the season at left-back. However, with the expected return of Thiago Silva into the team, there are new questions.

Cucurella, for all his tenacity and unrelenting effort on Wednesday, is yet to play a single minute in the league and is out of the mainstream plans. However, mainstream isn't a word used by Chelsea at the moment and there are very few convincing options otherwise.

Chilwell, who was moved into defence having been used as a makeshift attacker for much of the season so far, finding himself on the bench in the past two league games, isn't fit to play having picked up a hamstring injury late on in the Brighton clash. It could be much worse going forward as well.

"Bad news," Pochettino said on Friday. "The doctor told me is it is a bad injury but we need to assess in the next few days the period that it is going to be. It doesn't look good. It's difficult to know, the club will communicate."

Meanwhile Pochettino will have to balance the addition of Silva, who has been instrumental in organising and creating at the back, with the need for mobility. His inclusion in the squad, and most likely the starting XI, will be aided by Moises Caicedo in front of him. The Ecuadorian was seen hobbling at the end of the Carabao Cup clash but is in contention to play once more.

The midfield is no longer the point of concern for Pochettino despite missing summer signing Romero Lavia. With Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher rested for most of the midweek action there is an option to rotate Lesley Ugochukwu out at Craven Cottage. Alex Matos, so impressive since arriving from Norwich and into the development squad, could get another call up for the squad.

It is the frontline that cracks have started to open. Pochettino was reluctant to force Armando Broja back too soon, saying last week that he was only ready to play 30 minutes against the Seagulls - he got considerably less than that in reality - and it would be a big step to throw him in for a first start just days later.

There is a double boost though with Pochettino hoping to call upon Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke, neither of which has played consistently this season. "Maybe Carney [back for Monday] and Noni also after his injury for the national team. Hopefully these two players will be available," he said.

The issue for Pochettino is that without Nicolas Jackson - suspended due to reaching the limit of five yellow cards already - he only has Broja available as a senior striker. Deivid Washington is likely to travel once more but is yet to play despite the team being in a position to chase games in recent weeks.

Madueke's return could lead to Washington missing out but once more that would leave Pochettino short of natural central players even if he did go on to admit that a false nine could be used. "We have a few options with a striker and without a striker. We need to assess the whole squad after the game," he said, potentially hinting at the chance for Broja to start.

For Chelsea, there are certainly ways to rejig the squad to fit what is needed but none of those yet include Reece James or Christopher Nkunku, leaving a massive hole. For Fulham it will be even harder due to the absence of Malo Gusto and Jackson on top of an already lengthy injury list that continues to grow.

For now it appears that the issues just move from position to position across the field and keeping a settled group is becoming harder and harder. What is for certain is it is going to be another youthful-looking group. Here, football.london predicts the 20-man squad that will be used at Craven Cottage.

Goalkeepers: Rob Sanchez, Djorde Petrovic

Defenders: Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Alfie Gilchrist, Josh Brooking

Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka

Attackers: Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Deivid Washington, Armando Broja, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/full-chelsea-squad-revealed-fulham-27811745

Fulham vs Chelsea simulated with EA FC to get a score prediction as injury problems worsen
Chelsea take on Fulham in the Premier League this weekend, so we simulated the clash using EA FC to try and predict the score

Chelsea make the extremely short trip west on Saturday when the Blues face local rivals Fulham in the Premier League.

After a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa that furthered Chelsea's Premier League woes, a 1-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion saw the Blues advance to the Carabao Cup fourth round, one competition that has worked in Chelsea's favour so far this season. But, it's back to Premier League action this weekend against Fulham.

Like Chelsea, the Cottagers have struggled for goals this season, scoring just five times in their opening six games. The Blues failed to beat Fulham last season, losing 2-1 at Craven Cottage before a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Injury problems have worsened for Pochettino with Ben Chilwell now set for a spell on the sidelines, leaving the Blues with limited defensive options. Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto will also be missing due to suspensions.

Fulham vs Chelsea score predicted by EA FC 24 simulation
We used kick-off mode in EA FC 24, but didn't select a team to control. We then selected the teams and watched the match play out by itself, to give us a score prediction.

We predict that Fulham could set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with their line-up as follows: Leno; Tete, Diop, Ream, Castagne; Reed, Palhinha; Wilson, Pereira, Willian; Jimenez.

 We predict that Chelsea could set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with their line-up as follows: Sanchez; Cucurella, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Enzo; Sterling, Gallagher, Mudryk; Palmer.

Fulham started on top, with Chelsea failing to get ahold of the game whilst the hosts caused problems for the Blues' back line. The midfield battle was being won by the hosts, and they managed to take a deserved lead just after half-time through former Chelsea man, Willian.

A poor pass from Moises Caicedo allowed Harrison Reed to intercept and kickstart a Fulham counterattack, with Willian leading the charge down the left. The Brazilian used the run of Raul Jimenez to create space for a shot, and the winger rifled his effort past Robert Sanchez to make it 1-0.

Chelsea had a great chance with 10 minutes to go when substitute Armando Broja slipped through on goal, but one-on-one, the striker fired his shot over the bar as a fantastic opportunity went begging. Pochettino's side couldn't find an equaliser, and the Blues fell to another tough defeat.

EA FC 24 predicted final score: Fulham 1-0 Chelsea



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/fulham-chelsea-prediction-ea-fc-27814046

27-year-old admits he found it hard to leave Everton this summer, there are things he can't say
Former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has now admitted that it was a hard decision to leave the club this summer ahead of a move to Fulham.

Iwobi was speaking to The Athletic in a lengthy interview explaining the motives behind his departure.

The midfielder did admit that he was keen on a new challenge, but also shared that there were factors that he's not allowed to discuss.

Speaking about his own decision Iwobi said: "It wasn't an easy decision [to leave].

"I enjoyed my time there. Especially the last couple of years. I felt like they [Everton fans] warmed to me.

"At the same time, I felt I needed a new challenge, and Fulham are giving me the platform to express myself and do that."

Fulham's Iwobi then went on to mention the factors at Everton that he couldn't discuss.


He added: "There was a lot of talks behind closed doors — there are things that I'm not allowed to say — but I feel like it was a decision from the club and from me, and the best solution was to leave.

"I hope they do well, I have a lot of respect for them and left on good terms."

Iwobi suggests Everton were keen for him to leave for Fulham
Of course, Fulham did end up parting with £22m for Iwobi on deadline day.

Fulham's Marco Silva was keen for a reunion with Iwobi whom he briefly worked with at Everton.

Iwobi has had something of a disrupted start to the season at both clubs because of a lingering hamstring issue.

But following 90 minutes against Norwich in the EFL cup last week, Iwobi may be hoping to make his first league start for Fulham tonight.

The Cottagers host rivals Chelsea and may have hopes of securing another result over their neighbours who are having another tough year.

It would be too early to say that Everton are missing Iwobi, but some fans may still be puzzled over the decision to sell to Fulham.



https://tbrfootball.com/27-year-old-admits-he-found-it-hard-to-leave-everton-this-summer-there-are-things-he-cant-say/

Mykhaylo Mudryk leaving Chelsea team-mates 'gobsmacked' ahead of Fulham clash
Mykhaylo Mudryk is doing everything he can to snap his barren run.

Mykhaylo Mudryk is determined to reach his full potential after a disappointing start to life at Stamford Bridge. The Ukrainian winger is putting in so much extra work behind the scenes that his teammates say they have never seen anything like it before.

An unnamed Chelsea player told the Daily Mail: "He is trying so hard, it is like he is in the gym every hour of the day." Mudryk joined Chelsea in January from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth £88.5million.

Arsenal had been locked into negotiations with Mudryk during the winter months and looked almost certain to sign him with the player making no secret of his desire to join the Gunners. However, conversations with Shakhtar over the transfer fee hit a snag allowing Chelsea to swoop in and hijack the deal.

Arsenal turned their attention to signing Leandro Trossard from Brighton instead for £27m. The Belgian went on to have a considerably better season than Mudryk, who was unable to register a single goal in competitive football.

But Mudryk is working hard to amend his poor run of form and is showing some improvements to his game as a result. Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino is confident the 22-year-old will come good in the not-so-distant future and says he has seen some promising signs both on and off the pitch.

 "He is quite unique. I think it is a good challenge for him and for [the coaching staff]," said Pochettino. "Misha is a very talented player but you need to go with him very slowly. [It's] cultural and everything is completely different to [how we] Latin people [are].

"He is now trying to be more open and trying to adapt and be more involved in every single situation, not only on the field, off the field also and he is making a massive effort to try and integrate himself and understand better what it means to play like a team."

Chelsea travel to Craven Cottage on Monday to play Fulham in a must-win game. The Blues have only won one game in England's top flight so far this season - a 3-0 demolition of Premier League new boys Luton Town on matchday three.

Since then they have been unable to get a goal in their last three league games - two 1-0 losses to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa as well as a 0-0 draw with Bournemouth. A win against Fulham would see them rise from 15th to 11th in the table which would serve as a massive boost ahead of a tough run of games including fixtures against Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1818871/Mykhaylo-Mudryk-Chelsea-Fulham-football-news

Pep Guardiola sanctioned move for £45 million Manchester City midfielder to sign for Fulham on Deadline Day
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips could have signed for Fulham on Deadline Day, however a late transfer failed to materialise.

The 27-year-old, who failed to start Manchester City's loss to Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon despite the absence of Rodri, has made just five starts since signing from Leeds United in July 2022.

Phillips had been linked with a potential summer exit from the Etihad Stadium after an underwhelming debut campaign, with City Xtra exclusively revealing that over 15 clubs enquired about potentially signing the Englishman.

The midfielder completed an initial £42 million move to the Etihad Stadium, and made 21 appearances during the Blues' treble-winning campaign.

Liverpool and Bayern Munich were amongst the clubs claimed to be interested in signing Phillips during the summer transfer window, and after failing to impress Pep Guardiola against Newcastle in midweek, question marks will once again arise surrounding the midfielder's future in east Manchester.

Phillips signed a six-year deal last year, but according to FootballTransfers, Guardiola sanctioned for the 27-year-old to leave the club on Deadline Day last month for another Premier League side.

Steve Kay claims that Fulham attempted to sign the midfielder as a replacement for Joao Palhinha, who's transfer to Bayern Munich dramatically collapsed, despite the player travelling to Bavaria.

Guardiola gave a 'green light' for Phillips to move to Craven Cottage, but the midfielder was 'adamant' about remaining at the Etihad Stadium for the new campaign.

FootballTransfers further claim that the 27-year-old could leave Manchester City during the January window, with the Blues already keen to bring in a new defensive midfielder as cover for Rodri.

The Spaniard is currently serving a three-match suspension, but will be available for Wednesday's Champions League clash against RB Leipzig in Germany.

Manchester City travel to the Emirates next Sunday in the Premier League to face Arsenal, and it remains to be seen how Guardiola will compensate for the absence of the midfielder, who is integral to the Blues' recent success.



https://cityxtra.co.uk/6588/pep-guardiola-sanctioned-move-for-45-million-manchester-city-midfielder-to-sign-for-fulham-on-deadline-day/

'Wasn't an easy decision': £22m player admits he made really difficult choice leaving Everton this summer
Former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has now said why he chose to make the move from Everton to Fulham in the summer, though admits it was a difficult choice.

The Nigerian international moved to Craven Cottage in a £22m deal in August, and says that while it 'wasn't an easy decision' to move, he 'felt' like he needed a new challenge.

Everton signed Iwobi during Marco Silva's time at the club in a £28m deal with Arsenal, and the 27-year-old has now returned to the capital to link up with the Portuguese coach once more.

Speaking with The Athletic, Iwobi revealed the reasons behind his departure: "It wasn't an easy decision (to leave)," Iwobi says.

"I enjoyed my time there (at Everton). Especially the last couple of years. I felt like they warmed to me.

At the same time, I felt I needed a new challenge, and Fulham are giving me the platform to express myself and do that."

Alex Iwobi was perhaps let down by managerial disruptions at Everton
Alex Iwobi took a couple of seasons to get his Everton career going following his 2019 move to Goodison Park but eventually matured and developed as a creative outlet.

Indeed, his versatility saw him play in multiple positions under different managers at the Toffees, but Frank Lampard's decision to play him centrally got the best out of him.

However, the Nigerian international featured on the right-wing once more during the second half of last season following Sean Dyche's appointment at Goodison Park.

Once a maligned figure, Iwobi became a player Everton grew to rely on in recent seasons as the Toffees' found themselves limited creatively following the £60m departure of Richarlison.

However, Iwobi lacked consistency and the club could ill afford to turn down the chance to recoup £22m for the 27-year-old.

Indeed, with Jack Harrison joining on loan from Leeds United and Arnaut Danjuma joining on a temporary basis from Villarreal, Everton exploited the loan market to plug the gap following Iwobi's departure.




https://www.everton.news/wasnt-an-easy-decision-alex-iwobi-admits-he-made-really-difficult-choice-leaving-everton-this-summer/

Iwobi on his Craven Cottage memories
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has shared his memories of watching his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha play at Craven Cottage as a youngster in a revealing interview with the Athletic's Peter Rutzler.

The former Arsenal and Everton star, now a Nigerian international regular, took every opportunity to watch Okocha when he could as a young boy and some of his favourite trips were to Fulham when the legendary entertainer was playing for Bolton Wanderers:

"I remember as a kid coming here. I watched him with my dad — coming here on my dad's shoulders. I always said to myself that one day I wanted to play and do what he did. Coming here and playing for Fulham has given me so many memories."

Iwobi, who opened his Fulham account with the winner as the Whites progressed past Norwich City in the League Cup last Wednesday, has settled in seamlessly under Marco Silva, his old manager at Everton, and reiterated that the Portuguese coach's desire to bring him back to London was a key factor in his deadline day move.

"He said the same thing he did to get me from Arsenal to Everton: 'I believe in your abilities, your qualities', and he said it was a plus that I played in numerous positions at Everton. The main thing is that he knows I have the ability to get goals and assists. So I just have to remain calm and do that. I was able to do it. Hopefully, there's more to come."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/iwobi-on-his-craven-cottage-memories/

Chelsea brutally trolled as Mauricio Pochettino woes highlighted in humiliating fashion

Chelsea have scored just five goals this Premier League campaign and the last time they were on the scoresheet was over a month ago in a 3-0 rout of promoted Luton on August 25th

Chelsea have been brutally trolled over their lack of Premier League goals this season ahead of their must-win clash with Fulham on Monday night.

The Blues travel to Craven Cottage to face their fierce rivals in a mouthwatering Monday Night Football showdown. Mauricio Pochettino's struggling side currently sit 15th in the league, just two points above the relegation zone after winning just one of their opening six games.

It's not just the lack of points that has been concerning, though. The Stamford Bridge side have scored just five goals this campaign and the last time they got goals on the board was over a month ago in a 3-0 rout of promoted Luton on August 25th.

Domino's recently rubbed salt in their wounds by posting a tweet mocking their lack of goals, which went viral with more than one million views. And the pizza giant have now taken things a step further by reminding Chelsea fans of just how many more pizzas they've delivered since they scored a league goal.

Pictured outside Fulham's Craven Cottage ahead of the clash, Domino's put a live digital tracker outside the stadium which displayed the number pizzas they've served in the time since the Blues' last goal – currently sitting at a staggering nine million. It is no doubt a humiliating period for the club and they'll be hoping to put it right against their rivals.

Despite their woes, Pochettino has again to blame injuries for his team's slow start to the season, with as many as 11 players likely to be missing when Chelsea face Fulham in search of just their second league win of the campaign.

There were three players aged 19 or under with no first-team experience named on the bench when the team drew at Bournemouth two weeks ago, and since then Ben Chilwell's name has been added to an extensive injury list after he limped out of last week's win over Brighton with a hamstring problem.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article31082374.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Dominos_ChelseaFCDSC_36791.jpg)
Domino's have brutally mocked Chelsea ahead of their clash with Fulham ( Image:
Domino's)

"I cannot use the excuse of injuries," said Pochettino. "The performances have been good. We cannot blame injuries, I think it's not fair. We played well in every single game and we deserved more, but for different reasons, we didn't score and we were not clinical enough.

"But we cannot blame injuries. Of course it's a factor that we need to improve. When you have your whole squad, you increase the level of the team. You put pressure on the players that play because it's another player waiting for your place. We're not winning the games that we deserve, but not because of injuries."

Meanwhile, Fulham manager Marco Silva insisted it is "impossible to compare" his side with Chelsea after the Blues' massive spending in the last year. Chelsea have spent over £1billion since May 2022 and broke the British transfer record twice this year on Enzo Fernandez (£106.8million) and Moises Caicedo (£115 million).

Silva refused to accept that Fulham have any advantage over their local rivals despite Chelsea's nine-man injury list. "You think we have an advantage against Chelsea in terms of squad?," Silva said.

"We are talking about two players who they have got in the last six months (who cost) nearly £250 million (Fernandez and Caicedo), if I say more (about Chelsea spend) it will probably be plus £1billion How can you compare? It's impossible to compare. In the game we are going to give our maximum, but don't try to say there is an advantage for us.

"We are playing at home and we love playing at home and it will be more special." Silva highlighted Chelsea's quality across the pitch and believes Raheem Sterling, who has scored twice this season, will be a threat on Monday.

The Portuguese knows his side will need to be organised to combat stuttering Chelsea, who have picked up just five points from six games. "I think Chelsea can give us a tough one," Silva added. "They are quality in the attack line. Even though they will be without (Nicolas) Jackson (suspended) they have the quality there with Sterling who is in his best moment in a Chelsea shirt.

"They have (Mykhailo) Mudryk on the opposite side too and the quality of Enzo (Fernandez) in midfield as well as the capacity of (Conor) Gallagher to arrive in other areas on the pitch who can also support the striker. I do not know what striker Mauricio (Pochettino) will start but they have the quality. It will be a game which will demand good organisation from us."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelsea-fulham-premier-league-trolled-31082382

'Not far off': Chelsea now confident 22-year-old will put in match-winning performance soon – journalist
There is a belief at Chelsea that Mykhailo Mudryk is close to putting in a match-winning performances for the Blues.

That is according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Mykhailo Mudryk has really struggled at Chelsea since joining them from Shakhtar Donetsk in January, but Jacobs recently shared on Twitter that everyone at the club is confident that he will win a game for Mauricio Pochettino's side soon.

The winger is still waiting for his first goal in blue and could have the opportunity to grab it tonight against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Mykhailo Mudryk, match-winner
On Mudryk, Jacobs said: "Everyone at Chelsea feels he's becoming more settled and not far off a game-winning type display."

Fulham game would be perfect
It would be great if Mudryk's first real match-winning performance for Chelsea came tonight at Craven Cottage.

With the match against rivals Fulham being a London derby, a bright display could really help the 22-year-old to turn things around.

Chelsea supporters will appreciate him more, which could really help his confidence.

Of course, the Blues also need the points, having taken just five from their first six fixtures. That is the most important thing here and another reason why it would be brilliant if the Ukraine international turned up tonight.

They need a good performance from the former Shakhtar Donetsk man as much as he needs one for himself.

With the encounter at Craven Cottage being a London derby, perhaps it could really fire up Pochettino's side and be the turning point in their season if they do manage to get the win against Marco Silva's men.



https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/news/not-far-off-chelsea-now-confident-22-year-old-will-put-in-match-winning-performance-soon-journalist/

Bargain Bernd Leno out to impress Germany as Fulham prepare for Chelsea
Cottagers 'keeper aiming for a place in Julian Nagelsmann's squad

As Chelsea bid to put their goalscoring woes behind them on Monday night, they face one of the in-form goalkeepers in the Premier League.

Fulham No1 Bernd Leno has started the season brilliantly, making several superb saves.

Leno has kept three clean sheets in six matches — no Premier League goalkeeper has more — and has a save percentage of 81.6.

Another shutout against the Blues will help the 31-year-old's bid to impress new Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann ahead of the Euros in his homeland next summer.

Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen is Germany first-choice, but Leno hopes to force himself into contention with a strong season for his club.

Leno last season described his £8million transfer fee from Arsenal as a "bargain" — and Fulham certainly feel they have got value for money.

Thanks in part to Leno, Fulham have made a decent start to the season and will move into the top half of the table if they win tonight.

Fulham head coach Marco Silva said: "Bernd deserves more credit outside of the club for what he has been doing.

"He's still one of the best three goalkeepers in this competition in my opinion. He proved that last season and will keep showing that.

"I keep repeating to our fans that they should enjoy having a goalkeeper like Leno. It's so easy to work with him. He's a top professional."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/leno-fulham-vs-chelsea-fc-news-premier-league-2023-b1110745.html

Games for the weekend 30/09
We get to welcome Chelsea to the Cottage for a Monday evening 8 o'clock kickoff
So after a couple of good results, I think we played really well in both games and were unlucky not to score more?
This is the game that I look forward to most, even though, apart from last season, we rarely got the result we deserved we've always "been up" for the game.
Iwobi played really well against Luton, I was very tempted to start him rather than Willian however, giving a player a chance to play against one of their previous teams nearly always seams to give them a boost.
Hopefully Bassey's injury isn't too bad and he'll be on the bench, I've an idea that we'll see more of him towards the end of the season as he'll be Tim's "long term" replacement.
Raul, Vinicius or Muniz is a bit of a conundrum, Vinicius has scored a couple and I'm sure he'd like to repeat last season, Raul I'm sure will "come good", hopefully once he gets a goal the flood gates will open, and Muniz is the future? there must be a reason why he wasn't sent out on loan again?

Chelsea have their own issues, don't laugh, having spent millions/billions on their squad they're still struggling. I'm sure they'll turn their league form around, I just hope it doesn't start with this game.

Our recent record against Chelsea, apart from last season, is dreadful with only 2 wins, 13 losses and 5 draws

my team would be...
COYW's

Games of Interest...
Saturday 30th
Bournemouth v Arsenal
Man Utd v Palace
West Ham v Sheff Utd
Spurs v Liverpool

Sunday 1st
Forest v Brentford

Monday 2nd
Fulham v Chelsea

---

come on over to the forum and join in the conversation...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=2907

Maybe Fulham don't have a striker problem

Jordan Forward-Lamb takes a glass half-full look at Fulham's striking options ahead of Monday's West London derby.

Fulham have a tricky history with Premier League strikers. If you boil it down to goals – and let's face it, that's all most people are paying attention to – our only out-and-out strikers to bag more than 10 goals have been Louis Saha, Barry Hayles, Collins John, Andrew Cole, Dimitar Berbatov, and Aleksander Mitrovic. That's just six across 16 Premier League campaigns.

Suffice to say: strikers like Mitrovic don't come along for Fulham very often. Replacing him was never going to be an option without the club taking a huge gamble, and let's not forget what happened last time the Khans pinned all their hopes on a striker who could save us from slipping down the league table. So it should never have been a surprise that we brought in a misfiring veteran in Raúl Jiménez for £5m. If it works we've scored a bargain and can spend a little longer looking for a new striker, if it doesn't we've got a proven back-up in Carlos Vinícius.

Still, even the most pessimistic fans probably didn't predict the season starting this slowly without Mitro. Our three strikers have managed only one goal in six games between them: a truly miserable return. But it's an equally poor reflection of the quality and depth Marco Silva has at his disposal in Jiménez, Viní, and Muniz.

Robust Raul
Let's start with Jiménez. The Mexican hasn't seemed off the pace or out of place at any point this season; apart from a goal, he's got it all. He presses intelligently, coordinating with Pereira to make sure opposition defenders are never comfortable in their own third. His first touch is excellent, and with superior pace to Mitro, he poses a real threat in transitions by drifting out wide and laying the ball off to an onrushing teammate. While he's taken some flack for not being selfish enough in front of goal, he rarely wastes possession and is seemingly always able to calmly pick out a sensible option – one of Mitrovic's most frustrating qualities was his tendency to dawdle on the ball, clumsily dribbling his way into oncoming traffic while ignoring good passing options.

And then there's his snapshot accuracy. We've seen him hit the woodwork while running away from goal in the Everton game, which probably would have been turned in by Cairney if he had enough confidence in his right foot to take a first-time shot. He was inches wide with a bicycle kick in the Arsenal game, and while we'd all rather forget Man City, it was Jiménez – once again moving away from goal – who forced Ederson to parry the ball into Ream's path for our only goal that game. Sure, his shooting accuracy isn't great this season, but this is not a striker running low on confidence who's smashing gilt-edged chances into orbit, and I'd have bet my house on him burying a couple of the opportunities Viní had on Wednesday.

Jiménez gives Marco Silva versatility and dynamism up top, a striker who does a little bit of everything and who would look a great deal more tantalising if those playing around him were at their best. The fact that Jiménez is the leading Fulham player for big chances created says a lot about Fulham's attacking play this season.

Viable Vini
The alternative is Carlos Vinícius, who has carved out a role for himself as a classic poacher. He's a right place, right time kind of striker, who can be infuriating to watch for 70 minutes, but inevitably finds a way to goal, whether that's pouncing on a goalkeeping mistake or turning in a teammate's looping cross-come-shot. He can be languorous and wasteful in some games, but on his day he can draw in and turn defenders with beguiling ease, play out through tight spaces, and, y'know, score the winner against Chelsea. If you expect to be the team without the ball for most of the game and are pinning all your hopes on a couple of shooting opportunities then you could do a lot worse than Vinícius.

And perhaps we'd feel better about him if Fulham had adapted to his strengths sooner last season, playing to feet rather than hoofing balls up to the Brazilian prankster like he's a traditional target man.

Roving Rodrigo
The third option, and I really do believe he's an option, is Rodrigo Muniz. He's the paciest and busiest striker by far, but he's also strong and can climb well, making him a kind of roving target man. Despite scant minutes he makes a lasting impression every time he comes on. In just 10 minutes against Norwich he forced a superb save from the keeper, played two beautiful layoffs, each one springing a dangerous attack, and shielded the ball from a throw in before turning between two defenders and finding a pass on the outside of the box – although, admittedly, that 'pass' was thundered into Wilson's midriff and we duly lost possession.

Muniz is rough around the edges, but in a season where we don't have a truly elite striker he deserves to be in contention. In terms of physical presence and play style, he's arguably the closest thing we have to a Mitrovic replacement, so if things still aren't clicking with Raúl or Viní against Chelsea on Monday, reverting to last season's tactics and trying Muniz up front gives us a genuine plan B.

With Chelsea's sizeable injury list predominantly comprising defenders like Chilwell, James, Badiashile, and Trevor Chalobah, sowing disarray across their backline is where Fulham will have the most luck, and that's where Jiménez and Muniz (as a late sub) will excel.

Pochettino's side has shown some vulnerability in wide areas already this season, particularly when their wing-backs have gotten caught out of position, creating space out wide when Silva, Colwill, and Disasi are occupied centrally, and gaps between the three when they're stretched in transitions. With Jiménez roaming around and making probing runs off the 39-year-old Thiago Silva, there's a good chance our wide players like Willian and Wilson will be able to find the space and killer ball to open things up.

As Drew rightly points out in his match preview, these derbies feel a bit different nowadays, and just as we didn't need Mitro for that historic win, we may be just fine without him on Monday, too.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-10-02-maybe-fulham-dont-have-a-striker-problem/

Who Replaces Jackson: Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Fulham
This is a Chelsea predicted lineup for their derby with neighbours Fulham in the Premier League. The Blues will be hoping to kick on after a win in the Carabao Cup in midweek saw them notch their first goal in all of September.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Fulham in Derby Clash

How Chelsea Have Lined Up Recently
Robert Sanchez has been a constant in goal since joining from Brighton & Hove Albion. Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, and Thiago Silva have lined out in the defense with injuries and suspensions causing Ben Chilwell, Malo Gusto, and even Marc Cucurella to fill the fourth spot.

Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Conor Gallagher have operated in the midfield with the Argentine pushing forward to the number ten role as of late. Mykhailo Mudryk has earned a spot on the left with Raheem Sterling everpresent on the right while Nicolas Jackson leads the line unopposed.

Chelsea Recent Form & Tactics
Mauricio Pochettino has used a 4-2-3-1 setup since his arrival at Stamford Bridge and after a strong pre-season, he saw an early dip in the league with his side not getting a win in the competition since a 3-0 victory against Luton on August 25.

A win in midweek marked their first win in any competition in a month and could provide the kickstart needed to spark their campaign into life.

Chelsea Absences to Consider
Ben Chilwell joins the list of players unavailable after leaving the field late in the win over Brighton. He is joined for this game by the suspended Jackson and Gusto, the striker will be back for their next match as this will see out his one-match suspension.

The other names on the injured list are familiar faces at this stage, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, and Romeo Lavia. Carney Chukwuemeka is fit enough for full training but that doesn't guarantee a start.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Fulham
With their first choice striker unavailable there is a selection dilemma on hand for the Blues but they do have options:

GK – Robert Sanchez

LB – Marc Cucurella

CB – Levi Colwill

CB – Thiago Silva

RB – Axel Disasi

DM – Moises Caicedo

DM – Enzo Fernandez

AM – Mykhailo Mudryk

AM – Cole Palmer

AM – Raheem Sterling

ST – Armando Broja



https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2023/10/02/chelsea-predicted-lineup-vs-fulham-2/

Domino's taunt Chelsea with live tracker of pizzas sold vs goals outside Fulham's ground
Domino's have taken a shot at Chelsea with a cheeky stunt ahead of their Premier League clash with Fulham – displaying how many pizzas have been sold since they last scored in England's top flight

Domino's have taunted Chelsea with a cheeky PR stunt outside Fulham's ground, Craven Cottage.

The Blues will continue their Premier League campaign away at Fulham on Monday evening, with Mauricio Pochettino's side struggling to get back into the swing of things.

Nicolas Jackson's 75th minute strike against Luton Town on 25 August was the last time Chelsea found the net in the Premier League. And since then, Dominos have sold 9,892,022 pizzas and counting - a stat that is proudly displayed outside of Craven Cottage.

"We did the maths - turns out it's worse than we thought," Domino's joked. And one fan responded: "Taking prisoners at 10am on a Monday morning and it's beautiful!"

"I'm gonna take a wild guess that Domino's UK Boss is not a Chelsea fan," a second added. While a third said: "This is why Domino's own Chelsea football club!"

(https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31083049.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200e/0_FULHAMDOMINOSjpeg.jpg)
Domino's produced the cheeky stunt ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Fulham (Image: Dominos)



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-fulham-dominos-premier-league-31083149

Chelsea given surprising Fulham prediction by club legend in Gabby Agbonlahor agreement
Chelsea news as the Blues take a short trip to Craven Cottage in a west London derby against Fulham as Mauricio Pochettino tries to make it back-to-back wins

Chelsea prepare to take on local rivals Fulham as they try and build on their midweek Carabao Cup momentum ahead of their west London derby at Craven Cottage.

The Blues were unable to beat the Cottagers last season, only managing a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge after a humiliating 2-1 defeat in this exact fixture. Manager Mauricio Pochettino will hope that their win over Brighton on Wednesday night can get his side back on track after a rough September has seen his side slip down to 15th in the league table.

Fulham, on the other hand, have had an up-and-down start to the season which has seen them take wins over Everton who are currently sat in 16th and Luton Town in 17th, as well as Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last month. However, they have had big losses to both Brentford and Manchester City.

Both sides will look to this one as an opportunity to climb further up the table, with Chelsea able to climb up to 11th with all three points and Fulham up to ninth if the result goes their way. With that said, football.london took a look at what the pundits are saying around the match...

Gabby Agbonlahor
Speaking for talkSPORT ahead of the game, Agbonlahor said: "Well, I don't know how to call this... Fulham are no pushovers. Palhinha in midfield, Willian will play well, Jimenez could start scoring goals.

"Chelsea, you don't know what team they're going to play, what Chelsea are going to turn up. I'm going to go for a draw. I feel like a 2-2 draw.

"Chelsea are still a work in progress. Fulham don't sit back and let teams beat them."

Frank Lebouef
Speaking to CasinosEnLigne.com, Lebouef claims that his former side aren't even likely to score, let alone take all three points off of Fulham. He said: "We all know that Chelsea won't score against Fulham. They'll get a draw at best.

"As we saw against Aston Villa, there's always a fear of conceding as Chelsea will always struggle to score even once. As long as their barren streak continues, there's a massive threat that they're going to lose. It's unbelievable I'm saying that about Chelsea.

"In regards to 'grow up' I think Pochettino meant that, although the players are young, they have to try something different and take risks. If you watch Chelsea play, you'll notice that they play a lot of lateral passes to make sure they don't lose the ball.

"This attitude is not limited to young players, by the way, as Thiago Silva isn't taking risks either. Fans don't care if Chelsea play 750 passes in a game - they care if they don't score. I think Pochettino wants to see something different."



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-fulham-prediction-gabby-agbonlahor-27825412

Are Fulham Ready to Outshine Chelsea in Premier League Duel?

Battle in West London: Fulham Host Chelsea
In the heart of West London, a duel beckons that not only stirs the Premier League pot but also underlines the fragile state of affairs for both Fulham and Chelsea.

From Brighton Blues to Craven Cottage Hopes
Fresh from a nail-biting victory over Brighton in the Carabao Cup, Chelsea, led by the strategic Mauricio Pochettino, set their sights on Fulham. It's a ground that haunted them last season. Victory in Craven Cottage won't just be about securing three points; it's about rebuilding a reputation.

Fulham's Ambition under Starry Skies
On the other side, Fulham, following their win against Championship's Norwich City, have an unmistakable spring in their step. Occupying a position above Chelsea, they're showing the Premier League that they're not just here to participate. However, Monday's outcome might just give the league table a shuffle.

Clash Details:

    Location: Craven Cottage, London
    Date: 2nd October, Monday
    Kick-off: 20:00 BST
    Referee: Tim Robinson
    VAR: Mark Scholes

Historic Face-Offs
Over the past five meetings:

    Fulham: Secured 1 victory
    Chelsea: Took home 3
    Stalemates: 1

Their most recent skirmish ended in a goalless stalemate earlier this year.

Where to Catch the Action
In the UK: Tune into Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and more. Across the pond in the US: Options range from NBC Sports App, USA Network to fuboTV.

Team Insights
Fulham's Quandaries:
In the UK: Tune into Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and more. Across the pond in the US: Options range from NBC Sports App, USA Network to fuboTV.
Team Insights

Fulham's Quandaries:
Chelsea's woes aren't merely limited to tactics. Ben Chilwell's hamstring concern and Nicolas Jackson's rash collection of yellow cards compound Pochettino's challenges. Add to that list Malo Gusto's suspension and it's a perfect storm.

Likely Chelsea Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Cucurella, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Fernandez, Mudryk; Sterling.

The Final Whistle's Echo
Chelsea might have managed to squeeze past Brighton, but it was far from a commanding display. A shaky defence, coupled with Jackson's suspension, poses a fresh set of challenges for Pochettino.

Fulham, having emerged victorious in this fixture last season, will be keen on a repeat. With the return of Joao Palhinha, their form seems to be on an upswing.

Prediction: Fulham 2-1 Chelsea.

In this unpredictable Premier League season, the streets of West London will surely be echoing with anticipation and excitement come Monday night.



https://eplindex.com/97325/are-fulham-ready-to-outshine-chelsea-in-premier-league-duel.html

'Leno deserves more credit,' claims Silva
Marco Silva says Bernd Leno 'deserves more credit' for his goalkeeping heroics with Fulham.

The German number one has forced his way back into the national team set-up having enjoyed an outstanding first season at Craven Cottage following his move from Arsenal last summer and kept back-to-back clean sheets against Luton Town and Crystal Palace in the past fortnight. The 31 year-old, who has now kept eleven clean sheets in 43 games for Fulham, will be looking to extend his fine form against Chelsea in the SW6 derby tonight.

Silva told his pre-match press conference on Friday:

"Bernd deserves more credit outside of the club for what he has been doing. He's still one of the best three goalkeepers in this competition in my opinion. He proved that last season and will keep showing that. I keep repeating to our fans that they should enjoy having a goalkeeper like Leno. It's so easy to work with him. He's a top professional."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/leno-deserves-more-credit-claims-silva/

Fulham Women face Actonians in FA Cup third qualifying round
Fulham FC Women have been handed an away tie against Actonians in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The Whites scored sixteen in easing past Sussex side Steyning Town yesterday but will face a tough test against National League Division One South East outfit Actonians – with the fixture to be played at the Middlesex FA's headquarters, Rectory Park in Northolt, on Sunday 22nd October, with kick off at 2pm.

Actonians are currently eighth in the National League Division One South East table, having picked up seven points from their first six fixtures.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/fulham-women-face-actonians-in-fa-cup-third-qualifying-round/

Latest Chelsea injury news with seven Fulham doubts amid Chukwuemeka hope and Chilwell blow
Chelsea injury news as Mauricio Pochettino provides an update on a number of his players ahead of the clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage

Chelsea make the short trip across London this evening to face Fulham in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino's men will be looking to build on last week's Carabao Cup victory over Brighton and earn only their second league win of the season.

Three points at Craven Cottage would see the Blues move four places in the Premier League table. However, the contest against Marco Silva's side will be difficult due to the long list of absentees at Chelsea.

Injury problems have continued to prevent the club from playing a fully fit squad this season. Eight senior stars are currently out, with Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana the two long-term absentees.

Ahead of tonight's game, left-back Ben Chilwell suffered an unfortunate blow. The England international is set for a period on the sidelines after suffering a "bad" hamstring injury in Wednesday's Carabao Cup win over Brighton.

"It was bad that it was in the last minute of the game, and of course, we are really sad about the news around Ben," Pochettino said. "Time, it's difficult to know now because it was less than two days since it happened.

"We need to assess him over the next few days, and for sure the club will communicate."

Despite the blow at left-back, the Blues have been handed a huge boost with Carney Chukwuemeka. The midfielder has been out since the second weekend of the season having sustained a knee injury in the 3-1 loss to West Ham United.

After the club confirmed on Friday that the ex-Aston Villa man had returned to full team training, Pochettino was on hand to provide a minor update in his pre-match press conference. "I think maybe Carney [will be available], and of course Noni [Madueke] also," he said.

Defender Benoit Badiashile continues to recover from his knock and is in 'partial team training'. Elsewhere, club captain James could be ready for next weekend's league game with Burnley. Pochettino did, however, claim that the trip to Fulham is too soon. "Reece James, maybe [soon]," he said.

"For Monday, I don't believe. Maybe the week after, we'll see. The week after, we will assess him and I'll confirm then."

Romeo Lavia, who is yet to make his debut for the club, is still out after injuring his ankle in training earlier this month. Trevoh Chalobah is another name in the treatment room at Cobham.

Players unavailable against Fulham: Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Trevoh Chalobah, Romeo Lavia.



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-injury-fulham-chilwell-chukwuemeka-27825972

'Best solution': Alex Iwobi states that he left Everton 'on good terms' after summer move
Former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has stated that his move to Fulham during the summer suited all parties.

The 27-year-old completed a late transfer to Craven Cottage in a £22m deal where he reunited with former Everton boss Marco Silva.

Silva signed the Nigerian international during his time at Goodison Park in a £28m deal with Arsenal back in 2019.

Indeed, the pair will now link up at Fulham, and Iwobi has revealed that the move seemed like the 'best solution' for both himself and the Toffees.

Speaking with The Athletic, Iwobi was asked whether the financial uncertainty at the Blues played a part in his departure.

Iwobi responded: "There was a lot of talks behind closed doors — there are things that I'm not allowed to say — but I feel like it was a decision from the club and from me that the best solution was to leave.

I hope they do well, I have a lot of respect for them and left on good terms."

Alex Iwobi worked hard but lack of preferred playing position perhaps hindered him
Iwobi's time at Goodison Park was mixed at best, with the former Arsenal man a fringe player for a long time, utilised sparingly in various positions including a brief experiment as a wing-back under Carlo Ancelotti.

Indeed, it was not until Frank Lampard played the 27-year-old in his preferred position of central midfield that Everton began to see some return from their investment.

Iwobi began to have an influence on games from the middle of the park and though inconsistent, it was clear that he had to be played centrally to see him at his best.

However, following Lampard's dismissal, his successor Sean Dyche opted to use Iwobi as a right winger, where he played for the second half of last season.

Everton overspent on Iwobi and few would have expected to recoup as much as £22m from the club's investment.

With that in mind, his departure does seem to be the 'best solution' for all parties.



https://www.grandoldteam.com/2023/10/02/best-solution-alex-iwobi-states-that-he-left-everton-on-good-terms-after-summer-move/

Cole Palmer To Start: 4-2-3-1 Chelsea Predicted XI vs Fulham
Chelsea will be aiming to build on their last week's Carabao Cup win when they travel across the capital to face West London rivals Fulham in the Premier League on Monday evening.

The Blues picked up a win on Wednesday as they edged Brighton 1-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup, thanks to a second-half strike from Nicolas Jackson. The victory over Brighton ended the Pensioners' three-game winless run in all formats, thus, providing some momentary relief to Mauricio Pochettino.

Tonight, Pochettino will be determined to ensure his side make the perfect start to the month by winning the West London derby bragging rights at Craven Cottage.

Chelsea Team News
Chelsea have been dealt with a big blow as Ben Chilwell is expected to spend some time on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury suffered during the closing stages against Brighton. Skipper Reece James has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring issue in recent times, but the right-back remains unavailable for selection. He is also facing the possibility of a ban after being charged by the FA.

Nicolas Jackson is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, while Malo Gusto will serve the second of his three-game ban for his red card against the same opposition.

In some good news on the injury front, Pochettino is hopeful Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke could return against Fulham.

Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Fulham (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper

Robert Sanchez will have gained some confidence after keeping a clean sheet against his former employers Brighton in the Carabao Cup. The Spaniard should be looking to shut up shop as quickly as possible at Craven Cottage.

Defence

Following the latest injury to Ben Chilwell, changes are expected at the back for Chelsea.

Axel Disasi, who has played in central defence and done well so far this season, could move to the right-back position in the Chelsea lineup. Marc Cucurella applied himself well in an unfamiliar right-back role in midweek but Chilwell's injury should open the door for the Spaniard to start at left-back on Monday.

Veteran Thiago Silva will be fresh to face Fulham, having enjoyed a night off in midweek. He is expected to partner Levi Colwill in central defence in the Chelsea lineup, as the duo look to keep the Fulham forwards at bay.

Midfield

In the middle of the park, Moises Caicedo will feature alongside Conor Gallagher. The two players will look to keep things tidy, create opportunities in the final third and help out offensively.


Enzo Fernandez will be responsible for pulling the strings from the No.10 role in the Chelsea lineup. The World Cup winner will pose a threat in the final third with his late runs, while his deliveries from set-pieces will threaten the Fulham defence.

Lesley Ugochukwu, meanwhile, must settle for a spot on the bench having played the entire game against Brighton in midweek.

Attack

Pochettino could pick Raheem Sterling to deputise for the suspended Nicolas Jackson. Having operated as a false 9 with aplomb on many occasions during his time with Man City, Sterling can provide a solution to Chelsea's goalscoring woes.

With the England international likely starting centrally, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Cole Palmer will be tasked with offering width, dynamism and flair from the left and right flank respectively in the Chelsea lineup.

The likes of Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja and Ian Maatsen could get opportunities to make an impact in the second half.



https://madaboutepl.net/2023/10/predicted-chelsea-lineup-vs-fulham-2/

Youssouf Fofana: "If you're choosing between Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Monaco, naturally I stay at Monaco."
Speaking to Canal Football Club, AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana (24) opened up on his decision to remain at the club amidst Premier League interest.

Nottingham Forest and Fulham were both reportedly interested in signing the France international this summer. The Principality club were even prepared to accept an offer from the former, however, Fofana wasn't interested in the move, according to RMC Sport. Fulham, meanwhile, registered a late interest, according to Sports Zone.

Fofana has now said that when deciding his club future this summer, he had his international future in mind. "I want to go to a place where I can continue to be selected for France. If you're choosing between Nottingham Forest, Fulham and AS Monaco, naturally, I'm staying at Monaco," he told Canal Plus in an interview transcribed by La Diagonale.

The former RC Strasbourg Alsace midfielder admitted in September that he had nonetheless been in two minds regarding a departure. "Sincerely, I was between staying and leaving. I've always said I have no problem with staying, especially at a club like Monaco, who are always competing at the top. I have personal expectations and objectives. Maybe a departure wasn't the best thing for me. I am very, very happy to have stayed and to have this status in this team," he said in a press conference, attended by Get French Football News.



https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2023/youssouf-fofana-if-youre-choosing-between-nottingham-forest-fulham-and-monaco-naturally-i-stay-at-monaco/

Domino's troll Chelsea with funny stunt about Premier League goal drought ahead of Fulham clash

Domino's have again mocked Chelsea's Premier League goal drought in a hilarious PR stunt ahead of their clash against Fulham.

The Blues take on their south west London rivals at Craven Cottage on Monday night.

(https://talksport.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/Dominoes.jpeg?strip=all&w=960&quality=100)
Domino's decided to poke fun at the Blues' goal drought yet again

Chelsea last netted a Premier League goal on August 25, when Nicolas Jackson scored in the 3-0 victory over Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have found the back of the net just five times so far, with three of those coming in the win over the Hatters.

Domino's claim to have sold 9,892,022 pizzas and counting, with the stat being displayed on a live tracker outside Craven Cottage ahead of the clash.

The pizza company took to X and joked: "We did the maths – turns out it's worse than we thought." followed by an image showing the figure.

Domino's had previously took aim after Chelsea's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on September 24.

They responded to the Blues' X account, formerly Twitter, after Chelsea updated fans about Ollie Watkins' 73rd minute winner.

"We've delivered about 852,609 pizzas since Chelsea last scored a goal," read the comment.

And then wrote the same post on their official account, with it receiving over 4.3 million impressions at the time.

"We need to grow up like a team, not only in an individual way," Pochettino said after the defeat to Villa.

"I think players like Nico (Jackson) who are so young and feeling the Premier League, they need time.

"In this type of game, we are competing and want to win and football is about winning. But also players, when they are young, need to learn, and experience and make mistakes.

"That's why we feel disappointed as there are too many situations like this."

Listen to live commentary of Chelsea's trip to Fulham on Monday live on talkSPORT.



https://talksport.com/football/1586378/

Player on why he rejected Fulham and Nottingham Forest – Weren't attractive enough for him
Back in the summer window, Youssouf Fofana was said to be a target for both Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

His good season aat AS Monaco had been a reason for him to be heavily linked to a Premier League move, even though he decided to stay at the French club for another year.

Fofana was now interviewed by Canal+, and in quotes relayed by La Diagonale, he talked about the rejecting Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

The midfielder did not hold anything back when talking about those clubs, making it clear that Monaco had been the best option for him.

"I want to go somewhere where I can continue to play for the French national team. And if we take Nottingham Forest, Fulham and AS Monaco, naturally I'll stay at ASM.

"Of course we want to be at the top, that has always been my career plan. Going through stages will never bother me. I have no problem arriving in a large locker room at 30 years old. It's just that I want a career that's linear uphill and downhill when my body won't keep up, but I don't want a zigzag."

Fofana's recent form for Monaco brought his value to its peak, as Transfermarkt currently has it at €25m.

It's clear that another good year for the French side will continue to encourage the attention from Premier League clubs, who can definitely afford that type of operation.

Now with these quotes basically snubbing Fulham and Nottingham Forest, it's hard to imagine the Whites and the Tricky Trees even considering making new attempts for him in the coming windows.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-rejected-fulham-nottingham-forest-werent-attractive-enough/

Chelsea journalist predicts starting Xl for Fulham with interesting choice up top
Chelsea are making the very short trip next door to play Fulham in the Premier League this evening as they search for a badly needed win in the league.

Fulham will present a tough opponent for sure, but Chelsea will fancy themselves after beating Brighton in the League Cup last week. But it's so important that they get a win tonight.

There are some very big selection choices that Mauricio Pochettino will be pondering right now, with the main one being at right back and up top.

Nicolas Jackson is out suspended and so is Malo Gusto, with Reece James also injured. Armando Broja has only recently got back from a long-term injury and there are doubts whether he is ready to start a match yet.

So The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella believes that Raheem Sterling will start up top, with Marc Cucurella keeping his place at right back.

Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Enzo, Mudryk; Sterling.



https://www.chelsea-news.co/2023/10/chelsea-journalist-predicts-starting-xl-for-fulham-with-interesting-choice-up-top/

Fulham v Chelsea

TEAM NEWS
Fulham will continue to assess full-back Kenny Tete, who is nursing a groin problem.

Sasa Lukic is available after resuming training but Tosin Adarabioyo and Adama Traore remain sidelined.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson misses this fixture through suspension, while Malo Gusto serves the second game of a three-match ban.

Ben Chilwell is out with a hamstring injury but Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke may come back into contention.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

    Fulham won the most recent encounter 2-1 at Craven Cottage on 12 January, although that was only their second victory in 32 Premier League meetings.
    Chelsea have had a player sent off in both of their Premier League defeats against the Cottagers: Joao Felix last season and William Gallas during a 1-0 loss in March 2006.
    All three of the Premier League fixtures between the sides on a Monday have ended in a draw.

Fulham

    Fulham are winless in nine consecutive Premier League London derbies since beating Chelsea in January (D4, L5).
    Their last seven league goals have been scored by seven different players, including all five this season.
    Marco Silva is one short of 50 Premier League wins as a manager (D28, L62).
    Andreas Pereira is one shy of 200 career league appearances.

Chelsea

    The Blues have taken five points from six games, their worst start to a top-flight season since 1978-79, when they went on to be relegated.
    Chelsea have failed to score in 13 Premier League matches in 2023, more than any other side, and their highest total in a calendar year since 1995.
    They have won just two of their past 18 league fixtures, taking 12 points.
    Mauricio Pochettino's side rank sixth for expected goals prior to the latest round of Premier League fixtures, but have the competition's second lowest shot conversion rate (5.5%).
    Pochettino is winless in 14 consecutive Premier League away games as a manager since guiding Tottenham to a 2-1 victory at Fulham in January 2019 (D4, L10).
    Raheem Sterling could make his 300th Premier League start.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66909069

link=msg=1457015 date=1696233290]
Goal-shy neighbours set to share the spoils when Fulham and Chelsea lock horns
It says everything about Chelsea's current plight that they are 100/1 to be relegated and 200/1 to win the Premier League title.

Clearly neither is going to happen but, as the odds indicate, the Blues look more likely to face a season of struggle.

Mauricio Pochettino may have been handed a small fortune to invest in new recruits in the summer but there's patently a problem at Stamford Bridge that can't be solved by money alone.

Chelsea create plenty of chances but can't convert them into goals.

Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson has scored just twice in eight appearances since his £35million summer move from Villarreal and the fear must be the 22-year-old is like so many others who have needed time to settle into life in the top flight.

He's not getting much support from his team-mates either and the Blues aren't going to start climbing the table until they start finding the net on a regular basis.

They head to Craven Cottage just one point and three places above the relegation zone.

Fulham have seven points after wins against struggling Sheffield United and Luton and a draw at Arsenal but have also found it difficult to score.

They only time they have hit more than one goal in a league game was against the Gunners so all the indications are the London derby will be short of thrills.

Under 2.5 goals is 17/20 -with 888Sport and can be backed with confidence as there have only been more than that in four of the last 15 matches between the two neighbours.

A 1-1 draw is 6/1 with bet365 but predicting who is going to score those goals is a far trickier proposition.

Raheem Sterling has been anything but sharp in the opposition penalty and his two goals this term were both against Luton but he is worth a small investment to get on the scoresheet at any time at 11/5 with William Hill.

Ex-Wolves man Raul Jimenez has yet to break his duck for Fulham but is 10/3 with the same firm to do so in front of the Monday night cameras.

• Tyler Lockett is 8/5 with William Hill to score a touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football and help them to beat the New York Giants by over 3.5 points, which is 13/10 with Bet Victor.

• Baseball's regular season has finished and the Atlanta Braves were the best team by a mile. The postseason can be a bit of a lottery but they are the worth backing at 3/1 with Betfred to win the World Series.



https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/01/chelseas-struggles-are-set-to-continue-with-a-draw-at-fulham-19585345/?ito=newsnow-feed
[/quote]

Quote from: WhiteJC link=msg=14570

Great work by the Metro. Looking into their crystal ball to reflect on our victory v Sheffield United next week!
quote author=WhiteJC link=msg=1457015 date=1696233290]
Goal-shy neighbours set to share the spoils when Fulham and Chelsea lock horns
It says everything about Chelsea's current plight that they are 100/1 to be relegated and 200/1 to win the Premier League title.

Clearly neither is going to happen but, as the odds indicate, the Blues look more likely to face a season of struggle.

Mauricio Pochettino may have been handed a small fortune to invest in new recruits in the summer but there's patently a problem at Stamford Bridge that can't be solved by money alone.

Chelsea create plenty of chances but can't convert them into goals.

Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson has scored just twice in eight appearances since his £35million summer move from Villarreal and the fear must be the 22-year-old is like so many others who have needed time to settle into life in the top flight.

He's not getting much support from his team-mates either and the Blues aren't going to start climbing the table until they start finding the net on a regular basis.

They head to Craven Cottage just one point and three places above the relegation zone.

Fulham have seven points after wins against struggling Sheffield United and Luton and a draw at Arsenal but have also found it difficult to score.

They only time they have hit more than one goal in a league game was against the Gunners so all the indications are the London derby will be short of thrills.

Under 2.5 goals is 17/20 -with 888Sport and can be backed with confidence as there have only been more than that in four of the last 15 matches between the two neighbours.

A 1-1 draw is 6/1 with bet365 but predicting who is going to score those goals is a far trickier proposition.

Raheem Sterling has been anything but sharp in the opposition penalty and his two goals this term were both against Luton but he is worth a small investment to get on the scoresheet at any time at 11/5 with William Hill.

Ex-Wolves man Raul Jimenez has yet to break his duck for Fulham but is 10/3 with the same firm to do so in front of the Monday night cameras.

• Tyler Lockett is 8/5 with William Hill to score a touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football and help them to beat the New York Giants by over 3.5 points, which is 13/10 with Bet Victor.

• Baseball's regular season has finished and the Atlanta Braves were the best team by a mile. The postseason can be a bit of a lottery but they are the worth backing at 3/1 with Betfred to win the World Series.



https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/01/chelseas-struggles-are-set-to-continue-with-a-draw-at-fulham-19585345/?ito=newsnow-feed

Great work by the Metro. Looking into their crystal ball to reflect on our victory v Sheffield United next week!

Report: Spurs have drawn up a two-man shortlist to replace Eric Dier
Football Insider have claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have identified Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo and Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba as potential replacements for Eric Dier in January.

Dier has not played a single minute of football this season, with Ange Postecoglou even naming young Ashley Phillips on the bench ahead of the England international on several occasions this season, including in the clash against Liverpool on Saturday.

Football Insider claim that Spurs are expected to try to offload the 29-year-old, who is contracted to the club until next summer.

Spurs want Tapsoba or Adarabioyo to replace Dier
It is explained that the Lilywhites have already identified Adarabioyo and Taposba as replacements, having explored deals for both players during the recent transfer window.

The report adds that Postecoglou is keen to bolster his options in central defence and the Fulham star could be in the market as he will have just six months left on his contract at Crave Cottage in January.

The publication asserts that Tapsoba is seen 'a premium option' by Tottenham chiefs as he is expected to come with a much heftier price tag after recently penning a new contract at Leverkusen.

Spurs Web Opinion
Tapsoba just signed an extension while Xabi Alonso's men have made a brilliant start to the season.

That likely means that Leverkusen would not consider selling the centre-back in January unless they get a crazy offer. So, Spurs will target one of Adarabioyo or Lloyd Kelly, perhaps even both if they manage to offload Dier.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/report-spurs-have-drawn-up-a-two-man-shortlist-to-replace-eric-dier/

'Things I'm not allowed to say' - Alex Iwobi lifts lid on Everton exit and makes fans admission
Alex Iwobi left Everton to join Fulham in the summer transfer window.

Alex Iwobi admitted leaving Everton wasn't an easy decision.

The midfielder departed the Toffees on summer transfer deadline day to join Fulham for a fee that could reach £22 million. Iwobi was into the final year of his Goodison Park contract, having been a prominent player as Everton narrowly avoided Premier League relegation in the past two seasons.

Manager Sean Dyche revealed he wanted to keep Iwobi but the money on the table given the Blues' financial difficulties meant it made sense for the Nigeria international to be sold. Iwobi, speaking to The Athletic, could not speak on the matter but felt he departed on good terms after the fans warmed to him following a difficult opening when joining from Arsenal in 2019.

He said: "It wasn't an easy decision (to leave). "I enjoyed my time there. Especially the last couple of years. I felt like they warmed to me. At the same time, I felt I needed a new challenge, and Fulham are giving me the platform to express myself and do that."

"There was a lot of talks behind closed doors — there are things that I'm not allowed to say — but I feel like it was a decision from the club and from me that the best solution was to leave. I hope they do well, I have a lot of respect for them and left on good terms."



https://www.liverpoolworld.uk/sport/football/everton/things-im-not-allowed-to-say-alex-iwobi-lifts-lid-on-everton-exit-and-makes-fans-admission-4356740

Chelsea star drops huge team news hint ahead of Fulham clash amid Nicolas Jackson suspension
Chelsea travel to Craven Cottage as they face West London rivals Fulham in the Premier League this evening

Chelsea star Cole Palmer could be handed his first start under Mauricio Pochettino as they face Fulham in the Premier League. The Blues are set to be without a number of key players for the game with Nicolas Jackson suspended.

Pochettino hinted that he may choose to deploy a false-nine against the Cottagers which may see Raheem Sterling moved centrally. This opens up space for the likes of Palmer or Noni Madueke to come into the starting XI in Jackson's absence.

The Senegalese forward was suspended after picking up five yellow cards in his opening six Premier League appearances. Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell will miss the Fulham clash after suffering a hamstring injury last week.

The England international could be sidelined until the end of October leaving Pochettino with a selection headache in attack and defence. Chelsea will hope they can pick up their first three points in the Premier League since a 3-0 win against Luton Town back in August.

Speaking ahead of the Fulham fixture, Pochettino hinted that he could hand Palmer his first start since he arrived from Manchester City for a fee in the region of £45million. "Yes, maybe yes," the Chelsea boss said when asked if the England Under-21 international could start against Fulham.

"I'm so happy with his performance after only a few weeks with us. He was able to perform very well and fit very well in the team. He is a talented player, young talented player but I think he is in my mind to start on Monday."

Now, Palmer has posted a matchday graphic ahead of kick-off which may suggest he is set to start for the Blues. Pochettino is likely to continue on with Sterling in attack, but it remains to be seen whether he plays as a centre-forward or on the left with Armando Broja coming in to replace Jackson as the striker.



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-team-news-hint-fulham-27828227

Mauricio Pochettino confirms Cole Palmer Chelsea role change just weeks after transfer
Cole Palmer is in contention to make his first Premier League start for Chelsea this evening away at Fulham after a really impressive performance against Brighton

Cole Palmer is in contention to make his full Premier League debut for Chelsea this evening as the Blues make the short trip to Craven Cottage. Chelsea are looking for their first win – and goal – since beating Luton Town 3-0 on August 25.

The 21-year-old winger, who signed from Manchester City on transfer deadline day last month, has made just one start for the Blues so far since moving to Stamford Bridge. That was against Brighton & Hove Albion last week in the Carabao Cup and Palmer was really impressive on the night – attracting plenty of attention from the supporters.

"Yes, maybe yes," Pochettino replied when asked if Palmer is in line for his full Premier League debut for Chelsea. "I'm so happy with his performance after only a few weeks with us. He was able to perform very well and fit very well in the team. He is a talented player, young talented player but I think he is in my mind to start on Monday."

So it appears Palmer is in line to add to the 180 minutes he has played for his new club thus far at Craven Cottage, but where he is on the pitch is still up for debate. football.london understands one of the many reasons Palmer was signed by Chelsea was because of his versatility and his ability to play on the right wing and more centrally in the No.10 spot behind the striker.

 Palmer was playing behind Nicolas Jackson against Brighton last week, with Ian Maatsen and Mykhailo Mudryk either side of him. There is a chance we see something very similar in the game against Fulham, but perhaps Raheem Sterling instead of Maatsen.

Pochettino also hinted that he might opt without a 'natural' centre-forward with Jackson serving his one-match suspension. "Yes, we have a few options to play with a striker and without a striker," the Argentine said. "We also need to assess the squad after the game. Things appear after 48 hours and I'm going to see how they are and how they recover from Wednesday, but different options."



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/mauricio-pochettino-chelsea-cole-palmer-27828353

Spurs (A) Sold Out

Tickets for Fulham's trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on Spurs on Monday 23rd October have now sold out. Thank you for your fantastic support!

Should the Club receive any ticket returns, please register your interest below to join our waiting list for this fixture:



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/october/02/spurs-a-sold-out/

Manchester United (H) Sold Out

Tickets for our home fixture against Manchester United have now sold out. Thank you for your fantastic support!

PREMIUM MATCHDAY SEATING

The only way to guarantee your place at Craven Cottage for this Premier League fixture is now with Premium Matchday Seating.

Offering the best views of the pitch with seats located in the Upper Tier of the Riverside Stand, enjoy a host of additional benefits to enhance your matchday experience - including a dedicated area to spend pre-game and half-time, and vouchers for food and drink.

TICKET EXCHANGE NOW OPEN

Unable to attend Fulham v Manchester United? Season Ticket Holders can now list their seat for this fixture on the Fulham FC Ticket Exchange

Seats listed are made exclusively available to 2023/24 Season Ticket Holders & Members (Max. 1 ticket per person).

BUY TICKETS ON THE TICKET EXCHANGE

LIST SEATS ON THE TICKET EXCHANGE

Ticket Exchange is the Club's official online resale platform which provides Season Ticket Holders the ability to list their seat for sale for other supporters to purchase at a fixture they are unable to attend in a safe and secure environment. For more information on the Fulham FC Ticket exchange, please click here. Membership must have been purchased by 10am on Monday 25th September - new Members after this point would not be eligible.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/october/02/manchester-united-h-sold-out/