Friends of Fulham

Is Burnley v Fulham on TV? Is there a free stream? What is time is kick off?
Burnley are set to welcome relegation rivals Fulham in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

Sean Dyche's Burnley return to Premier League action against Scott Parker's Fulham.

And with the game set to be shown on TV, we walk you through how you can watch it.

The Clarets are sitting in 16th position at the moment with 26 points from 23 games following a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out.

Fulham, however, occupy the final relegation slot in 18th with 18 points from their 23 fixtures after a good 2-0 win over Everton.

When is Burnley v Fulham?

The match between Burnley and Fulham will take place at Turf Moor on Wednesday, February 17.

Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm.

What are the odds for Burnley v Fulham?

At the time of writing, bookmakers Paddy Power have Burnley priced at 7/4 to win the clash.

A draw is 2/1 with the same outlet, whilst a Fulham win is 17/1.

Paddy Power are offering a odds of 4/1 on Clarets favourite Chris Wood to score first, with Ashley Barnes priced at 5/1

Fulham's Josh Maja to score first is priced at 13/2 currently following his winning brace against the Toffees.

What channel is Burnley v Fulham on?

The Premier League match between Burnley and Fulham will be broadcast on television via the Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra HD channels.

You can add the Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football channels for just £18 per month combined or pick up the complete sports package for just £23 per month.

Can I stream Burnley v Fulham online for free?

Unfortunately, there isn't a free stream but Burnley fans can pay to view the game.

You can watch the match with a NOW TV pass for £9.99 or for £33.99 without signing up for a contract.

NOW TV can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles.

Existing Sky Sports customers can live stream the game via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices.

NOW TV is also available via BT Sport for BT Sport subscribers.

Who is the referee for Burnley v Fulham?

Jonathan Moss will referee Burnley's clash with Fulham.

Marc Perry and Nick Hoptonwill assist Moss, with Martin Atkinson named as the fourth official.

Darren England has been named as the VAR for the game, and he will be assisted by Dan Robathan.

Is there any team news ahead of Burnley v Fulham?

Ben Mee and Erik Pieters both suffered injuries against Crystal Palace leaving both men doubtful.

Ashley Barnes has made a timely return to fitness after Matej Vydra missed out with Chris Wood is also nursing a hamstring problem.

Parker only has one absentee to contend with in the form of Tom Cairney.

The Fulham boss will surely be reluctant to shuffle the pack after such an impressive showing at Goodison Park against Carlo Ancelotti's side.



https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/burnley-v-fulham-tv-there-free-stream-what-time-kick-3135991

Mitrovic to miss two vital Fulham matches

Fulham will be without Aleksandar Mitrovic until the away match at Crystal Palace on February 28.

The striker will miss the next two vital matches – against Burnley tomorrow night and Sheffield United on Saturday -after testing positive for Coronavirus.

He has been tested twice, including on Monday, with Scott Parker admitting his absence is a blow.

Parker said: "He's got mild symptoms, and we're disappointed especially as he's come out the other side as far as his form goes.

"He will be away from the group when we need him."

On the positive side, the squad picked up no further injuries after the encouraging 2-0 win over Everton.

Goalscorer Josh Maja had praise heaped on him on his starting debut, with the head coach admitting "a big week" lay ahead in their battle to avoid relegation.

"There was never a doubt about confidence in the squad," Parker said. "You don't get performances like that (at Everton) without it.

"It was just a question of detail. We had three shots on target, Sunday, and scored from two of them, and that was the difference."

Parker alluded to injuries to Burnley's Erik Pieters and Ben Mee picked up in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace and wondered if that might help Fulham.

"But they're still a tough side to face at a time when they're back to decent form," Parker added.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-aleksandar-mitrovic-two-games-16221

My Turf Moor trials and tribulations
Fulham Supporters Trust Chairman Tom Greatrex relives his personal obsession with our fortunes in Lancashire.

---

While for some it's a happy place, but for many Fulham fans results – and often performances – at Turf Moor invite comparisons with some sort of footballing hell. For me, it's a bit more obsessive than that. Whatever the redeeming features of Burnley – and some of the pubs, the cricket club, the raucous nature of the determinedly old school ground suggest it has some – it has become a grim test of the extent of my stubbornness. Let me explain...

It's Sean Farrell's fault. While the name of our early 1990s journeyman striker might not mean much to younger or more recent fans, if your formative Fulham years just missed the high points of Malcolm McDonald's side, then after the departure (again) of Leroy Rosenior and the retirement of Gordon Davies, he was probably the next most prolific striker we had. On loan from Luton, his hat-trick as we won 3-2 away at leaders West Brom on New Year's Day 1992 precipitated his permanent signing. With a strong finish to that season, some of us poor deluded souls went into the 1992/93 season optimistic that Don McKay's blananwhyarmy could finally get us back to where we belonged... the second tier of English football.

The early days
A good start to the season – only two defeats in our opening 11 league matches – and by the time of our visit to Burnley in October, there was some optimism at a wet and windy Turf Moor. Within minutes, Sean Farrell put us a goal up. There were plenty more goals that game too, including another for Farrell. We lost 5-2. Much to the delight of the home fans who gave the single coach of intrepid away fans an enthusiastic send off. That season tailed off into mediocrity, although a 4-0 home win over Burnley in front of a (relatively) packed away terrace in the April sunshine saw Farrell score another Fulham hat-trick. The following season, another early season trip to Turf Moor and another defeat, as we finally got out of the division – being relegated to the fourth tier for the first time ever – and Sean Farrell departed for the striker's paradise of Peterborough United.

Resumed rivalry
It wasn't until our renaissance was underway that we met Burnley again – same again:  home win, away defeat. The following season, even the all-conquering Kevin Keegan side with its record points tally couldn't break the pattern – another defeat at Turf Moor, this time most memorable for how quickly Chis Coleman – ex of Blackburn – sprinted off at the end for his own safety as the home fans invaded the pitch. Sometime around then, I decided I was going to keep going to Burnley – every fixture – until I saw us win there. Convinced it would happen one day, and an early case of FOMO allied to bloody-mindedness meaning that when the fixtures come out, it is the game at Burnley I looked for first, when we were in the same division.

I kept up the record of going to those games – it helped, living near Glasgow for some of that time, that it was the closest thing to a local match for me. In the Championship, and the Premier League, an FA Cup replay as the Tigana tenure was going sour, and a forgettable League Cup tie when a division higher than our opponents – and the best we managed was a solitary point.

The new normal
So the relevance of this meander down memory lane? Well, as we prepare to go to Turf Moor, Fulham sit seven points adrift of safety and in desperate need of turning some of the creditable but nevertheless frustrating recent good performances from draws to wins. And after Sunday's win at Goodison Park – our first ever in the league – things are looking just a bit brighter. Nevertheless, we're pretty close to the territory of must-wins if there is any chance of avoiding the yo-yo tag some are comfortable giving us.

Except we don't prepare to go to Turf Moor. We can't go anywhere much more exciting than the supermarket, and awaydays to East Lancashire will have to wait until at least next season it seems. Strange kick off times, ignorant commentators and the suspended reality of VAR is our lot for now. It doesn't feel real, but it is the best we have. Perhaps less than hellish, but something more akin to purgatory. And the debate raging in my empty head, bored at home, is whether – for perhaps the first time ever – I really don't want Fulham to win a game.

I know we need the points, and any chance of catching those above us realistically needs a win at Burnley. Even then, it might not be enough. Yet there is a horrible, lingering fear that, by dint of the impact of coronavirus and after a wait of fifty years, being able to look to our left and the aggrieved faces of home fans in the next block with a knowing, possibly slightly smug, grin before the long trip home will be robbed from us all. Trolling Alastair Campbell on Twitter just wouldn't be the same.

So do I want Fulham to forfeit the win? Of course not. It would be, well, Fulhamish, that Scott Parker inspires us to a first win at Turf Moor since April 1951 with an emotional post-match monologue of the pride and belief he sees in his team on the bumpy road to go again against Sheffield United at the Cottage cut short to go to the build up to Everton v Man City. But if – and it's an if, not a secret hope – we just fall short, then at least there is some small comfort in circumstances not having conspired to miss that historic victory in person. The hope will remain that next time we play in Burnley in the wind and the rain, fortified by Benedictine and balti pie, the reward for all of those trips north will be ours to savour in person.

And after the glorious day that happens, I'm never going there again. Ever.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-02-16-my-turf-moor-trials-and-tribulations/

Parker praises Maja's positive start at Fulham

Maja excited, Mitrovic symptoms
The arrival of Josh Maja from Bordeaux on loan until the end of the season was a saving grace for Fulham who just lost Aleksandar Mitrovic to a positive Covid result.

Maja spoke of his excitement upon his arrival.

"I'm really excited and proud to sign for Fulham on loan for the remainder of the season. This is a big opportunity and I look forward to meeting up with the team and working hard to achieve positive results," he said.

Maja replaced Mitrovic and Fulham head coach Scott Parker has now provided an update on the Serbian's health.

"Mitro is okay, he's got one symptom of the virus. It's disappointing for him as he was coming out the other side of a tough season. It's a big time and we'll need him," said Parker.

Parker praises Maja
Maja scored twice away from home against Everton to give The Cottagers an unlikely victory at the ground of the European qualification chasing Toffees.

Parker spoke of how impressed he was with the striker's integration and immediate impact for the side.

"I've been impressed with Josh Maja in a short space of time. He's fitted in very well. He's come into a young, energetic group of players. He wants to learn and get better, which is vitally important," Parker said.

The club have the option to make the loan permanent in the summer. The fee is reported to be a reasonable £9 million which would be well within the club's remit should they achieve survival from dreaded relegation.

In the meantime, with Mitrovic out, Maja has the opportunity to establish himself as the club's first-choice forward.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/parker-praises-majas-positive-start-at-fulham/

Scott Parker disappointed for Aleksandar Mitrovic after positive Covid-19 test
The striker missed the game at Everton and now has 10 days in isolation.

(https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/81051/40097752.ece/AUTOCROP/w1000/ipanews_02ffea04-586d-4dc2-9a28-f7d181263635_1)
Fulham manager Scott Parker revealed Aleksandar Mitrovic has mild symptoms of coronavirus following his positive test (Tess Derry/PA)

Scott Parker says it is disappointing for Aleksandar Mitrovic to have contracted coronavirus just as he felt the Serbia striker was starting to turn his season around.

Mitrovic tested positive ahead of Fulham's impressive 2-0 victory at Everton on Sunday and was not involved in the matchday squad.

The 26-year-old was the only recognised centre-forward at Fulham for most of the season, before Josh Maja's arrival on loan from Bordeaux earlier this month, and has struggled for goals, having not found the net for the club since September.

Mitrovic has started just eight games for Fulham this term, with Parker previously saying he took him out to give him some air during a difficult period stemming from his decisive miss while on international duty which sent Scotland to the European Championship in place of Serbia.

"He's good, at this present moment in time he's got mild symptoms of the virus," Parker said when asked about Mitrovic, who will face 10 days in self-isolation as per Government guidelines.

"Of course it's disappointing for Aleks because at this moment I felt like he was coming out the other side of what's been a bit of a tough season.

"But it's disappointing to pick up the virus and now have to be away from the group and away from us at a big time where we need him as well."

Fulham take on Burnley on Wednesday with Sean Dyche's side on a decent run of league form which has included victories over Liverpool, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Maja, on his first Premier League start, scored twice at Everton to answer Fulham's goalscoring problems this campaign.

Before the game at Goodison Park, the Cottagers had found the net just four times in the league since Christmas, but Parker was reluctant to put too much pressure on the new signing.

He said: "What a way to start, full Premier League debut for us and to score two goals and for us to win the game it was pretty special for him really.

"I'm really conscious, I don't want to put a lot on someone so young's shoulders but I've been very impressed in the short space of time I've been working with Josh and hopefully that can continue really.

"He's fitted in very, very well. I think he's come into a young group, a real energetic upbeat group of players and he's fitted in to that bracket very, very well.

"He's also fitted in in a short space of time as one who wants to learn, a player who wants to get better and I think that's vitally important when you come in to where we are and he's made those strides very, very easily."



https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/scott-parker-disappointed-for-aleksandar-mitrovic-after-positive-covid-19-test-40097753.html

Newcastle legend Micky Quinn has major concerns about the Magpies' Premier League status, admitting he believes relegation rivals Fulham could soon overtake the Tynesiders in the table.

The Magpies are currently seven points clear of 18th placed Fulham – who secured a shock 2-0 victory at Everton on Sunday night – but Scott Parker's side have a game in hand.

Steve Bruce's side produced a lacklustre display at Chelsea on Monday night as Thomas Tuchel's men ran out 2-0 winners at Stamford Bridge.

A run of just two wins in 13 league games has left Newcastle looking over their shoulders, with Quinn expressing his belief that a number of the club's squad just aren't Premier League quality.

Quizzed by Ally McCoist on whether his beloved Toon will avoid the drop, Quinn told Tuesday's talkSPORT Breakfast: "I don't know.

"They're on that slippery rock. You look at some of the players: Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle... Andy Carroll – past his sell by date – Joelinton – couldn't hit a barn door with a pea. These are guys I think fall below Premier League class.

"If you look at some of the games recently; Sheffield United have improved, Fulham have improved – they beat Everton at the weekend. You look at Burnley and they've improved.

"This three or four weeks ago and they're starting to rack up points. They are in a relegation fight.

"They can get out of it because they've got the likes of Allan [Saint-Maximin], Miguel [Almiron] and the kid Joe Willock has done well since he's come to Newcastle – but he needs that service.

"They have got a chance, but to me if they play like that did last night... the first half was just desperate."

Bruce is confident his side will 'be okay' if they produce similar performances to those which delivered recent wins against Everton and Southampton.

"There are that many teams involved, it has been an unbelievable year. Everyone is making a fist of it down below and there are six, seven teams looking over their shoulder," the 60-year-old said after the defeat at Stamford Bridge.

"If we continue like we have done recently we will be okay.

"There were a few positives in the second half and I think the players are enjoying it, we have to get a few results but I am far happier in myself the way we played in the second half in the way we want to go about our work."



https://talksport.com/football/835106/

Team News: Ben Mee misses out for Burnley against Fulham

Burnley captain Ben Mee will sit out Wednesday's Premier League game against Fulham due to concussion protocols.

The central defender was taken off on a stretcher late on in the 3-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday after he was hit on the side of the head by Jordan Ayew's shoulder.

Erik Pieters was also forced off at Selhurst Park with a tight groin, while Matej Vydra missed that match with a hamstring strain. Chris Wood's hamstring problem will be assessed and he may return.

Fulham manager Scott Parker will continue to be without striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbia international tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the Cottagers' surprise 2-0 win at Goodison Park on Sunday and will continue his 10 days of self-isolation.

Terence Kongolo and Tom Cairney are also expected to remain sidelined as they recover from long-term injuries.

Burnley provisional squad: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Pieters, Cork, Taylor, Gudmundsson, McNeil, Westwood, Barnes, Vydra, Peacock-Farrell, Bardsley, Long, Dunne, Driscoll-Glennon, Stephens, Benson, Rodriguez, Mumbongo, Brownhill, Wood.

Fulham provisional squad: Areola, Tete, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Aina, Loftus-Cheek, Reed, Anguissa, Lookman, Maja, Decordova-Reid, Rodak, Hector, Odoi, Ream, Cavaleiro, Onomah, Lemina, Robinson.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/burnley/team-news/team-news-ben-mee-misses-out-for-burnley-against-fulham_435474.html?newsnow

Who's for the drop? Premier League relegation battle set to be cliffhanger

The Premier League title may be Manchester City's to lose but down at the bottom the relegation battle looks set to go to the wire.

The dogfight to avoid the drop has serious financial consequences.

Clubs dropping out of the elite take an immediate £60 million ($84 million). Although they receive a £40 million parachute payment when they drop into the Championship, it falls well short of the £100 million Premier League clubs receive each year.

The relegated club's losses in revenue can reach as much as £70-80 million once sponsorship deals and fans coming through the turnstiles in normal non-coronavirus times are taken into account.

Third-from-bottom Fulham look the only side of those in the relegation places capable of escaping the drop.

Newcastle's 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Monday makes them favourites to replace Fulham if the latter can extricate themselves from the relegation spots.

A fine 2-0 away to high-flying Everton on Sunday showed Fulham have both the fight in them and the quality to do so.

The bottom two, though, are floundering.

Sam Allardyce's record of being the fireman clubs turn to save them from relegation looks set to be spoiled with his West Brom side 12 points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Newcastle, two months after he replaced Slaven Bilic.

Sheffield United, who had mounted a mini-revival albeit from a very low starting point, are 14 points off safety with 14 games remaining after they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to West Ham on Monday.

"It is a massive step back," conceded United manager Chris Wilder.

Fulham, though, could be breathing down the neck of Newcastle when the Magpies travel to Manchester United on Sunday.

The London club can move to within a point of Newcastle if they beat Burnley on Wednesday and Sheffield United on Saturday.

The likelihood of Newcastle coming away with anything from Old Trafford is improbable given they have lost six of their last seven away matches.

- 'Making a fist of it' -

Fulham's win over Everton -- their first in 12 games -- may have come as a surprise to many, but not to their young manager Scott Parker.

"This is a confident team," said the 40-year-old former England midfielder.

"You don't play football like we play football, these players don't move the ball like they move the ball, if they didn't have confidence."

Fulham's biggest problem has been failing to convert draws into victories -- they have finished all square in nine of their 23 matches this term.

"I don't really concentrate on the league table and what teams are doing around us," said Parker.

"Our sole focus is to come in every day and improve. We need to win matches, I know that. We've drawn a lot of games."

West Brom are the only one of the strugglers to have replaced their manager this season.

Parker even got away with boldly criticising vice-chairman Tony Khan's apology to fans via Twitter for the team's performance in a 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa last September.

It appears Steve Bruce too enjoys the confidence of unpopular Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.

Bruce believes too much of the focus on who might drop into the bottom three is on Newcastle.

"There are that many teams involved, it has been an unbelievable year," said Bruce.

"Everyone is making a fist of it down below and there are six, seven teams looking over their shoulder."

Bruce may be a touch optimistic when he refers to half a dozen teams nervously looking over their shoulders.

One of them, Southampton, are on a club record losing streak of six successive league matches, including a 9-0 humiliation against Manchester United, but are still 11 points better off than Fulham.

Which leaves Newcastle as the hare being chased by the Fulham fox.

Bruce though believes his side will not be caught.

"If we continue like we have done recently we will be OK," he said.



https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210216-who-s-for-the-drop-premier-league-relegation-battle-set-to-be-cliffhanger

Lookman delighted for Maja's double

Ademola Lookman has expressed his delight for Nigerian international Josh Maja after he scored a brace for Fulham in his full Premier League debut this past weekend.

The 22-year-old, who is on loan at the Cottagers from Girondins de Bordeaux, netted in the 48th and 65th minutes as the London club claimed a surprise 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park.

Lookman, who has strong Nigerian links through his familial heritage, was happy for Maja and praised the team effort put in by Fulham as they continue to fight against the prospect of relegation.

"It was a well-deserved three points. We dominated large parts of the game and created lots of chances," Lookman told BBC Sport.

"I'm happy for Josh Maja as well. Everyone knows he can score goals. We need to score goals.

"I've said before if we stick together and put the ball in the back of the net, we'll win games. We showed that [against Everton].

"We kept believing. At half time we said we'll do the exact same thing in the second half and we scored twice.

"Our defence kept it strong towards the end of the game and we saw it out. It gives the team a boost of confidence and we'll take that into the next game."

Fulham boss Scott Parker was also full of praise for the Super Eagles man: "Fantastic tonight in terms of scoring two goals. The first move was brilliant and he is there to tap in and the second is a striker's instinct to knock one in from the rebound off the post," he stated in a press conference.



https://africanfootball.com//news/784349/Lookman-delighted-for-Majas-double

Maja wants to learn and improve at Fulham – Parker

The Nigeria international has hit the ground running on his arrival at Craven Cottage and has been praised for doing so

Fulham manager Scott Parker has revealed Josh Maja wants to learn and improve with his side and hailed the forward for his impressive start at the club.

The 22-year-old teamed up with the Cottagers during the January transfer window on loan from French side Bordeaux until the end of the season.

The Nigeria international has already showcased what he is capable of with his scintillating performances for the Craven Cottage outfit.

The forward was handed his second Premier League appearance against Everton on Sunday and seized the opportunity to open his goalscoring account.

Maja scored twice in the encounter to help the Cottagers secure all three points and end their eight-game winless run.

Parker has expressed his delight with the manner the forward hit the ground running and backed him to continue with blistering performances.

"I've been impressed with Josh Maja in a short space of time," Parker said in a press conference ahead of their Premier League game against Burnley.

"He's fitted in very well. He's come into a young, energetic group of players. He wants to learn and get better, which is vitally important."

Maja teamed up with Bordeaux in January 2019, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract after turning down a chance to extend his contract with Sunderland, where he had spent three years.

The forward scored two goals in 17 league appearances this season before leaving the Matmut Atlantique outfit for the Premier League temporary.

Maja will hope to continue his eye-catching performances for Fulham to boost his chances of getting a regular call-up to the Nigeria national team, having only featured once for the three-time African champions.

The forward will be expected to be part of the Super Eagles team that will take on the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/maja-wants-to-learn-and-improve-at-fulham-parker/im8puyabk63o1hc30sulnh78h

Liverpool and Aston Villa results show why Fulham game is not pivotal to Burnley's season

The Clarets take on the Cottagers at Turf Moor in the Premier League

(https://i2-prod.lancs.live/incoming/article19848968.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_JS227271400.jpg)
Jack Cork of Burnley is challenged by Josh Onomah of Fulham the last time these two sides faced one another. (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Sean Dyche does not feel Burnley's clash against Fulham is a pivotal game to the Clarets season in the grand scheme of things despite the impact it could have on the table.

The Clarets sit eight points clear of the drop zone heading into tomorrow evening's clash at Turf Moor.

Scott Parker's team are 18th in the table and, like Burnley, go into the fixture on the back of a victory.

The Cottagers beat Everton 2-0 over the weekend at Goodison Park, while the Clarets claimed three points on the road with an impressive win over Crystal Palace.

Should Burnley win tomorrow evening, they will go 11 points clear of the London outfit.

But on the other side of the coin, a Fulham win will reduce that deficit to just five points.

But Dyche does not see the match as a pivotal one for Burnley and drew on examples of other games earlier on in the season to explain why.

He said: "Not really, no, because the fact is no-one thought we'd win against Liverpool, no-one thought we'd come back against Villa, a really good win at Palace, but maybe a few were thinking could they go down there and put in that performance?

"The season is rarely defined, unless you have them right at the end of course, but I think they're rarely defined over one game.

"But it's helpful to say you've beat the teams around you. You've got to get the points where ever you can in the Premier League.

"We've done that over time when we've needed to. The oldest one in the book is the business end of the season, trust me, the first game of the season is the business end of the season and every game's important in the Premier League. Every game literally no matter who you play is very important.

"We try to win them all, obviously it's not that easy, but that's the intention."

Despite taking on a side in the bottom three, Dyche insists that the preparation will be the same for Burnley as if they were playing a side at the top end of the division.

He said: "I think the main thing we've always had here is respect for everyone in the Premier League and I think that's ongoing.

"Whatever game we prepare for, I can assure you that for the games people deem easier we certainly don't look at them like that and neither do the players.

"We'll be putting all of the prep work that we do, the same as we would for what people would say the top teams, your Liverpools, your Man Uniteds, your Man Citys, Arsenals etc etc I can assure you the prep is really, really in depth and exactly the same so we take everyone with a serious edge. There's no two ways about it."



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/dyche-burnley-fulham-premier-league-19848879

Fulham Boss Reveals He Will Not Overburden Young Josh Maja After Brace On Starting Debut

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday before his side's visit to Turf Moor to face Burnley, manager Scott Parker made it clear that he will not put pressure on Josh Maja to carry Fulham's goal-scoring burden for the remainder of the season.

The Nigeria international was the hero as Fulham recorded a historic 2-0 win against Everton on Sunday, notching a brace on his starting debut in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old Maja, a product of the Fulham academy, has seamlessly fitted into the group but Parker is careful not to over-hype the potential of the Bordeaux loanee.

"What a way to start your (full) Premier League debut and to score two goals and for us to win the game was pretty special for him really, so I'm really conscious that I don't want to put a lot on someone's so young shoulders," Parker told reporters.

"I've been very impressed in a short space of time I've been working with Josh, hopefully that vein can continue really."

Parker continued : "He's fitted in very, very well. He's come into a young group, a real energetic, upbeat group of players and he's fitted in that bracket very, very well.

"He's also fitted in a short space of time of one who wants to learn, a player that wants to get better and I think that's vitally important when you come into where we are and he's made them strides very, very easy."

Maja was considered for a spot in the starting team vs Everton after Aleksandar Mitrovic tested positive for coronavirus.

Igho Kingsley



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=38979

The story of Josh Maja
Colm takes a closer look at our Deadline Day striker and asks if he's the man to save us.

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I have to admit, I was underwhelmed when Josh Maja's signing was announced on Deadline Day. The only reason I knew so much about him was because of the Sunderland 'til I Die documentary on Netflix, where he was portrayed as the villain of the piece.

While his goalscoring record was good for The Black Cats, I dismissed it as they were in League One. Having watched him bang in two on his full Premier League debut against Everton, I'm happy to admit, maybe I was wrong and maybe he's the exact type of player we need. Here's a look back at Josh's rise to this point from his early rejection from Man City to making his full Premier League debut last night.

Starting off at the Cottage
Maja's youth career started with Crystal Palace, before moving onto Fulham. While here, he also played for Manchester City Youths but failed to secure a scholarship with the Citizens. Sunderland however managed to do a deal with us and gave him a two-year scholarship in 2015. He impressed so much in that scholarship that by May 2016 he was signing a professional contract with the Black Cats, who were then a Premier League club. He made an appearance off the bench in a League Cup game that season but didn't feature again for them that year.

Sunderland were subsequently relegated to the Championship, where Maja hoped to get some game time, having made the bench a few times in the previous Premier League campaign. However, it took until December and for former Fulham legend Chris Coleman to take over the reins for him to make his breakthrough. Coleman looked to the youth academy to try breathe some life into a Sunderland side who hadn't won a home game in a year. Coleman was quoted as saying "Young Josh, we've got to be careful we don't over-expose him too early and ask for too much too soon". At 18 years old, the man known in the academy as "Magic Maj" would come off the bench against Fulham to make his league debut. Four minutes later, he had his first goal and won Sunderland the match 1-0. Maja was a Sunderland hero! Unfortunately, though, he failed to score for the rest of the campaign and they were relegated for the second successive season.

Breakthrough season
Jack Ross took over Sunderland the next season and put his faith in Maja from the start. Josh repaid him by scoring in each of the first four games of the season as Sunderland looked to bounce straight back up. He went on to have an outstanding first half of the season, netting 15 league goals. But this is where the Sunderland story turns sour. Widely regarded as Sunderland's leading light and their greatest hope of securing promotion back to the Championship, Maja's agent sought the opportunity to try and secure a lucrative contract upgrade, knowing he had all the leverage with his current deal running out in six months and a £1m agents fee in the offing if he secures Josh a move abroad.

Tottenham had been to the Stadium of Light to watch Maja play on more than one occasion but Stewart Donald, the owner of Sunderland, declared "Josh has had a cracking offer [from Sunderland], he'll sign that!". What they didn't bank on though, was Josh's agent's greed. Neil Fox, Head of Operations at Sunderland, let Donald know that "this, for me isn't about Josh Maja, 100% about his agent – end of". Maja himself didn't help the situation by claiming in an interview that he didn't hear anything about the transfer speculation and that he "doesn't read the newspapers". At a Christmas lights ceremony Josh also declared "Yeah, I'll be here next year!".

It soon became apparent that Josh was not going to sign a contract extension with the club and owner Stewart Donald was forced to find out the news from Sky Sports News. Sunderland claimed they gave Maja exactly what he asked for but that the agent was stopping him from signing it and was determined to move him on to make a profit for himself. At the end of January 2019, it was announced that Josh had signed for Bordeaux for €1.5m and so came to an end his breakout season in English football. The fans were left devastated with the decision to sell him and thought that him leaving on a free at the end of the season was worth more to them if he kept scoring the goals that led them to promotion.

Pastures new
In Bordeaux, he was competing with Jimmy Briand for his position and it took three months for him to get his first goal, in a game against Nimes. However, in the same game, he suffered a knee injury that would keep him out of the rest of the season. In his second season, he would go on to score eight goals in 24 games, including a hat-trick against Nimes in the league, but his desire to return to England was apparent and in January 2021, he returned to take care of some unfinished business.

Fulham's saviour?
So here he is now, having only started one game for The Whites, and Fulham fans are hoping that he can be the man to help save them from what seemed to be an impending drop back down to the Championship. If his performance against Everton is anything to go by, we have a better chance of surviving with him, than we did without him. He was in the right place, at the right time for both his goals and that is the exact type of player that we've been missing all season.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-02-16-the-story-of-josh-maja/

How Fulham can end their Turf Moor hoodoo

The first in a series of critical clashes against our relegation rivals since Fulham travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley tomorrow night. Buoyed by an unexpected triumph on Merseyside on Sunday night, Scott Parker's side can suddenly sniff some momentum in their battle against the drop. The Whites are now seven points off safety with fifteen games to play and, whilst survival still looks like a tall order, there's no doubting that they have the stomach for the fight. After ending their Goodison Park curse whilst simultaneously snapping a thirteen-match winless streak, Fulham will be now be targeting a first win at Burnley since 1951.

It certainly won't be easy against Burnley, whose continued upsetting of the English footballing applecart remains one of the game's most unheralded stories. Sean Dyche's style might be uncompromising but it is effective – and all of his players know their roles. Christened 'the special one Mourinho' Dyche has unapologetically adopted an old-fashioned 4-4-2 (cruelly described in some quarters as 'Brexit Ball') and his slavish adherence to the system means Burnley are notoriously hard to break down. The Clarets have a miserly defence – conceding 4.72 fewer than their expected goals against – which is the third best in the league, behind Manchester City and Parker's own improving backline.

Burnley are content to work to their tried and tested modus operandi, sitting deep, soaking up the pressure and punishing opposition errors. There are ideally set up to wreak havoc on the counter-attack, with a midfield designed to pinch possession and feed a target man – mostly regularly the underrated New Zealand striker Chris Wood, who usually features as part of a traditional 'big man, little man' strike partnership. Dyche's side is somewhat disrupted presently, with Burnley having seven starters on the treatment table at the moment.

This includes top scorer Wood and former Fulham academy graduate Johann Berg Gudmundsson, the Icelandic winger, who scored one of Burnley's goals in their impressive 3-0 win at Crystal Palace last weekend. The injury list extends to both of Burnley's natural left backs, in former Leeds defender Charlie Taylor and Dutch full-back Erik Pieters, and – perhaps most importantly – centre half Ben Mee. The commanding Mee, who will miss the Fulham game through the concussion protocols after sustaining a head injury at Selhurst Park, is a leader who forms a formidable partnership with former Brentford defender James Tarkowski at the heart of Dyche's first choice back four. Burnley lost five of the six games he has missed this season, conceding twelve goals. In the period that Mee was out of the side, Burnley have lost 45.5% of their total eleven defeats this season and conceded 41.4% of the 29 goals they've let in.

Burnley sit deep, soaking up pressure and waiting for the opposition to make a mistake before counterattacking via a midfield designed to win the ball back then quickly transition the play up to a big target man, who either takes a shot himself or knocks it onto his smaller counterpart. The classic 'big man, little man' 4-4-2 playing style.

However, Burnley's starting line-up is currently somewhat disturbed, with the Clarets having 7 players on the treatment table at the moment. This includes their top scorer, Chris Wood, as well as Johann Gudmundsson, the Icelandic winger who scored in Burnley's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. The list of injured players also includes both of the Claret's natural left-backs, Charlie Taylor and Erik Pieters, and, perhaps most critically, centre back Ben Mee.

Ben Mee, who sustained a head injury against Crystal Palace, is one of Burnley's most important players. Not only does he often captain the side, but he also forms one half of a strong defensive partnership with James Tarkowski – a duo at the heart of a defence that constantly outperforms its XGA. In fact, to show Mee's true value to Burnley, Burnley lost 5 of the 6 games that he has missed this season and conceded 12 goals in these 6 games. This means that in these 6 games in which he has been absent, Burnley have lost 45.5% of their total 11 losses this season and conceded 41.4% of the total 29 goals that they have conceded so far.

Burnley's predicament this season is largely a result of their relatively poor displays at home. Turf Moor has a reputation as something of a fortress but the Clarets have lost five home matches already this year, conceding thirteen goals in eleven fixtures. They lost just seven at home throughout the entirety of last season – and there's a strong case to be made that they are missing the atmosphere created by their boisterous home crowd. It might be the perfect time for Fulham to turn Turf Moor into a happy place at long last, but success will still be tough to come by. Parker will need to get his team selection spot on.

My initial thoughts were that this fixture appeared ideal for Aleksander Mitrovic, with pace not a prerequisite to beat Burnley's deep defensive line and the Serbian's physicality would have suited what could be something of a blood and thunder encounter. In light of Mitrovic's untimely positive coronavirus diagnosis, Fulham should seek some continuity and stick with the 4-2-3-1 system that proved so successful against West Ham and, especially, Everton on Sunday. The visitors should set out to dominate possession again, using a number ten to unlock the home defence, which should be the perfect role for Ruben Loftus-Cheek – even if he's still struggling to find his shooting boots!

My preferred Fulham line-up would look like this:


I feel Ola Aina should remain at left back after an excellent display on Merseyside. The Nigerian international's versatility is a real asset and he linked up encouragingly with his compatriots, displaying the understanding you would expect having operated alongside Tosin Adarabioyo for much of the season, but seeking to get beyond Ademola Lookman and supplying Josh Maja regularly. Aina was not only defensively solid, but he also added attacking penetration which Robinson looks to be lacking at present, with impressive dribbling down the left flank and consistently good crosses – he can also score from long range as shown by his impressive goal against West Bromwich Albion in November. Kenny Tete enjoyed an excellent game against Everton – suggesting that he is rediscovering his best form with strong tackles and he should offer an attacking threat down the opposite flank.

The other pressing question is whether to reintroduce Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa into the midfield. Initially, I considered this a no brainer as his strength and dribbling ability could be real assets against a more physical side. But, after careful consideration and a discussion with a few other Fulham fans, I've changed my mind. Although Mario Lemina was substituted against Everton, he was fantastic at Goodison Park and deserves an opportunity to continue his blossoming partnership with Harrison Reed in the centre of the park. Anguissa is best deployed as a segundo volante and, with a number 10 in the line-up, his individual creativity is reduced. Anguissa's return might also inhibit Reed's own attacking output, which is the last thing we need after the former Southampton midfielder's man-of-the-match performance at the weekend. It is worth remembering that Anguissa has clearly been affected by Fulham's coronavirus outbreak – and there will be plenty of opportunities for him to make a big contribution before the end of the season.

What do you think of this line-up? Can Fulham finally get a win at Turf Moor? Give us your insights below.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/how-fulham-can-end-their-turf-moor-hoodoo/

Fulham brimming with belief, says Parker

Fulham's fine win at Goodison Park on Sunday night might have surprised the Premier League and the pundits, but boss Scott Parker didn't consider it a huge turn up for the books. The Fulham head coach has always retained a firm belief in the quality his had at their disposal and insists that the Whites are full of confidence as they bid to pick up more momentum in their fight against the drop at Burnley tomorrow night.

Parker told his pre-match press confidence that his squad are full of confidence after winning at Everton and that his team's conviction didn't waver even during their thirteen match winless run.

"It brings a massive belief. I always felt, and I still feel, that belief was never an issue in that sense, because there was a lot of football to be played and we've been very, very competitive. The other night, was there a big difference in performance? Not really. Granted, I thought we played very, very well, but we've played very well over the last run of fourteen games.

"We've had four defeats out of that, and those four defeats came against the top four in the division. We've been very, very competitive, we've played very, very good football. We've been a little bit short, which I think we've all recognised, in terms of that final detail and not being on the right side of that. We were the right side of that at the weekend and we won the game.

"But it's fair to say belief, confidence, is there. You don't perform like we've performed if confidence isn't there, and there's still a lot of football to be played. We now have a massive week of games ahead of us, we go to Burnley on Wednesday, Sheffield United at the weekend, and then Crystal Palace. Like I keep saying, we know what we need to do, we need to win football matches, and we're at that point where we're going into another big week, and there's a big 16 games ahead of us."

Parker is under no illusions about the size of the challenge Fulham will face at Turf Moor.

"It's a really tough game. We understand that. What Sean's done there over a period of time has been remarkable. They go into the game with a couple of injures that they've picked up. I think Ben Mee won't be available due to concussion, Pieters came off so I think at this time of the year we're all struggling a little bit in terms of the games and where we are. Like always, it's a massive game for us ahead. We understand the problems that Burnley are going to cause us, and we need to be prepared for it."

Parker admitted to being disappointed about Aleksandar Mitrovic's unavailability after the Serbian striker tested positive for coronavirus, but told the press that Mitrovic was 'doing fine'.

"He's good, at this present moment in time he's got mild symptoms of the virus. Of course it's disappointing for Aleks, because at this moment I felt like he was coming out the other side of what's been a bit of a tough season. But it's disappointing to pick up the virus and now have to be away from the group and away from us at a big time where we need him as well."

The Fulham boss will likely have to call on Josh Maja, who scored twice against Everton, to lead the line once again – and Parker was full of praise for the impact his new signing has made.

"What a way to start, full Premier League debut for us and to score two goals and for us to win the game – it was pretty special for him really. I'm really conscious; I don't want to put a lot on someone so young's shoulders but I've been very impressed in the short space of time I've been working with Josh and hopefully that can continue really.

"He's fitted in very, very well. I think he's come into a young group, a real energetic upbeat group of players and he's fitted in to that bracket very, very well. He's also fitted in in a short space of time as one who wants to learn, a player who wants to get better and I think that's vitally important when you come in to where we are and he's made those strides very, very easily."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/fulham-brimming-with-belief-says-parker/

Follow Fulham on TikTok!

Fans can now follow Fulham on the ever-growing social media platform of TikTok!

Currently the fastest growing social media channel, TikTok encourages users to share their creativity in the form of short videos.

Our new official channel will provide the opportunity to engage with fans as well as reach new and younger audiences.

The Official Fulham FC account - @FulhamFC - has already amassed thousands of new followers, and the uniqueness of the channel will offer fans access to exclusive short form video features that highlight fun and entertaining behind-the-scenes content, memorable moments as well as the latest trends and challenges.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/february/Follow-Fulham-on-TikTok-/

Newcastle United's next 10 fixtures compared to relegation rivals Burnley and Fulham

Defeat against Chelsea saw Newcastle United slip to fourth bottom in the Premier League - with Fulham now seven points behind with a game in hand

Newcastle United slipped closer to the Premier League relegation zone when they were beaten 2-0 by Thomas Tuchel's resurgent Chelsea side on Monday night.

Goals from Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner settled the game at Stamford Bridge - leaving the Magpies seven points clear of third-bottom Fulham.

However, the Londoners do have a game in hand on Steve Bruce's men, who headed into their Monday night clash on the back of two wins in the last four games.

It's a mini run that has proved crucial in maintaining that seven-point gap at the foot of the table.

But as we head into the business end of the 2020/2021 season, how do Newcastle's next 10 fixtures compare to the clubs around them - namely Brighton, Burnley and Fulham?

Newcastle fixtures
Feb 21: Man United (A)

Feb 27: Wolves (H)

Mar 6: West Brom (A)

Mar 13: Aston Villa (H)

Mar 20: Brighton (A)

Apr 3: Spurs (H)

Apr 10: Burnley (A)

Apr 17: West Ham (H)

Apr 24: Liverpool (A)

May 1: Arsenal (H)

Recent victories against Spurs and Liverpool have certainly caught the eye, but Brighton remain one of the clubs in danger of being dragged into the relegation dog-fight.

Tricky upcoming fixtures against Leicester City and second-placed Manchester United await next month, but the in-form Seagulls will also be confident of picking up positive results in their next two, starting against fierce rivals Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Brighton fixtures
Feb 22: Crystal Palace (H)

Feb 27: West Brom (A)

Mar 6: Leicester City (H)

Mar 13: Southampton (A)

Mar 20: Newcastle (H)

Apr 3: Man United (A)

Apr 10: Everton (H)

April 17: Chelsea (A)

April 24: Sheffield United (A)

May 1: Leeds (H)

Burnley are typically robust when it comes to the business end of the season. Despite a poor start, Sean Dyche has guided the Clarets to a relatively safe 16th place after 23 games.

Crucially, they are the only relegation candidate who Fulham don't hold a game in hand on, so that eight-point gap looks even more promising for the Turf Moor outfit - with the sides set to meet on Wednesday evening.

Burnley fixtures
Feb 17: Fulham (H)

Feb 20: West Brom (H)

Feb 28: Spurs (A)

Mar 6: Arsenal (H)

Mar 13: Everton (A)

Apr 3: Southampton (A)

Apr 10: Newcastle (H)

Apr 17: Man United (A)

Apr 24: Wolves (A)

May 1: West Ham (H)

If you were to look back at the Premier League table earlier in the season, not many people would have given the Cottagers any hope of staying in the division this season.

Fulham have been much tougher to beat in recent weeks, though, and have given themselves a chance of pegging back the likes of Newcastle.

You can't help but thinking tomorrow night's result against Burnley will have a significant impact, too, and it's one Newcastle fans will certainly be keeping an eye on.

Fulham fixtures
Feb 17: Burnley (A)

Feb 20: Sheffield United (H)

Feb 28: Crystal Palace (A)

Mar 6: Liverpool (A)

Mar 13: Man City (H)

Mar 20: Leeds (H)

Apr 3: Aston Villa (A)

Apr 10: Wolves (H)

Apr 17: Arsenal (A)

May 1: Chelsea (A)

The verdict
Although they have slipped to fourth-bottom in the table, with Fulham also holding a game in hand, Bruce's side do have a healthy seven-point cushion on the sides currently in danger of dropping into the Championship.

Given that Sheffield United and West Brom are cut adrift, there are four sides that are realistically looking to avoid that final relegation place.

In many ways, Newcastle's immediate Premier League future is in their own hands.

A difficult trip to Manchester United awaits this weekend, but their next 10 fixtures include games with West Brom, Brighton and Burnley.

If the Magpies are able to return positive results in at least two of those fixtures, it will almost certainly have a huge say in what division they are playing in next season.

Fulham may have improved of late, but with back-to-back game against Liverpool and Manchester City to come, it will be some effort for them to continue that form and peg back the sides above them.



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-fixtures-brighton-burnley-fulham-19848010

New Premier League ball: Latest Nike Flight brings back retro vibe for the rest of the 2020/21 season

The new Nike Flight Premier League ball will be used for the first time on February 19 – and features throwback Total 90 design

(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jcEU8RD3SNXeixw4pyDmRe-1024-80.jpg.webp)

We'll be getting a new Premier League ball for the third time this season when Wolves play Leeds on Friday night.

While the Nike Flight is the same ball that has been used since its release last summer, the latest design is reminiscent of the classic Total 90 Aerow design, used in the Premier League between 2004 and 2008

Available to buy on the Nike website from February 18, the new ball will be used in games for the remainder of the season. Tou can see how we rate the Flight in our list of the best footballs to buy if you're preparing for lockdown lifting this spring.

It's not the first time the Premier League has seen three balls over the course of a single season – last year's Merlin ball also came with three designs, suggesting this is going to be a regular feature in future.

The original Total 90 Aerow balls – now only available for the eagle-eyed on eBay – was an instant classic, used in a period where Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and a young Cristiano Ronaldo were all in their Premier League primes.

All four were also Nike-sponsored players, meaning they were gracing top-flight pitches in the Total 90 boots too, which have also become revered classics.




https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/new-premier-league-ball-latest-nike-flight-brings-back-retro-vibe-for-the-rest-of-the-202021-season

Josh Maja's heroics for Fulham against Everton could just be the start of something special at Craven Cottage... his goal-scoring instincts are precisely what Scott Parker has craved as he battles to stay in the Premier League

    Josh Maja scored twice on his first start for Fulham in a 2-0 win over Everton
    Scott Parker's side have the worst shot conversion rate in the Premier League
    Fulham will be hoping Maja's goal-scoring instincts can help keep them up
    They are seven points behind 17th placed Newcastle but have a game in hand

Scott Parker would have enjoyed hearing Josh Maja's breakdown of his full debut double at Everton almost as much as seeing it.

Maja was 'in the right place at the right time' for his first goal, he explained, and anticipated the rebound chance for his second because 'I'm a gambler.'

This might be Maja's first crack at the Premier League but he arrives with just the sort of goal-scoring instincts relegation battlers Fulham have been crying out for.

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/16/15/39361506-9266563-image-a-90_1613490657003.jpg)
Josh Maja scored twice as Fulham beat Everton 2-0 for their first league win since November

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Scott Parker will be hoping his new striker can fire Fulham to safety and stave off relegation

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/16/15/39361526-9266563-image-a-92_1613490706456.jpg)
Maja's goals were both tap-ins but showed an instinct in front of goal that Fulham have missed

His two Goodison Park tap-ins may have looked easy and, to some, even lucky.

But, to those who have worked closely with Maja, they were familiar displays of the movement and penalty box nous of the intelligent, natural scorer they know him as.

Fulham's need for one is exactly why they pushed ahead to sign Maja on loan from Bordeaux with a £9m option last month, after he was recommended to them and they liked what they saw.

They are third bottom and seven points from safety, the Premier League's third lowest scorers, have the worst shot conversion rate in the Premier League - according to Opta - and the second biggest gap between the number of goals they have scored and should have scored.

Enter Maja, 22, who has shown throughout his youth and fledgling senior career that if chances are created, he can convert them.

Manchester City's head of academy recruitment Joe Shields took a young Maja to Crystal Palace when he was a scout for the south Londoners and recalls once seeing him score nine goals in an under-11 game against Millwall. 'He has always been very clinical,' Shields said.

During a short trial at Chelsea a young Maja scored nine times in three games, though they were sufficiently stocked in the striker department at the time.

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/16/15/39361586-9266563-image-a-93_1613490797838.jpg)
The striker moved to Bordeaux in January 2019 after impressing in League One for Sunderland

Fifteen goals in 24 League One games for Sunderland earned Maja, who also had youth spells at Fulham, Arsenal and City, a January 2019 move to Bordeaux where, in his first full season he scored once every 112 minutes.

This season had been slower going with fortune evading him in France while new manager Jean-Louis Gasset's methods also didn't suit Maja.

But there was a confidence from all parties that he would be a better fit for Fulham and, with Aleksandar Mitrovic set to miss two more games due to Covid-19, Maja has the chance to build on his encouraging start.

Parker said: 'I don't want to put a lot on someone so young's shoulders but I've been very impressed in a short space of time I've been working with Josh. Hopefully that can continue.'

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/16/15/39361596-9266563-image-a-94_1613490819921.jpg)
Fulham boss Parker revealed he is already very impressed with what he has seen from Maja



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9266563/Josh-Majas-heroics-Fulham-against-Everton-showed-help-Scott-Parkers-stay-up.html

Revealed! The shocking stats that should concern Steve Bruce as Newcastle United battle Fulham, West Brom, Brighton Burnley and Sheffield United for Premier League safety
Sleepwalking or simply just walking? Whatever way you describe it, the same outcome arises. Newcastle United are heading towards the Premier League relegation places.

And a look at the key statistics - compared to their relegation rivals – only fuels growing fears of a third season in the Championship during Mike Ashley's dismal 14-year tenure.

Fulham are showing clear signs of improvement. Newcastle, without top scorer Callum Wilson, is a terrifying thought. As if their attacking stats weren't bad enough...

Wilson, signed from Bournemouth last summer for £20million, had virtually paid back his price tag before his injury layoff – playing a direct part in 15 of United's 25 Premier League goals – 10 goals and five assists

On current viewing, Newcastle's goal tally is level with Brighton and six better than Fulham and West Brom, while Burnley and Sheffield United have scored 15 and 17, respectively.

But In terms of Fulham, the signing of striker Josh Maja could prove to be a defining piece of business given the Cottagers are 10th for big chances missed.

Going by the former Sunderland man's poaching finishes during the 2-0 win at Everton, he might just be the man to convert those 'golden opportunities'.

The Magpies are bottom of the big chances missed with 14 but that's probably because they don't create many either.

Indeed, Bruce's side have registered just 233 shots on goal, that's an average of around nine attempts per game, which is also bettered by Fulham with 271.

Sheffield United, Burnley and West Brom are behind that area, which perhaps explains why their goals tally so low.

The argument surrounding Brighton this season is they create chances but struggle to convert their chances – and the stats certainly back that up.

On big chances created and goal attempts, the Seagulls sit comfortably in the top half.

Possession stats in favour of Fulham and Brighton
This won't come as any surprise to United fans but we'll put it in black and white anyway.

High possession percentage has never been associated with Bruce's Newcastle. Indeed, the only surprise is there is a team below them.

Sam Allardyce's West Brom have averaged a division low of 37% possession per game, bettered narrowly by Newcastle by 1.5%.

Above the Magpies is Burnley with 39.4%, while Sheffield United have managed 41.9% so far.

A possession-based style of play tends to be associated with Brighton (8th) and Fulham (11th), who average around 51.9% and 49%.

In terms of total passes, that accumulates to a similar viewing.

The defensive side – look away West Brom
Only West Brom (55) in the bottom of six of the Premier League have conceded more goals than Newcastle (40), the joint-fourth lowest with Sheffield United.

Burnley have the eighth-best defensive record. Both Brighton and Fulham have conceded 30 and 31 goals, respectively.

Delving deeper into that, Karl Darlow has faced the second-most shots at a staggering 335 – albeit the majority of which were off target – with West Brom again bottom (353).

Taking those into account, Fulham's 255 shots against suggests they aren't as heavily reliant on their goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Incredibly, the Brighton defence do extremely well to restrict efforts on their goal – only Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have a better record.

Worryingly, Fulham, the team in reach of Newcastle, are doing better in all of the key areas.

Indeed, it is worth remembering that the arrival of Graeme Jones has encouraged a more attacking style of play in recent, so those stats can improve.

But ultimately, they need to improve quickly or you could say the writing is on the wall for Bruce and Newcastle United.



https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/revealed-shocking-stats-should-concern-steve-bruce-newcastle-united-battle-fulham-west-brom-brighton-burnley-and-sheffield-united-premier-league-safety-3136689

Shearer hails Ndidi, names Maja, Aubameyang in Premier League Team of the Week

The African stars delivered spectacular performances for their respective clubs last weekend and have been rewarded for the showings

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has praised the impressive defensive display from Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in their stunning 3-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday.

Shearer also named Ndidi in his Premier League Team of the Week along with Fulham's Josh Maja and Arsenal centre-forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Ndidi was rock solid for the King Power Stadium outfit against Jurgen Klopp's men to help his side secure all three points in the encounter.

The Nigeria international made five tackles, three interceptions, five clearances and blocked three shots in his effort to ensure his side extend their unbeaten run to four games.

The victory moved Leicester to the third spot on the Premier League table after gathering 46 points from 24 games.

Shearer has hailed the showings of the midfielder and included him among the best performing players in the week under review.

"He [Ndidi] gave great protection to the defence when Liverpool were on top, and then won the midfield battle when Leicester hit back so impressively," Shearer told Premier League website.

Maja, meanwhile, opened his goalscoring account for Fulham against Everton, bagging two goals in the encounter to inspire them to winning ways after an eight-game winless run.

The Super Eagles forward has earned the praise of Shearer and has also been included in the star-studded Premier League Team of the Week, along with Arsenal forward Aubameyang, who scored a hat-trick against Leeds United.

"With both goals on his full debut, he [Maja] may have just given Fulham a chance of staying up," he added.

"He [Aubameyang] was magnificent as he scored his first Premier League hat-trick."

The African stars were joined on the list along with Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa, Burnley duo of Matt Lowton and James Tarkowski and West Ham United's Craig Dawson.

Also included are Manchester City duo of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ilkay Gundogan, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Pedro Neto and Leicester's Harvey Barnes.

Ndidi, Maja and Aubameyang will be expected to continue their impactful contributions for their respective clubs in their next outings.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/shearer-hails-ndidi-names-maja-aubameyang-in-premier-league-team-/lix3emnxwskvzms24ckvgzwe

Cottage Talk Preview: Burnley vs. Fulham

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

This is our preview show of Burnley vs. Fulham.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2021/2/16/22286058/cottage-talk-preview-burnley-vs-fulham

Tete hoping to earn Netherlands recall with Fulham

Kenny Tete is back playing regularly for Fulham and is hoping to earn a spot with the Netherlands for the European Championships.

After three seasons of being a back up at Olympique Lyon, Tete is back playing regularly with Premier League side Fulham.

Ronald Koeman regularly called up Tete, and now the Netherlands boss is Frank de Boer, who handed the right-back his Ajax debut.

Speaking to ESPN, Tete was asked if he was hoping for a call from De Boer, "I haven't spoken to Frank and I'm not thinking about it right now. I'm happy to play. You secretly hope, of course, but first go and play football and then it will come naturally. "

A spot at the Euro's is something Tete is hoping for, "Of course I hope so, I wouldn't want anything else. I am happy to be with Fulham, to play weekly and to develop. If I can join then I'm ready. I can't wait actually."



http://www.football-oranje.com/tete-hoping-to-earn-netherlands-recall-with-fulham/

Aina calls for consistency

Ola Aina has urged Fulham to build on the momentum they generated with a win at Everton on Sunday by stringing together victories to strengthen their survival hopes.

Scott Parker's side stole the headlines with a convincing victory at Goodison Park – Fulham's first win on the blue half of Merseyside in the league – and now face relegation rivals Burnley, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace in quick succession. Aina knows that turning strong performances into a set of successive positive results will have a huge difference on the Premier League table.

The versatile Nigerian international defender told Fulham's official website:

"That's our only goal right now I think, as a group. We know we can play well, we can defend well, but we need to keep winning games. That's our ultimate goal, and I think we can do it. We back ourselves in every game. That's the confidence that everyone has in each other in and around the team."

"But I do think the Everton result has given us a massive lift, and I feel like we can take that momentum through into this game and come away with three points. It's definitely going to be a difficult one [at Burnley]. The style of football that they play is often very difficult for teams to go up against. But we're up for the challenge, and hopefully we can leave there with three points."

Aina slotted in impressively at left back against the Toffees, laying on the first goal for Josh Maja after linking up beautifully with Ademola Lookman. The 24 year-old says he's eager to play wherever Parker needs to for the remainder of the season.

"I played all of last season at left wing-back, so it's a position that I'm familiar with. Whatever the team needs, if I can step in somewhere and fill a position, then that's something that I'm happy to do. I'd like to add more assists and maybe a few more goals, so it was good to get up and running and finally get an assist this season."

He was delighted to see Maja, his international team-mate, mark his first Fulham start in such devastating fashion.

"I was looking for Josh, I was looking for that ball into him, so I'm really happy it came off. I've known Josh for a bit now and I'm just happy that I could contribute to his first Prem goal. It was a really good moment for him and for the team. I think that will help his confidence, and will properly settle him into the side, and hopefully he just pushes on from here and does what he needs to do for the team."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/aina-calls-for-consistency/

Tete targets Dutch recall

Kenny Tete is hoping a strong end to the season with Fulham could earn him a recall to the Dutch squad in time for this summer's European Championships.

The 25 year-old has endured an injury hit first year at Craven Cottage after moving from Lyon but has returned to first-team action after a long lay off following a calf injury. Tete has made twelve appearances under Scott Parker and firmly established himself as Fulham's first choice right back – producing an outstanding display on Sunday night as the Whites kept a clean sheet in their win over Everton at Goodison Park.

Playing regular first-team football would help his international credentials and Tete is well known to the new Holland national team manager Frank de Boer, who gave the full back his Ajax debut. Tete told ESPN:

"I haven't spoken to Frank and I'm not thinking about it right now. I'm happy to play. You secretly hope, of course, but first go and play football and then it will come naturally."

"Of course I hope so, I wouldn't want anything else. I am happy to be with Fulham, to play weekly and to develop. If I can join then I'm ready. I can't wait actually."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/tete-targets-dutch-recall/

No six-pointers in Sean Dyche's world, as Burnley prepare to host Fulham
Burnley's game at home to Fulham on Wednesday night will no doubt be seen as a 'six-pointer' by many.

But for Sean Dyche, it's just one of 38 Premier League games - the Clarets' season will not be defined by it.

Burnley sit eight points clear of the Cottagers, with 15 games to play, with Scott Parker's side having picked up only a third win of the campaign at Everton on Sunday evening.

A win could essentially secure survival for the Clarets, especially with a further three points at home to next-bottom West Brom on Saturday.

Equally, a Fulham win would draw Brighton, Burnley and Newcastle into range for the Cottagers, as they look to mount a great escape.

It remains to be seen whether Fulham treat it as a must-win game, and go for Burnley from the off, but Dyche isn't one for 'targeting' games, knowing every point is vital along the way - and that his side have shown they can get results against anyone, having won at Arsenal and Liverpool.

Dyche said: "We'll have to see if it works out like that. But my feelings on not targeting games is that I can't talk about the need for consistency, and then only apply it to certain games.

"My way of looking at is that we should be up for every game. We should be well-organised and ready to deliver every time.

"If that mindset is right over the course of a season, then you're ready to take on any team.

"I believe we are organised, we're fit, we have a strong mentality towards performing as well as we can, and we have a fair amount of technical quality as well.

"On the training ground I stress the need for those things every time, so I don't think I can then talk about the need to target certain opponents.

"I want to see them perform at a high level all the time."

While Dyche will be eager to keep Fulham at arm's length, he also knows a win would move Burnley level on points with Southampton, in 13th, and Crystal Palace in 14th: "It's not just about us. There are a few teams around that 25-29 points mark – five in all – so they won't just be thinking about catching us.

"But yes, I can assure you they (Fulham) will be looking to win games. They're out to win as many as they can.

"The win over Everton was their third and realistically, over the course of a season – unless you are getting loads and loads of draws – you are looking for a minimum of 10 wins to have a decent chance of staying up.

"But I'm sure Scott Parker won't just have been saying we need to get wins against the teams around us, and they've shown that with a very good victory at Everton. We're the same – we'll take wins wherever we can get them.

"When we've been playing catch up, it hasn't been a case of us shifting our focus, because I always expect a lot from my players, whatever the circumstances.

"As much as you're aware of the situation, I can't remember making too many changes in how we go about things.

"Our job is to be clear-minded about what we want to achieve, and to be ready to go out and deliver performances."



https://www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/no-six-pointers-sean-dyches-world-burnley-prepare-host-fulham-3136794

Maja may stay even if Fulham go down, says Parker

Scott Parker says Josh Maja is likely to make his move to Fulham a permanent switch even if the Whites make an instant return to the Championship.

Maja, who scored both goals in Sunday's 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on his full debut, moved to Craven Cottage on loan from French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux – one of seven players who featured in that match who are on temporary deals.

But unlike Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ola Aina, Alphonse Areola, Joachim Andersen, Ademola Lookman and Mario Lemina, who Parker said will all return to their parent clubs if Fulham go down, an agreement is tentatively in place to sign former Sunderland forward Maja.

"I'm not sure with Josh," said head coach Parker.

"The deal is a little bit different there. I think we do have an option on that.

"That will come down to where we see that as a football club and also Josh, probably.

"Certainly Josh was someone we liked, I liked, and that was why we put that into the deal.

"We'll cross that bridge nearer the time."

Despite Maja's dream start to his Craven Cottage career, Parker believes he may have to use the 22-year-old sparingly after he was forced to come off after 73 minutes with a tight calf muscle.

"Maybe, that will be the case," he said.

"He didn't play a lot of football (before signing).

"He was stretching his calf which is why we brought him off at the weekend.

"He seems a very fit boy, condition-wise, credit to him, that's the work he must have done even though he has not been playing (at Bordeaux).

"It is something we will need to keep an eye on."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/maja-may-stay-even-if-fulham-go-down-says-parker

Scott Parker admits Fulham may have to manage the fitness of striker Josh Maja

Scott Parker said Fulham may have to manage the fitness of new signing Josh Maja ahead of their trip to Burnley on Wednesday.

The former Sunderland striker scored twice on his full Fulham debut following his deadline-day loan move from Bordeaux to end his side's run of 12 matches without victory at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Maja's goals, both poacher's efforts from close range, marked only the second time Fulham have found the net more than once in the Premier League since November.

However, the 22-year-old was substituted in the first minute of added time at the end of the game, but Parker said he was brought off as a precaution.

"Maybe, maybe that will be the case (that we have to manage him)," Parker said.

"He didn't play a lot of football (before signing). He was stretching his calf which is why we brought him off at the weekend.

"In the squad where we are, that is fine. We may have to manage him. He seems a very fit boy.

"Condition-wise, credit to him, that's the work he must have done even though he has not been playing. It is something we will need to keep an eye on."

Maja had not played since January 9 when he moved to Craven Cottage but has already hit the ground running at his new club.

Despite Fulham recording their first win ever in the league at Goodison Park on Sunday, Parker says he expects Burnley to be a massive challenge.

"I don't think the issue is repeating the performance from Everton, I think it is repeating the result," the Fulham boss said after the club recorded only their third league victory of the season.

"The performance has been there a million per cent. There has been a big thing that we have not managed to put the ball in the net, but the performances have certainly been there.

"Now it is the result, and I think we need to understand that the feeling amongst the group, is that it is just part of what we want to do this season. We can't get too carried away, of course, you can build on that.

"What is now important is the next game. This is a tough week we have, we said at the start before Everton, knew what we faced and I wanted us to be very professional, very clear, laser-focused in what we are doing.

"Everton is done, we got a result, perfect, now is another massive challenge, Burnley, and we move on and we go from there."



https://www.newschainonline.com/sport/mens-sport/football/scott-parker-admits-fulham-may-have-manage-fitness-striker-josh-maja-99475

Premier League relegation battle set to be cliffhanger

LONDON

The Premier League title may be Manchester City's to lose but down at the bottom the relegation battle looks set to go to the wire.

The dogfight to avoid the drop has serious financial consequences.

Clubs dropping out of the elite take an immediate £60 million ($84 million). Although they receive a £40 million parachute payment when they drop into the Championship, it falls well short of the £100 million Premier League clubs receive each year.

The relegated club's losses in revenue can reach as much as £70-80 million once sponsorship deals and fans coming through the turnstiles in normal non-coronavirus times are taken into account.

Third-from-bottom Fulham look the only side of those in the relegation places capable of escaping the drop.

Newcastle's 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Monday makes them favorites to replace Fulham if the latter can extricate themselves from the relegation spots.

A fine 2-0 away to high-flying Everton on Sunday showed Fulham have both the fight in them and the quality to do so.

The bottom two, though, are floundering.

Sam Allardyce's record of being the fireman clubs turn to save them from relegation looks set to be spoiled with his West Brom side 12 points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Newcastle, two months after he replaced Slaven Bilic.

Sheffield United, who had mounted a mini-revival albeit from a very low starting point, are 14 points off safety with 14 games remaining after they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to West Ham on Monday.

"It is a massive step back," conceded United manager Chris Wilder.

Fulham, though, could be breathing down the neck of Newcastle when the Magpies travel to Manchester United on Sunday.

The London club can move to within a point of Newcastle if they beat Burnley on Wednesday and Sheffield United on Saturday.

The likelihood of Newcastle coming away with anything from Old Trafford is improbable given they have lost six of their last seven away matches.

Fulham's win over Everton -- their first in 12 games -- may have come as a surprise to many, but not to their young manager Scott Parker.

"This is a confident team," said the 40-year-old former England midfielder. "You don't play football like we play football, these players don't move the ball like they move the ball, if they didn't have confidence."

Fulham's biggest problem has been failing to convert draws into victories -- they have finished all square in nine of their 23 matches this term.

"I don't really concentrate on the league table and what teams are doing around us," said Parker. "Our sole focus is to come in every day and improve. We need to win matches, I know that. We've drawn a lot of games."

West Brom are the only one of the strugglers to have replaced their manager this season.

Parker even got away with boldly criticizing vice-chairman Tony Khan's apology to fans via Twitter for the team's performance in a 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa last September.

It appears Steve Bruce too enjoys the confidence of unpopular Newcastle owner Mike Ashley. Bruce believes too much of the focus on who might drop into the bottom three is on Newcastle.

"There are that many teams involved, it has been an unbelievable year," said Bruce. "Everyone is making a fist of it down below and there are six, seven teams looking over their shoulder."

Bruce may be a touch optimistic when he refers to half a dozen teams nervously looking over their shoulders.

One of them, Southampton, are on a club record losing streak of six successive league matches, including a 9-0 humiliation against Manchester United, but are still 11 points better off than Fulham.

Which leaves Newcastle as the hare being chased by the Fulham fox.

Bruce though believes his side will not be caught.

"If we continue like we have done recently we will be OK," he said.



https://japantoday.com/category/sports/who's-for-the-drop-premier-league-relegation-battle-set-to-be-cliffhanger

Parker prepared to manage Maja's fitness

Scott Parker is prepared to manage the fitness of new Fulham forward Josh Maja – but revealed that his decision to substitute the goalscoring hero at Everton on Sunday was a precaution rather than a reaction to an injury.

The Fulham boss has been delighted with Maja's start to life with the Whites after moving to Craven Cottage on loan from Bordeaux on transfer deadline day. Maja grabbed both goals as the Cottagers recorded a first ever league win at Goodison Park last weekend and was replaced by Ivan Cavaleiro in the closing stages of that tie after reporting soreness in his calf.

Parker told his pre-match press conference before tomorrow night's trip to Burnley:

"He didn't play a lot of football [recently at Bordeaux]. He was stretching his calf which is why we brought him off at the weekend. n the squad where we are, that is fine. We may have to manage him. He seems a very fit boy. Condition-wise, credit to him, that's the work he must have done even though he has not been playing. It is something we will need to keep an eye on."

Parker wants his side to use the excellent display at Everton as a yardstick for the remainder of the campaign and he knows that the Clarets will represent a serious challenge as Fulham look to find the consistency necessary to cling onto a place in the Premier League.

"I don't think the issue is repeating the performance from Everton, I think it is repeating the result. The performance has been there a million per cent. There has been a big thing that we have not managed to put the ball in the net, but the performances have certainly been there.

"Now it is the result, and I think we need to understand that the feeling amongst the group, is that it is just part of what we want to do this season. We can't get too carried away, of course, you can build on that. What is now important is the next game. This is a tough week we have, we said at the start before Everton, knew what we faced and I wanted us to be very professional, very clear, laser-focused in what we are doing. Everton is done, we got a result, perfect, now is another massive challenge, Burnley, and we move on and we go from there."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/parker-prepared-to-manage-majas-fitness/

Why Liverpool had to pay world record fee for Harvey Elliott despite Fulham objections

Nick De Marco QC had been representing Fulham at the tribunal last week as Liverpool were ordered to pay a world record fee for Harvey Elliott

One of the lawyers to represent Fulham at the tribunal hearing to determine the fee Liverpool should pay for Harvey Elliott has explained the reasons behind the record fee.

When Elliott decided to leave the Cottagers for Anfield in the summer of 2019 he had yet to sign a professional deal, instead taking the opportunity to take up a scholarship with the Reds before penning his first pro contract last year when he turned 17.

Fulham were entitled to training compensation for the talented teen, who became the youngest player to appear in the Premier League when he came off the bench for the London side at the age of 16 years and 30 days. Quite how much training compensation was to be paid out was a contentious issue.

Liverpool believed that the appropriate settlement for Elliott, who had been with Fulham since he was 13 years old, was around the £750,000 mark. For Fulham, their thoughts were that someone of Elliott's potential and someone who had been handed a debut in the Premier League was worth 10 times that amount.

The two clubs were miles apart in their stance and with no common ground that could be reached the only alternative was a tribunal hearing in front of the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), an ad hoc group of four or five individuals from within the football industry who review the submissions from clubs and make their decisions on valuations based on a number of criteria.

The age of the player, status of both clubs, length of time at the club, fees paid upon registration, the terms on which the player was engaged, international caps, first team appearances and interest from other clubs - at the time Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain - are all taken into account.

The outcome returned was one that saw Liverpool landed with a fee of up to £4.3m for Elliott, currently enjoying a successful loan spell in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers. That level of compensation sets a new world record for a 16-year-old player.

While Fulham boss Scott Parker may have been unhappy at the level of compensation, branding it 'madness', Fulham have declared themselves pleased with the decision, something backed up by the man who helped present their case to the PFCC, renowned sports lawyer Nick De Marco QC, described as the 'Lionel Messi of sports law'.

"Fulham were very happy with the outcome and that's what matters, they were the client," explained De Marco when speaking on the Price of Football podcast with football finance expert and University of Liverpool lecturer Kieran Maguire.

"It was a record-breaking award for a 16-year-old player who had never signed a professional contract and obviously that meant Harvey Elliott was allowed to leave Fulham and join Liverpool without any transfer fee being paid because he was not a contracted player.

"But Harvey Elliott is an exceptional player. He had been the youngest player to ever play in the Premier League and this season when he has been on loan to Blackburn he is the joint highest in terms of assists in the Championship, and that is for a 17-year-old player who is playing in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.

"The reason why this sort of training compensation is important is that clubs like Fulham invest millions in academies. Fulham has a very good Category One academy that produced the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and others before Harvey Elliott.

"When you put in millions and train 40 people or so per year then you are doing well if you get one star out of that cohort. If that one star leaves and you don't get any money at all for that star then why are you going to keep on investing millions in training those 40 players each year? It is for the benefit of the game that you have proportionate compensation and that does depend on the type of player that's moving."

While the tribunal reached a satisfactory outcome for Fulham, De Marco says that heading to tribunal is always a last resort.

"Often it does (represent a failure of negotiation)," explained De Marco, who was joined by colleague Ravi Mehta in presenting Fulham's case.

"Despite appearances I can tell you that I rarely encourage my clients to go to court or arbitration and tell them that it's very risky, very costly, takes a lot of time, however strong you think your case is things can go wrong, and if there is a way of dealing with it commercially or by a deal with the regulator in some way then you should explore that as it is a much better use of your time and money than paying lawyers.

"That is usually my advice and it is only really when it is impossible do you have to go on and fight."



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-pay-world-record-fee-19839953

Scott Parker: Fulham can't rely on Josh Maja goals alone to secure Premier League survival

(https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/02/17/08/newFile.jpg?width=990&auto=webp&quality=75)

Scott Parker has warned Fulham cannot put too much pressure on new signing Josh Maja to keep them up.

Maja scored two goals to fire Fulham to a 2-0 win at Everton on Sunday and give them a glimmer of hope in their fight to avoid relegation.

The striker, who signed on loan from Bordeaux last month, has brought the firepower that Fulham have missed this season but Parker says they cannot rely on him alone.

The Cottagers travel to Burnley on Wednesday knowing a win will take them to within four points of safety.

Parker said: "What a way to start, his Premier League debut for us, to score two goals and for us to win the game, it was pretty special for him really. I am really conscious that I do not want to put a lot on the shoulders of someone so young.

"But I have been very impressed in the short space of time that I have been working with Josh. Hopefully that can continue.

"He has come into a young group, an energetic, upbeat group of players, and he has fitted in very well. He wants to learn, he is a player who wants to get better and that is vitally important when you come into where we are.

"There is a lot on him, like any forward at this club. The hardest job is putting the ball in the net and pressure comes with that, but I am sure he will take that in his stride."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-scott-parker-josh-maja-goals-premier-league-survival-b920071.html

Parker felt 'forced' to put Kongolo on bench because of lack of options

Fulham were forced into naming Terence Kongolo as a substitute against Everton because the squad was short of numbers, Scott Parker says.

Parker admitted putting the Netherlands international on the Goodison Park pitch would have been the last resort, especially as the injury-ravaged defender has played only 67 minutes since breaking a foot more than a year ago.

The head coach said: 'To be honest with you, I was a bit forced in that sense.

"Joe Bryan picked up an injury and Terence has been with us (in training) for one week now.

"He wouldn't have been in that position if it wasn't because of the injuries we had.

"He needs some football and he needs some games in the Under-23s, so maybe there will be an option for him to play some games there."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-wls-parker-felt-forced-to-put-kongolo-on-bench

Burnley attack selects itself but Sean Dyche faces defensive dilemma ahead of Fulham contest

Burnley entertain Fulham at Turf Moor in a pivotal Premier League fixture

Sean Dyche is set to make at least one change for Burnley's Premier League clash against Fulham with captain Ben Mee to miss this evening's contest, abiding concussion protocol.

Mee's absence means Kevin Long is the likely candidate to step-up in his replacement, having played the final stages of the Clarets' 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace alongside James Tarkowski at the weekend.

In an ideal world Dyche would have retained the same starting XI from their triumphant exploits at Selhurst Park, with Burnley producing an engaged, vibrant performance that fully warranted a comprehensive victory.

Key to that victory was the energy and vigour from the midfield, with the returning Ashley Westwood and Jack Cork relentlessly pressing, tackling and supporting the forwards while the wide men of Dwight McNeil and Johann Berg Gudmundsson were equally supportive of their full-backs as they were with their attacking endeavour.

Dyche is expected to stick with the midfield four, with the likes of Dale Stephens and Robbie Brady - who made his first appearance since the Chelsea defeat on Saturday - options from the bench.

Options are limited in attack but after their flourishing partnership on Saturday, there is no concern over Ashley Barnes and Jay Rodriguez keeping their places as the striking duo. Rodriguez's confidence rocketed in the aftermath of his goal while Barnes was a persistent menace to Scott Dann and Cheikhou Kouyate, and Dyche will be hoping for more of the same.

The Clarets boss does face a decision at left-back, however, as Erik Pieters departed from the contest prematurely on Saturday with a groin injury but Charlie Taylor is back in contention after returning to first-team training.

Predicted Burnley XI: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Long, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Barnes, Rodriguez



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/burnley-predicted-lineup-fulham-fixture-19853522

Fan Survey 2021 – Your Club Needs You

A huge thank you to all those who have already taken part in the Fulham Supporters' Trust annual survey. As usual there has been a fantastic response.

If you haven't made your views known yet, don't worry. There's still time to participate and it only takes 10 minutes to complete, with the added bonus of entering the ballot to win a signed shirt.


https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2021/02/fan-survey-2021-your-club-needs-you/

Nigerian Goals Out of Europe - Moffi, Maja Grab Braces

Moffi and Maja will have caught Gernot Rohr's attention with braces for their clubs in much needed league wins

Moffi courts Rohr's attention with his brace

Terem Moffi is grabbing the right headlines for Lorient in the French Ligue 1 and his brace on Sunday, away to Monaco at the Stade Louis II, gave him a place in the Ligue 1 team of the week.

Moffi, 21, scored the opener in the seventh minute from the penalty spot and completed his brace on 62 minutes to give relegation-threatened Lorient the lead again before Wissam Ben Yedder pulled Monaco level in the third minute of added-on time.

He has now scored eight league goals in 18 appearances after last summer's move from Belgian side, Kortrijk.

Lorient stay 17th-just a point above 18th-placed Nantes. Lorient will need more goals from their young Nigerian to keep their Ligue 1 status.

Maja scores brace on full Fulham debut

Josh Maja made it happen for Fulham on Sunday as his brace on full debt for the London side ensured a first win for Scott Parker since November 30 when they beat Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Maja started in place of Alexander Mitrovic and Ivan Cavaleiro, and the 22-year-old grabbed his chance with two well-taken goals in the second half.

As per whoscored, Maja despite his 73 minutes, was the match's best performer with a score rating of 7.8. He had three shots and a 94% success pass rate. In just 84 minutes, across two matches, Maja has matched the goal tally of Mitrovic, and just one behind Ademola Lookman and Cavaleiro's tally of three league goals.

Fulham remain 18th but are now upwardly mobile with 18 points from 23 matches.

Simon scores for relegation-threatened Nantes

Moses Simon was thrust forward for Nantes in a 4-4-2 formation away to Angers last Sunday at the Stade Raymond-Kopa and he responded with the first goal in a 3-1 win.

The win was the first for relegation-threatened Nantes since November 8, when they beat Lorient 2-0 away from home.

Nantes are 18th on the 20-team league table and have 22 points from 25 matches.

It was Simon's third league goal of the season after making 20 appearances.

Sekidika announces Konyaspor arrival with a goal

Jesse Sekidika is getting the taste for goals after scoring his second league goal for new club, Konyaspor, whom he joined in the January transfer window from Galatasaray.

The 24-year-old scored his first Super Lig goal for Galatasaray against Denizlispor on January 20, and he repeated the feat against the same club on Sunday in a 2-0 win.

Sekidika started the encounter and scored in the 80th minute with a tap in and was substituted with two minutes left on the clock.

He has scored two goals in nine league appearances this season as Konyaspor remain in 13th place with 27 points from 23 matches in the 21-team league.



https://allafrica.com/stories/202102160629.html

Burnley forward Jay Rodriguez hoping to hit a century against Fulham
Sean Dyche has praised Jay Rodriguez's mental and physical strength as the Clarets striker goes in search of his 100th league goal against Fulham tonight.

Rodriguez's first career goal came against the Cottagers, as Championship Burnley upset their Premier League visitors in the Carling Cup in September 2008, and his header at Crystal Palace on Saturday was his 127th in all competitions.

While the one-cap England international has three goals in all competitions this season, having netted twice against Fulham in a 3-0 win in the FA Cup last month, the goal at Selhurst Park was his first in the Premier League in 22 appearances - the worst drought of his career.

The 31-year-old had come in for criticism after missing from close range in the FA Cup exit against Bournemouth last week, and Dyche was delighted to see him bounce back by not only gettong on the scoresheet, but producing an impressive all-round performance: "He's had a couple of injuries, people forget he had a few weeks out, but we know what he's about Jay, he's been slightly off-mark a little bit in recent weeks but came to life again.

"That's because of his experience and his demand on himself.

"He's quite an unassuming lad, but there is an inner toughness to him mentally and physically.

"He's got a good demand on himself to do the right things.

"I just thought him and Barnesy, for different reasons on Saturday were excellent, Jay with his constant threat with his pace, his running in behind and some of his hold up play, and Barnesy because he's an awkward customer.

"When you get that combination of two strikers, it can be very, very effective.

"You're looking for that consistency of performance, how they can deliver that as many times as possible over a season, but I was very pleased - there were so many good performances to be honest.

"I appreciate people were saying Palace had a quiet day, and that can happen, but I thought our performance was very good."



https://www.pendletoday.co.uk/sport/football/burnley-forward-jay-rodriguez-hoping-hit-century-against-fulham-3137380

"I had a hard time" – Fulham player details 'painful' moment when he realised 'it was over' with Cottagers

Royal Antwerp were successful in taking Maxime Le Marchand away from Fulham late in the winter market.

The Belgian side signed the 31-year-old on a loan deal after failing to land him in the summer.

Le Marchand, who can operate as a centre-back or left-back, arrived at Craven Cottage from Nice in 2018.

After featuring regularly in his debut season in England, the versatile player was sidelined with a back injury for most of last season. This made it difficult for him to have regular opportunities in the Championship.

"The Premier League was a dream come true. But I knew it would not be easy. In my first season I played a lot, but we had three different managers," Le Marchand told Gazet van Antwerpen.

"We were relegated and afterwards I had a hard time because I had some injuries. We did achieve promotion again, but my contribution was no longer great. Still, I learned a lot at Fulham. I got tougher there."

The Frenchman made four appearances for Scott Parker's side this season and his last outing was against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2020.

When explaining why he didn't consider a move to Royal Antwerp last summer, he said: "Then I wanted to recapture my starting place in the Premier League. But after the board got two more defenders at the very last moment, it was over."

According to Gazet van Antwerpen, Fulham's decision to bring in new players late in the summer was 'painful' for Le Marchand and that's when he realised "it was over" for him at Craven Cottage.

The former Rennes man detailed what convinced him to join Royal Antwerp after he failed to get a move to France in the winter market.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/i-had-hard-time-fulham-player-details-painful-moment-when-he-realised-it-was-over-with-cottagers/

'Slender win' - Michael Owen gives Burnley vs Fulham score prediction and verdict

Burnley host Fulham tonight in the first of two Premier League matches - with Everton taking on Manchester City later on

Burnley are back in Premier League action this evening with Fulham the visitors to Turf Moor.

The Clarets head into encounter on the back of an emphatic 3-0 win on the road against Crystal Palace.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Jay Rodriguez and Matthew Lowton were the scorers at Selhurst Park.

And Sean Dyche's side will be aiming to build on that impressive result by making it back-to-back wins in the top flight.

Burnley sit 16th in the table at present - eight points ahead of the Cottagers.

Scott Parker's side too go into the game on the back of a huge win, having beaten Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park at the weekend - thanks to a Josh Maja double.

Ahead of the clash, ex-England striker Michael Owen has given his score prediction and thoughts on how he sees the game going.

Writing in his BetVictor column, Owen said: 'Fulham travel to Burnley fresh from a fantastic win on the road against Everton.

'It was an afternoon where everything seemed to come together for the Cottagers, and another three points here would certainly make it more interesting down at the bottom.

'That said, Burnley will offer a whole different challenge. As ever, I expect the hosts to be well organised and think they'll play a patient game.

'As much as Fulham impressed me last weekend, I think this Burnley team have enough doggedness about them to carve out a slender win.

Owen's prediction: 1-0.



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/burnley-vs-fulham-score-prediction-19855672

Burnley v Fulham


TEAM NEWS

Burnley captain Ben Mee has been ruled out because of the concussion he suffered against Crystal Palace.

"It is a precautionary timescale of six days," said manager Sean Dyche. "He is fine and he has been ever since but we have to go with the medical protocols."

Erik Pieters, Dale Stephens, Matej Vydra and Chris Wood are injury doubts, but Charlie Taylor should be fit.

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is self-isolating, while Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo remain sidelined.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

    Burnley are unbeaten in the past 30 home meetings in all competitions, winning 25 and drawing five - it's their longest such run against a single opponent. They last lost this fixture in April 1951.
    Fulham could set an unwanted club record of 31 competitive matches without an away win against the same opponent. They were also winless in 30 visits to Liverpool between 1934 and 2011.
    Burnley beat the Cottagers 3-0 at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup fourth round last month.

Burnley

    The Clarets can win consecutive Premier League fixtures for only the second time in 2020-21.
    The three goals Burnley scored against Crystal Palace on Saturday make up 18% of their league tally this season.
    Their total of 17 league goals is the lowest by any club in England's top four divisions in the current campaign.
    There have been just 22 goals scored at Turf Moor this season, the fewest at any top-flight ground.
    Burnley have won just one of their past seven league matches against promoted sides. This season they have drawn 0-0 with West Brom and lost 1-0 to Leeds.

Fulham

    Fulham are looking to win back-to-back away games in the same Premier League season for the first time since May 2011.
    The Cottagers could equal their top-flight club record of six successive away fixtures without defeat.
    Scott Parker's side are unbeaten in all six league matches this season against other teams currently in the bottom six of the table, albeit five of those were drawn.
    Their solitary victory in 18 Premier League away fixtures played on a Wednesday was 1-0 at Derby County in January 2002.
    Fulham have earned 61% of their points this season in away games. It's the division's third highest percentage, behind Everton and Brighton.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55456854

Scott Parker confirms Fulham's Josh Maja had a calf problem vs Everton

Burnley vs Fulham

Burnley and Fulham are set to face off later today in a Premier League clash.

The tie is a big one for both sides and could have huge ramifications on this season's title picture.

The Cottagers head into the game 18th in the Premier League table, seven points adrift of 17th place Newcastle, with Wednesday's tie their game in hand on the Magpies.

As for Burnley, they are actually just one point above Newcastle, meaning a loss against Fulham could very well drag them back into a relegation scrap.

Scott Parker provides Josh Maja update

Fulham's last outing before Burnley saw them earn a huge win over Europe-chasing Everton.

Josh Maja, on loan from Bordeaux, netted twice in said tie to earn his new club a huge three points.

As a result, Fulham fans will no doubt be desperate for their new hitman to start again on Wednesday.

However, when speaking pre-Burnley, Scott Parker confirmed that Maja had a calf issue vs the Toffees, which was why he was brought off.

Parker was asked if Maja's match load may need to be managed, to which he stated:

"Maybe that will be the case."

"He didn't play a lot (before signing). He was stretching his calf which is why we brought him off. We may have to manage him. He seems very fit. Condition-wise, credit to him, that's the work he must have done despite not playing. It is something we will need to keep an eye on."

#FFC striker news from earlier. Parker doesn't think Mitrovic will be available until after Sheff Utd. Maja meanwhile was icing his calf after Everton -- Parker when asked if his matchload may need to be managed: "Maybe that will be the case."

— Peter Rutzler (@peterrutzler) February 16, 2021

https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/scott-parker-confirms-fulhams-josh-maja-had-a-calf-problem-vs-everton/

Our top 5 cursed grounds
In his debut piece, Jack Stroudley looks at our most barren away trips.

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The thought of heading to Goodison Park always prompts a collective groan from Fulham fans. It's a ground not within walking distance of a mainline train station, with a lack of away pubs, on top of the inevitable defeat that has plagued us for years.

But after our remarkable 2-0 victory, our long wait for a win at Everton is over. So, looking around at other clubs, where else do we struggle to pick up results? The places that aren't spoke about as much but seem to be cursed for us? I've gone through the current 92 professional league clubs and worked out where Fulham have the most torrid time (league games only) – and they're all in the Premier League.

5) West Ham- 11 visits since out last league win
A short trip to East London and we find ourselves at the home of West Ham. Despite not being too far for fans to go, it's not been the best place to visit as a Fulham fan. While we haven't yet had our first win at the Olympic Stadium you'd have to go back 11 visits to November 2001 in order find our last league win away at the Hammers, then at Upton Park. A 2-0 victory with goals from Sylvain Legwinski and Steed Malbranque moved us up to 11th, a position I'm sure we'd all love to be in right now!

4) Chelsea- 17 visits since our last league win
It pains me to put them on this list, but sadly heading to Fulham Broadway FC has never been a particular enjoyable experience for the real team in Fulham. It's been 17 games to be exact since the last time we picked up a win at Stamford Bridge, coming off 2-0 winners way back in 1979, with goals from John Beck and Gordon Davies. Sadly in the 42 years that have passed we've never managed to come up trumps down the road. But still, at least we don't support them!

3) Southampton- 20 visits since our last league win
This one came as a bit of shock to me when doing research but we've had a really rancid time heading down the south coast, first to the Dell, and more recently to St Mary's Stadium. You'd have to head back a whopping 86 years to 1935 when we last picked up three points there. We won that day 2-1 in the old English Second Division. It's also worth noting that this is Fulham's only ever league victory at Southampton, and since then we've drawn six and lost 14. At least we have a chance to make it two wins come May.

2) Burnley- 27 visits since our last league win
Unlike Jordan North, Turf Moor has certainly not been a happy place for Fulham. A long journey up the Lancashire is usually met with defeat, most recently in a game where we scored all three goals but lost 2-1, which just shows the luck (or lack of) we have at this ground. In terms of our last win at Turf Moor, we're heading back 70 years to 1951, where we won 2-0 in the old English First Division with Bob Thomas scoring both goals for the Whites. In that time we've picked up a measly five points on the long trip up north. We play them tonight of course, and with Ben Mee confirmed to be out for the game, can we finally end our horrid run here?

1) Arsenal- 28 visits since our last league win
We haven't got to travel too far to find our worst performing ground in the country. Whether it's The Manor Ground, Highbury or The Emirates Stadium, we've never had a good time playing our London rivals. I'd love to give you a date to how long it's been since our last win at Arsenal, but I can't – we've never won there! We've played Arsenal 28 times in the league away from home and have never came away with three points. In fact, we've only picked up five points there in our entire club history. It's truly been a miserable place to go to, but fortunately we don't have to suffer it in the flesh this season when we face them in April – which means we'll probably snatch a surprise win.

Lookman's panenka means our miserable run at West Ham continues, but we still have the chance to knock four of these grounds off our list this season, starting tonight at Turf Moor. And if we pull off more than a few surprises, Premier League survival could well be the reward.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-02-17-our-top-5-cursed-grounds/

Report: Fulham signed 'incredible' player for 30x less than his original asking price

Fulham's patient approach to signing Joachim Andersen on loan saved them over £25 million, according to the Telegraph.

They report that until 36 hours before the summer's transfer deadline, they were told the only way they could sign him was by paying 30 million euros (£26.1 million).

But they held their nerve and eventually loaned him in for 1 million euros (around £872,000).

There is another payment of the same amount due if Fulham survive. But as it stands, Fulham have landed the defender for 30 times less than what they were quoted originally.

The report outlines that Scott Parker has been thrilled with his 'incredible' impact on the Fulham backline.

The fact he was made stand-in captain after just four games at Craven Cottage is testament to that.

The report also outlines that a bid of around £25 million from Villarreal was rejected for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

There was a belief that he would ultimately come good, and Fulham feel that he has.

There was frustration among some fans that it took so long to get Andersen signed.

But it's clear from the vast reduction in the asking price that patience paid off in this instance.

And he hasn't shown any adverse effects so far from a lack of pre-season or time to get familiar with his teammates.



https://www.thefocus.news/football/report-fulham-signed-incredible-player-for-30x-less-than-his-original-asking-price/

Burnley vs Fulham: 17/02/2021 – match preview and predicted starting XIs

Burnley vs Fulham

Date: 17/02/2021

K/O: 18:00

Venue: Turf Moor

Referee: Jonathan Moss

TV: Sky Sports

Fulham travel to Turf Moor this Wednesday off the back of an impressive victory over Everton. They never looked like they would lose the game against the high flying Merseyside team, with Josh Maja scoring twice on his first Premier League start. His goals could be vital for the South Londoner's survival, though it will be a big ask from the inexperienced and young striker.

Fulham are currently as close to the bottom of the league as they are to survival this season. They currently find themselves eight points behind Wednesday's hosts, with this fixture likely to be the most important match of the club's season thus far. A win sees them go within four points of safety, with bottom side Sheffield United next on the club's fixture list. There could be hope for Fulham yet.

As for Burnley, they themselves enter this fixture off the back of an impressive 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Just like Fulham, this is a very important game for the Clarets who can climb  into 14th in the league and eleven points away from the relegation zone.

Burnley surprised me in the previous fixture as they exposed a fragile Palace defence. They were ruthless in the first half, with the game seemingly won within ten minutes. However, they won't find Fulham so willing to make life easy. Scott Parker has turned his side into a well organised defensive unit, who have become very difficult to beat. Only a handful of teams have conceded less than Fulham in the last ten games, at which time they've only lost three. On paper, this game should scream 0-0, two sides who may be cautious in throwing too many bodies forward. But with Fulham needing the points, you can expect them to come with a real attacking intent, something the host may be able to exploit, just as they did on the weekend.

Team News

Burnley

Club captain Ben Mee has been ruled out for the visit of Fulham due to a concussion suffered in the win over Palace. Sean Dyche has reported that the defender is fine, but will miss the game due to the Premier League's concussion protocols. Erik Pieters was another player who left the field of play injured against Palace on the weekend, who is a doubt for this fixture.

Matej Vydra, who missed the last fixture, will be back in contention, but it's still too soon for Charlie Taylor and Chris Wood. Though it's an important fixture for the Clarets, Sean Dyche has stated he will not risk rushing players back into contention. Phil Bardsley and Kevin Long will be the obvious replacements for Pieters and Mee, who were their replacements against Palace. I predict no other changes made by the Clarets. 

Fulham

Aleksander Mitrovic is still unavailable due to a positive COVID test and is the only noticeable absentee for Fulham. This will more than likely see Josh Maja keep his place in the starting XI. Scott Parker may have some concerns about putting too much pressure on the young striker's shoulders. But he certainly impressed in the win against Everton, replicating his scoring prowess shown in the Sunderland Till I Die documentary.

Parker has been shuffling the pack in recent weeks, changing formation in the previous three fixtures. They were brilliant against Everton on the weekend, well balanced in both attack and defence. So on this occasion, the manager may opt for an, "if it's not broke, don't fix it" approach. However, past experiences would suggest otherwise.

Predicted Starting XIs

Burnley (4-4-2): Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Long, Bardsley; Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Barnes, Vydra

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Tete, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Anguissa, Reed; Reid, Loftus-Cheek, Lookman; Maja

Score Prediction: Burnley 0-1 Fulham

For all the praise I've expressed for Fulham after their recent victory, this was their only win from the previous thirteen league matches. They've lacked a cutting edge in attack this season, something Mitrovic has been unable to replicate from recent years. Lookman will have excited the fans during his time at the club, but he's another player who lacks a cutting edge on a consistent basis to keep Fulham in the league. Step in Josh Maja. It may be too soon to dub the young striker the club's saviour, but he's an out and out striker which they've lacked at times this season. They now have a focal point in attack, someone who has the awareness to be in the right place at the right time, just as his goals showed on the weekend. Because of this, I can see the visitors snatching the win against Burnley. I envisage this to be a close match, with few clear cut chances given to either side. It's who can take these chances, with my money going on the young Josh Maja.



https://90maat.com/burnley-vs-fulham-17-02-2021-match-preview-and-predicted-starting-xis/

'I Played All Of Last Season At LWB' - Fulham's Aina Sheds Light On Role He Played Vs Everton

Ola Aina has revealed that the left wing-back role is not new to him as he was deployed in the same position several times last season at Torino.

The Nigeria international arguably put in his best performance in a Fulham shirt as Scott Parker's team recorded a historic 2-0 win against Everton on Sunday.

Playing as a left-back, Aina found joy down the left flank, and his marauding runs forward helped created chances for the strikers, one of which was converted by Josh Maja two minutes into the second half.

"I played all of last season at left wing-back, so it's a position that I'm familiar with," Aina explained to the official website of Fulham.

"Whatever the team needs, if I can step in somewhere and fill a position, then that's something that I'm happy to do.

"I'd like to add more assists and maybe a few more goals, so it was good to get up and running and finally get an assist this season.

"I was looking for Josh, I was looking for that ball into him, so I'm really happy it came off."

Fulham, who are seven points from safety, face Burnley at Turf Moor this evening, looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time in the Premier League this season.

Igho Kingsley



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=38987

Parker relying on ice baths and a back four in battle to stay up

Ice baths have a "big part" to play as Fulham look to get back-to-back wins when they face Burnley on Wednesday night.

The Whites secured a vital three points against Everton on Sunday, but are back in action just 72 hours later.

Mario Lemina limped off seconds before the end feeling the strain of a big performance at Goodison Park, while scorer Josh Maja needed an ice pack to his calf.

Head coach Scott Parker explained: "Yesterday (Monday) was recovery so Tuesday was preparation before we fly out  for the game.

"We still use ice baths. It's still a big part of our recovery protocol along with other things.

"Straight after games, players get into compression suits and the next day there's a lot of different procedures, medical and that, the club have put it place, but ice baths are still a big part of recovery."

Parker also thinks a back four in defence is the way forward.

His team previously lined up with three centre-backs and two wing-backs, but the new look has found favour with the boss.

"It gets an extra attacker on the pitch," he said.

"We're going into games wanting to win them. That's not to say we were going into games with five not to win. Of course we were.

"But certainly (a four) gives us more flexibility, and we have worked on that for some time now. It's easy for the boys to go back and forth."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/parker-relying-on-ice-baths-and-a-back-four-in-battle-to-stay-up

Fulham Star Out On Loan Lifts Lid On Nice Interest, Sealing Deadline Day Move

Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand has revealed that Royal Antwerp's continued interest in him, the prospect of Europa League football and a talk with coach Franky Vercauteren convinced him to join the Great Old.

Le Marchand joined Belgian top flight club Royal Antwerp from Premier League side Fulham on loan until the end of the season on the final day of the winter transfer window.

Before moving to Belgium, the 31-year-old was heavily linked with a return to former club Lille and the player has now revealed that it became impossible for the transfer to go through, though he felt it was ideal.

Looking back at his deadline day move to Antwerp, Le Marchand explained that he was delighted that the Great Old had continued to follow him, having expressed an interest in him in the summer.

The Frenchman went on pick out Antwerp's continued interest in him, the prospect to play Europa League football and a conversation with coach Franky Vercauteren as the reasons why he decided to join the Belgian club on loan.

"There was interest from France, Nice, for example, wanted me back", Le Marchand told Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad.

"That was ideal because I knew the club, the league and the coach.

"[But] in the end it turned out to be impossible, but luckily Antwerp were still interested.

"On deadline day my agent asked if he could move up a gear and I replied 'Of course!'

"The fact that the club had continued to follow me charmed me.

"There was the Europa League to convince me and the phone call with the coach reassured me.

"He really wanted to add me to his ranks."

Antwerp do not have a purchase option included in their deal with Fulham for Le Marchand but the player is open to extending his stay at the club beyond the summer if things go well.

"[It is a loan deal without a purchase option] but if I feel good here, I can always talk", the Fulham loanee said.

Le Marchand's contract with Fulham runs until the end of the 2021/22 season.



https://insidefutbol.com/2021/02/17/fulham-star-out-on-loan-lifts-lid-on-nice-interest-sealing-deadline-day-move/495082/

We'll take wins wherever we can get them

Scott Parker brings his Fulham team to Turf Moor for the first time as they return to the North West quickly following Sunday's 2-0 win at Everton.

Parker said it has given his squad a big lift. "It brings a massive belief, he said. "I always felt, and I still feel, that belief was never an issue in that sense, because there was a lot of football to be played and we've been very, very competitive. The other night, was there a big difference in performance? Not really. Granted, I thought we played very, very well, but we've played very well over the last run of fourteen games.

"We've had four defeats out of that, and those four defeats came against the top four in the division. We've been very, very competitive, we've played very, very good football. We've been a little bit short, which I think we've all recognised, in terms of that final detail and not being on the right side of that. We were the right side of that at the weekend and we won the game.

"But it's fair to say belief, confidence, is there. You don't perform like we've performed if confidence isn't there, and there's still a lot of football to be played. We now have a massive week of games ahead of us, we go to Burnley on Wednesday, Sheffield United at the weekend, and then Crystal Palace. Like I keep saying, we know what we need to do, we need to win football matches, and we're at that point where we're going into another big week, and there's a big 16 games ahead of us."

It's Burnley first in this run of three games and he admitted to being under no illusions about the size of the challenge his team will face.

"It's a really tough game," he said. "We understand that. What Sean's done there over a period of time has been remarkable. They go into the game with a couple of injures that they've picked up. I think Ben Mee won't be available due to concussion, Pieters came off so I think at this time of the year we're all struggling a little bit in terms of the games and where we are. Like always, it's a massive game for us ahead. We understand the problems that Burnley are going to cause us, and we need to be prepared for it."

He's likely to start again with Josh Maja up front, the player who got a brace on his first start. Parker said of him: "What a way to start, full Premier League debut for us and to score two goals and for us to win the game, it was pretty special for him really. I'm really conscious; I don't want to put a lot on someone so young's shoulders but I've been very impressed in the short space of time I've been working with Josh and hopefully that can continue really.

"He's fitted in very, very well. I think he's come into a young group, a real energetic upbeat group of players and he's fitted in to that bracket very, very well. He's also fitted in, in a short space of time, as one who wants to learn, a player who wants to get better and I think that's vitally important when you come in to where we are and he's made those strides very, very easily."

While fans are looking at tonight as a key game, Sean Dyche continues to work one game at a time and ahead of Fulham's visit he said: "My feelings on not targeting games is that I can't talk about the need for consistency, and then only apply it to certain games. My way of looking at is that we should be up for every game. We should be well organised and ready to deliver every time. If that mindset is right over the course of a season, then you're ready to take on any team.

"I believe we are organised, we're fit, we have a strong mentality towards performing as well as we can, and we have a fair amount of technical quality as well. On the training ground I stress the need for those things every time, so I don't think I can then talk about the need to target certain opponents. I want to see them perform at a high level all the time."

With Burnley looking to move closer to the teams just ahead of us in the table, he added: "It's not just about us. There are a few teams around that 25 to 29 points mark, five in all, so they (Fulham) won't just be thinking about catching us. I can assure you they will be looking to win games. They're out to win as many as they can.

"I'm sure Scott Parker won't just have been saying we need to get wins against the teams around us, and they've shown that with a very good victory at Everton. We're the same, we'll take wins wherever we can get them. When we've been playing catch up, it hasn't been a case of us shifting our focus, because I always expect a lot from my players, whatever the circumstances. Our job is to be clear minded about what we want to achieve, and to be ready to go out and deliver performances."



https://www.uptheclarets.com/well-take-wins-wherever-we-can-get-them

Premier League to show all games live on TV until fans able to return to stadiums

The continued absence of supporters from stadia amid the Covid-19 pandemic means the Premier League will continue to make matches available for fans to watch live in the UK; all matches from January 30 through to the last weekend of February already being shown live in the UK

The Premier League has confirmed all matches will be available to watch live in the UK until fans return to stadiums.

The continued absence of fans from stadia due to the Covid-19 pandemic has seen the Premier League extend its decision to make all games available.

Last month, the Premier League announced all matches from January 30 through to the last weekend of February would be available for fans in the UK to watch live.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Premier League said: "Details of broadcast selections for March and the rearrangement of previously postponed matches will be announced in due course.

"The Premier League and its clubs remain committed to an accessible solution for fans. The UK live broadcast arrangements will be reviewed in consultation with clubs and in line with any decisions made by Government regarding the return of spectators to stadiums."

Free match highlights on Sky Sports digital
It couldn't be simpler: we'll have free-to-watch match highlights of every Premier League game on the Sky Sports website, app, and the Sky Sports YouTube channel shortly after full-time of every fixture.

In addition, Sky subscribers will also be able to enjoy in-game clips from Sky Sports matches in our Digital match blogs.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11685/12220874/premier-league-to-show-all-games-live-on-tv-until-fans-able-to-return-to-stadiums

Mitrovic loves Fulham – how much do we love him back?
Mitrovic has been a shadow of his former self for much of this season – but there is plenty more to come, as Rhys explains.

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Aleksander Mitrovic has been forced into another spell on the sidelines during what has been the worst season of his professional career – and he needs support from Fulham fans more than ever before having delivered when it matters most in the past.

For various reasons, it's not often that a Fulham player has the potential to become a club legend, but Mitrovic represents a golden chance of a true Craven Cottage great that cannot be missed.

Flawless beginnings
The Serbian was crying out for a new spiritual home after his ill-fated time at Newcastle, and in Fulham he found a place he'd be loved.

His 12 goals in 17 Championship loan appearances gave Tom Cairney the tools to send us back to the Premier League, and despite the immediate relegation, his 11 goals that campaign were a rare shining light.

Last time out, Mitrovic was at his clinical best in front of goal. His 26 goals handed him the Golden Boot, a strike every 130 minutes across a gruelling season in which he carried Scott Parker's men over the line.

Recent struggles
Following his brace against Leeds on matchday two in September, Mitrovic has gone 16 league fixtures without a goal, his worst period in a Fulham shirt.

Although it's clear that the attributes of Mitrovic were not best suited to Scott Parker's system of wingbacks and very mobile forwards, the switch to a back four offered a glimpse of hope for the striker, who impressed as a creator with two assists against West Brom.

His positive test for COVID-19 has offered another yet hurdle for the Championship king to overcome, but it's important to remember that Mitro isn't going nowhere anytime soon.

Still only 26, the Serbian has now made 120 appearances for the Fulham and scored 52 goals, as well as being the key player in two separate promotions to the Premier League.

With three full seasons remaining on his current contract and an undying love for both Craven Cottage and those who fill it, there's plenty to keep Mitrovic in west London despite his recent struggles.

Let's love our legend
It's not the first time I've rehashed quotes from previous summers, but having a player at Fulham that has a very real chance of becoming a club legend still feels somewhat alien.

Icons are usually built from boyhood fans of the respective team, but the way that Mitrovic has been outspoken about his love for Fulham is almost unprecedented during my 20 years of fandom.

There has been some necessary debate about Mitro's actions during this most recent lockdown, but a little support might go a long way in bridging the gap until the forward can be reunited with his beloved fans at Craven Cottage.

Times have been tough for our Serbian powerhouse in recent months, but with just a love, the fire can be rekindled.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-02-17-mitrovic-loves-fulham-how-much-do-we-love-him-back/

Danny Murphy says Callum Wilson injury could suck Newcastle into relegation fight

Former England midfielder Danny Murphy has suggested that the injury suffered to Callum Wilson and the lack of quality Newcastle have to replace him could leave them vulnerable to a resurgent Fulham in the relegation battle.

The Magpies have seen their position in the Premier League table go from comfortable to uneasy in recent weeks as their 2-0 loss against Chelsea on Monday was their ninth defeat in 13 matches and leaves them in 17th place just seven points clear of Fulham, who have a game in hand.

Also, Wilson's injury deprives them of their 10-goal top scorer, with nobody else in the squad netting more than five goals all season (Transfermarkt).

Steve Bruce opted to go with Dwight Gayle in place of Wilson from the start against Chelsea, but the 30-year-old was unsuited to the role that the former Bournemouth man has been playing to good effect over the last few weeks. It was only Gayle's first league start of the season (Sofascore), but it did seem like a tweak in system might be needed to accommodate him, or else other players will have to start instead.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Murphy suggested that, without Wilson, Newcastle lack enough quality in the final third, while he also believes that Fulham might have found a reliable scorer at just the right time in reference to deadline day arrival Josh Maja. He also thinks that the Magpies could start to panic if they see their relegation rivals pick up a couple of wins in their next few matches, saying:


Read Newcastle verdict

Murphy's comments could be reflected in the thoughts of many Newcastle supporters. Worryingly, the only people who do not seem overly concerned with the shortening proximity to the relegation zone are the players, coaching staff and Mike Ashley. Bruce stated after the Chelsea game that they would be OK, but it is difficult to see exactly what the basis is for that assumption.

At the moment, Fulham are looking a much more in-form team than the Magpies, steadily gathering points over the last couple of months to heighten their chances of top-flight survival.

As Murphy suggests, Newcastle did not pose any real threat in the final third against Chelsea without Wilson, although they were up against one of the form teams in the league at the moment. It will therefore be better to reserve definitive judgment until they have played against lower-ranked opponents, but Murphy's fears for their top-flight status are not unfounded.



https://readnewcastle.com/2021/02/17/danny-murphy-worry-callum-wilson-injury-newcastle-relegation-fight/

Burnley vs Fulham live stream: how to watch the Premier League wherever you are in the world

Watch a Burnley vs Fulham live stream, as both sides target back-to-back wins

Burnley vs Fulham live stream, Sky Sports, Wednesday 17 February, 6pm GMT
Fulham have the chance to gain some ground in their fight for survival when they travel to Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday.

The game was originally scheduled to take place on 2 January, but it was postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak at the London club.

Fulham go into the game in 18th place, seven points adrift of safety, but their game in hand could reduce that gap if they can pull off back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

A double from Josh Maja earned the Cottagers a shock 2-0 win at Everton on Sunday, their third victory of the season.

Scott Parker's side have lost just once in their last five games and three times in the last 12, but nine draws in that time has stopped them from making headway in the survival scrap.

Victory over a direct relegation rival in Burnley would be a momentous result though, cutting the gap to the Clarets to five points.

Sean Dyche's side also come into the game on the back of a victory, having thrashed Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday to end a four-match winless run.

Kick-off is at 6pm GMT and the game is being shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK. See below for watching details where you are.



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/burnley-vs-fulham-how-to-watch-livestream-premier-league-online-sky-sports

How is ex-Reading and Fulham player Pavel Pogrebnyak getting on these days?

Not many players scored a Premier League hat-trick in fewer appearances than Pavel Pogrebnyak.

The Russian striker needed just three to score his treble for Fulham in a thumping victory over Wolves almost nine years ago, which turned out to be half the goals he managed during his short loan spell in West London.

Six goals and 12 appearances later, he joined Reading following his release from Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg and would end up adding five more Premier League goals during his first year at the Madejski Stadium, although he was unable to save the Royals from relegation.

Pogrebnyak's best goalscoring return in England came the next season when he struck 13 times in the Championship, although Reading missed out on finishing in the top-six courtesy of a final day draw with Burnley.

The striker would stick around for a further 12 months before returning to Russia.

But what has the ex-Royals frontman been doing since leaving Madejski Stadium?

After his departure from Reading, perhaps unsurprisingly, Pogrebnyak has spent the rest of his playing in Russia.

Two-and-half stop-start seasons at Dynamo Moscow was followed by a move to Russian Premier League side Tosno midway through 2017-2018.

And whilst their financial problems forced them to liquidate at the end of that season, the former Fulham and Reading striker played a part in Tosno winning the only major trophy in their history in the Russian Cup – with Pogrebnyak scoring in their quarter-final victory over Luch Vladivostok.

In search of a new club after Tosno dissolving, Pogrebnyak continued his spell in Russia by joining Ural Yekaterinburg in the summer of 2018.

Pogrebnyak has since been released before re-signing back in October – with his solitary goal this season coming in Ural's draw with FC Dynamo Moscow.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/how-is-ex-reading-and-fulham-player-pavel-pogrebnyak-getting-on-these-days/

Fulham suffer blow as key player tests positive for coronavirus ahead of Sheffield United clash

The Blades head to Craven Cottage this weekend for a huge game in their battle against relegation from the Premier League

Fulham have suffered a big blow ahead of Sheffield United's trip to Craven Cottage on Saturday, with star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic ruled out after contracting coronavirus.

The Blades face a huge game in their battle against relegation from the Premier League as they head to London this weekend, with Scott Parker's side seven points ahead of them in the bottom three.

The Cottagers will be on a high following their surprise 2-0 win over Everton last weekend, but they'll be without one of their key players for the visit of Chris Wilder's men.

Mitrovic has been ruled out after testing positive for Covid-19 before the win at Goodison Park, meaning he now faces a 10-day period of self-isolation.

The Serbian international will also miss Fulham's game against Burnley this evening as they look to narrow the seven-point gap on Newcastle United in 17th.

Mitrovic has been out of form for Fulham, having not scored since September, although Parker felt the striker was starting to turn a corner.

Speaking about Mitrovic's condition after contracting the virus, Parker said: "He's good, at this present moment in time he's got mild symptoms of the virus.

"Of course it's disappointing for Aleks, because at this moment I felt like he was coming out the other side of what's been a bit of a tough season.

"But it's disappointing to pick up the virus and now have to be away from the group and away from us at a big time where we need him as well."

The absence of Mitrovic will likely mean Josh Maja continues up front for Fulham, having made an instant impact on his debut by scoring both goals at Everton after arriving on loan from Bordeaux.

"He's fitted in very, very well," Parker said of the former Sunderland man.

"He's also fitted in in a short space of time as one who wants to learn, a player who wants to get better and I think that's vitally important when you come in to where we are and he's made those strides very, very easily."



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-key-blow-sheffield-united-19857924

The most important five days of Newcastle's season so far start tonight

Newcastle United aren't playing tonight, but a pivotal fixture in the relegation battle is taking place

Newcastle United will know more about the size of their relegation fight by 8pm tonight as Fulham play their game in hand on the Magpies at Burnley.

United have a sizeable seven point cushion on Fulham despite defeat on Monday at Chelsea but anxiety on Tyneside is raising after the Cottagers showed signs of life at Everton.

Fulham play twice before Newcastle play again on Sunday at Old Trafford meaning, in theory, that they could just be a single point behind Steve Bruce's men before that evening kick off.

Scott Parker's side have only won three matches all season so back-to-back wins, especially considering Burnley are in excellent form, would seem unlikely.

But with bottom of the league Sheffield United to play on Saturday, the idea of them clawing back some of the gap to Newcastle is far from unthinkable.

United opted against a managerial change as Bruce struggled in the early part of the year and there was no injection of funds to facilitate additions in January, so the club have clearly worked out that they will have enough to stave off relegation. But fans' concerns are justified, too. The Newcastle United Supporters Trust warned the club against "acting too late" to prevent a third relegation of the Mike Ashley era.

Depressingly, this is now the fifth of the last seven seasons in the Premier League when Newcastle have moved into Spring fretting about the drop.

Bruce's first campaign was one of the few when they haven't after the Magpies picked up enough points after a bad Christmas to distance themselves from the drop zone. Rafa Benitez's two seasons saw Newcastle strike out in the early Spring to move away from trouble - but this is the lowest United have been in February since they were relegated in 2016. There was a last day escape the year before under John Carver.

Parker said on Monday his side are "full of belief and confidence" and taking inspiration from Leicester's incredible escape in 2015.

"I think we've seen that a team can put a run together and a team that can play in the right manner can achieve," he said.

"That's where I feel we are right now with belief and confidence. That's what gives me hope."



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/most-important-five-days-newcastles-19857389

Aleksandar Mitrovic Out for Fulham After COVID-19 Positive Test

Fulham are to be without Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic after his positive COVID-19 result. Mitrovic is suffering from 'mild symptoms' according to manager Scott Parker after contracting the virus last week.

Blow for Fulham After Aleksandar Mitrovic Tests Positive for COVID-19
Disappointing News for Scott Parker Ahead of a Big Week for Fulham

The Serbian has struggled for form this season after an impressive campaign in the Championship last year. Mitrovic was a mainstay in the side but has not been a regular starter so far this season.

Fulham boss Scott Parker is disappointed with his absence as he feels this has come at a moment where he 'was coming out the other side of what has been a bit of a tough season'. He has only started eight games this year for the Cottagers, but had slowly been experiencing a change in form.

This comes at a difficult time for Fulham, who have a big week coming up which will entail some season-defining results. They face Burnley this evening before a relegation six-pointer at home to Sheffield United on Saturday. Mitrovic will be unavailable for both games.

The trip to Turf Moor is made more difficult with this news. Burnley have found a run of good form which has increased the gap to eight points between themselves and Fulham. An impressive 3-0 win away to Crystal Palace this weekend means Sean Dyche's side will go into tonight's game full of confidence looking to extend that gap between them and the bottom three.

Closing the gap on Burnley would be a bigger feat than extending their gap from Sheffield United on Sunday. A loss to Burnley could mean,n regardless of their result this weekend, they will be no closer to safety. This is a huge week for Parker's men which will have a large say on their Premier League future.

In Mitrovic's absence, January signing Josh Maja will look to fill the goalscoring void for Fulham. The 22-year-old scored twice on his debut against Everton in an impressive win for Parker's men. He will look to pick up from where he left off. Fulham have struggled all season to score goals. Before last weekend's trip to Goodison Park, Fulham had only managed to find the back of the net four times in the league since Christmas.

If Fulham are to have any hope of staying in the division, by closing their seven-point gap from safety, they will have to find goals from somewhere. Parker will hope Maja can step up to the task.



https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2021/02/17/aleksandar-mitrovic-out-for-fulham-after-covid-19-positive-test/

Biereth hat-trick sinks Spurs

A blistering hat-trick from Mika Biereth stole the headlines as Fulham's under 18s bounced back from defeat by thrashing Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 this afternoon.

Steve Wigley's side were narrowly beaten by Crystal Palace earlier this month but responded in the best possible fashion with a confident performance in another London derby. Jay Stansfield gained further match fitness following his long injury lay-off by starting up front and the former Exeter City forward almost played in Ollie O'Neill with just five minutes played, but the danger was dealt with by Marques Muir. Tottenham goalkeeper Aaron Maguire then made a superb save to keep out Biereth's powerful header from Idris Odutayo's cross, but the visitors could only survive a bright Fulham start for so long.

The Whites went in front in the seventeenth minute. O'Neill was the provider, delivering a devilish cross to the far post where Biereth fired home emphatically. The excellent O'Neill was proving a persistent menace and sent in another cross that should have led to the second. Biereth's smart dummy created an opening for Stansfield, who unselfishly sought to find the goalscorer again, only for Maguire to intervene.

The lively Luke Harris, such a prominent presence in midfield, drove agonisingly wide as Fulham pushed for a more commanding lead but the home side soon doubled their advantage. Biereth grabbed his second after seizing on some slack distribution from the Spurs backline, nipping in to poke an assured finish past the stranded goalkeeper.

O'Neill provided another assist as Fulham went further ahead before the break. The creative midfielder's latest cross was perfectly weighted for Harris to head home his fourth goal in seven appearances for the under 18s and effectively settle the contest before half time.

There was no let up from the Whites in the second period. Scottish forward Kieron Bowie added his name to the scoresheet, clinically tucking home from close range four minutes after the interval after more good work from Biereth. Biereth then rounded off a fantastic afternoon by completing his hat-trick after a bout of pinball at a Fulham corner. The comprehensive win leaves Fulham just a point behind Palace at the top of the table.

FULHAM U18s: Mee; D'Auria-Henry, Parkes, Bowat, Odutayo; Benjamin, O'Neill, Harris; Bowie, Stansfield, Biereth. Subs: McNally, Williams, Caton, Olakigbe, Wildbore.

GOALS: Biereth (17, 28, 53), Harris (40), Bowie (49).

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR U18s: Maguire; Cassanova, Hackett, John, Muir; Paskotsi, Mathurin (Carrington 64), Devine (M. Craig 77), Mundle (Whittaker 77); Robson, Santiago. Sub (not used): Lo-Tutala.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/02/biereth-hat-trick-sinks-spurs/