Saturday Fulham Stuff (02/02/13)...

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Berbatov among Fulham injury absentees for Man Utd clash

Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov will miss tomorrow's Premier League clash against former club Manchester United with a hamstring injury.

The Bulgarian pulled his hamstring in the 3-1 defeat of West Ham and will be out for up to 10 days for the Cottagers, who will also be without Steve Sidwell, Mahamadou Diarra (both knee), Kerim Frei (pelvis) and Kieran Richardson (calf).

AC Milan loanee Urby Emanuelson could make his debut tomorrow, although fellow deadline-day signings Stanislav Manolev and Eyong Enoh are unavailable as they wait for their work permits.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Somogyi, Etheridge, Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Senderos, Riise, Briggs, Dejagah, Baird, Karagounis, Kacaniklic, Frimpong, Duff, Kasami, Ruiz, Emanuelson, Rodallega, Petric, Davies.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/berbatov_among_fulham_injury_absentees_for_man_utd_clash_1_1856186

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Window gives Jol a bright outlook

Martin Jol has declared himself pleased with Fulham's deadline-day signings, despite a loan move for Tom Huddlestone falling through.

The Cottagers spent January scouring Europe for reinforcements in a bid to arrest an increasingly concerning slump in form.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong was Fulham's only first-team addition up until Thursday's deadline, when Jol brought in three players on loan.

Urby Emanuelson arrived from AC Milan until the end of the season and was followed to Craven Cottage by PSV Eindhoven right-back Stanislav Manolev and Ajax's Eyong Enoh.

The latter was the last deal of the day and Jol revealed he had hoped to bring Huddlestone from former club Spurs.

"It was a tough month for a lot of clubs, but in the end I feel, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," Jol said.
"We had a few targets, a few positions we wanted to strengthen - on the left and defensive midfield - and in the end it came off so I was quite happy.

"My first choice target was probably Fernando Gago from Real Madrid because they wanted to get rid of him, but we couldn't get that sort of quality. But I had a few options and we went for a few players.

"Urby Emanuelson is a player I know well, comes from AC Milan and is no mug so I was quite happy to get him.

"I was talking to a player from my old club Spurs, Tom Huddlestone, but that didn't come off and Enoh was here already because you can't bet on one horse.

"Huddlestone was very close. They pulled out at the last moment so I was very happy Enoh was in the building and there was no damage done."



http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/window-gives-jol-a-bright-outlook-1539770.html?

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Jol's Assessment

Fulham boss Martin Jol told the gathered media that he was pleased with the new signings he was able to bring to the Club on transfer deadline day.

Urby Emanuelson, Eyong Enoh and Stanislav Manolev all joined the Whites on Thursday and Jol was happy that he was able to add depth to his squad.

"It's a difficult month for a lot of clubs but, in the end, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," he said. "We had targeted on the left and defensive midfield [as areas to strengthen] and it came off. So I was quite happy.

"I had a few options - we went for a few players and there were more horses to bet on. In the end, Urby Emanuelson is a player I know very well from AC Milan – he's no mug so I was happy to get him.

"I was talking to Tom Huddlestone from my old club Tottenham Hotspur – that didn't come off and Enoh was here already because you can't bet on one horse so I was happy to get him in. We were very close to getting Huddlestone but they pulled out at the last moment so I was very happy that Enoh was in the building and there was no damage done.

"We wanted to get a few players in because I thought it was necessary to have some fresh blood, and that is what we did so that was good. Urby was on my list and I know Enoh very well. He's a warrior – maybe a little erratic but a good warrior and he wanted to come to England. Emanuelson is a bit like [Mousa] Dembélé – he can play, he's quick, he's agile, he's mobile, so that is what we need.

"We didn't spend a lot. We took three players on loan and I felt that we needed these players. Huddlestone was another player we wanted on loan. So, in the end, although you gamble, I don't think we spent a lot so I feel we did well again.

"Hopefully in the future we can extend these contracts and get some permanent deals as well to get a stable club and a settled club because it's not what you want, to get loan deals all the time."

One player who was set for a temporary spell away from Fulham was Pajtim Kasami, before an unusual turn of events saw a loan move to Italy fall through.

"Pajtim Kasami was wanted by Pescara at the last moment, so it was late," Jol explained. "Kasami's manager had 15 minutes and the internet wasn't working. It happens to me all the time when I'm in a hotel but it's not what you want if you have to register a player at the last moment.

"You hope and pray for him because he wanted to play and Pescara told us that he will probably be a vital part of their squad and in the end it didn't come off. It was bad luck. I will try to do something because he deserves to play. There has not been a lot of opportunity to play so hopefully I can find something for him because he is a good talent."

Manchester United are the visitors to Craven Cottage on Saturday (5.30pm) and Jol was dealt a blow in midweek by the news that former Red Devil Dimitar Berbatov will play no part in the match.

"Berbatov will not be fit for the game at the weekend," he said. "He pulled his hamstring and we hope that he'll only take between seven and 10 days to recover. Kieran Richardson is still out with his calf.

"Steve Sidwell will be out as he's got a problem with his knee and that will probably take a week. [Mahamadou] Diarra is still out with his knee injury and Kerim Frei probably won't be back for another three or four weeks.

"Enoh hasn't got a work permit so that is unfortunate and Manolev hasn't got a work permit because it was late, very late. Urby will be in the squad."

Fulham go into the game on the back of a morale-boosting 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Wednesday and our Manager admits it was a crucial win over our London rivals.

"That was good – we prepared the players for that," he said. "We knew that we had to play Man United on Saturday – every point against them is a bonus but we needed that win against West Ham.

"It was very good to have the three points because all these teams below will try to drag Fulham – or any other team which is vulnerable – in. Now West Ham are in a similar position and that is exactly what we wanted.

"You do sometimes wonder where your next win in coming from but there are seven or eight clubs who think the same. If you compare these other clubs, they are no different – you have to get your wins anyway.

"It's not that we are on 50 points. We've got 28 points so it's not good but it's not bad either so the only thing is that you have to pick up points. We've had a lot of draws and that is the most disappointing thing; at home against Wigan Athletic, Southampton.

"The line between failure and success is unbelievably thin and we could have had more [points], but we could have had less as well.  Hopefully we will pick up a few wins as soon as possible to get out of our current situation."

A win on Saturday would be monumental for the Whites but Jol urged caution ahead of our meeting with the most successful side in Premier League history.

"I think we're playing the champions-elect this weekend," he said. "They are seven points clear so they are the big favourites.
"Robin van Persie has been the most productive player in England this season and he was the most productive player before that so it's always good to have a player like him because he will make the difference almost every other game."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/february/01/jols-assessment?

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Stekelenburg rues 'major blow' after missing out on £5m move to Fulham

Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has admitted his frustration at failing to secure a move to Fulham.

The 30-year-old, who cost Roma £5million when he left Ajax in 2011, has lost his place to Uruguayan Mauro Goicoechea and stressed his determination to seal a move to the Barclays Premier League before last night's transfer deadline.

The Holland international is represented by the Sport Promotion Consultancy, who claim an agreement was in place between Roma and Fulham for the goalkeeper to spend the rest of the season on loan at Craven Cottage.


Holland international: Stekelenburg had wanted to join compatriot Jol at Fulham

Stekelenburg also said he was flying to London when his agent Rob Jansen informed him the move was off because Roma could not agree terms with Fiorentina's Emiliano Viviano.

The keeper told sportpromotion.nl: 'This feels like a major setback in many ways. I was really looking forward to getting started at Fulham. It is a great club and it would be an understatement to say the league is great too. It is a blow and I will need time to process it.'

The former Ajax man has publicly voiced his frustration at losing his place to Goicoechea but refused to hold Roma accountable for last night's events.


Declining: Fulham need a long-term replacement for Mark Schwarzer

'I can't really blame anyone in this situation,' he added. 'Roma made it clear from the outset that they would only sell me if they could bring in an adequate substitute.

'My agent Rob Jansen and I were informed that the clubs were in agreement with each other. We were there in person to meet Fulham so the wait was purely over my replacement in Rome. But they didn't find one and that's the reality.

'My first challenge is getting my place back at Roma, then we'll see how things stand in the summer.'


Targeted: But Jack Butland joined Stoke City

Meanwhile, Martin Jol this afternoon declared himself pleased with Fulham's deadline-day acquisitions, despite a loan move for Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone also falling through.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong was Fulham's only first-team addition up until yesterday, when Jol brought in three players on loan.

Urby Emanuelson arrived from AC Milan until the end of the season and was followed to Craven Cottage by PSV Eindhoven right-back Stanislav Manolev and Ajax's Eyong Enoh.


Milan important: Emanuelson could be another good signing by Jol

The latter was the last deal of the day and Jol revealed he had hoped to bring Huddlestone from former club Spurs.

'It was a tough month for a lot of clubs, but in the end I feel, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," Jol said.

'We had a few targets, a few positions we wanted to strengthen - on the left and defensive midfield - and in the end it came off so I was quite happy.

'My first choice target was probably Fernando Gago from Real Madrid because they wanted to get rid of him, but we couldn't get that sort of quality. But I had a few options and we went for a few players.


Collapse: Fulham didn't manage to seal the signing of Huddlestone before the deadline

'Urby Emanuelson is a player I know well, comes from AC Milan and is no mug so I was quite happy to get him. I was talking to a player from my old club Spurs, Tom Huddlestone, but that didn't come off and Enoh was here already because you can't bet on one horse.

'Huddlestone was very close. They pulled out at the last moment so I was very happy Enoh was in the building and there was no damage done."



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2271945/Maarten-Stekelenburg-Its-major-blow-miss-Fulham-transfer.html#ixzz2JiHDSylC
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Wayne Rooney wary of Fulham home form
Manchester United travel to Craven Cottage this weekend

Wayne Rooney expects a much tougher test from Fulham at Craven Cottage tomorrow than they got off the Londoners in the FA Cup last weekend.

Rooney was amongst the scorers as Manchester United cruised to victory at Old Trafford, with only Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer standing between his side and a particularly heavy defeat.

On that form, there is no reason to suggest United's title drive will be halted tomorrow evening.

Yet, on their own pitch, Rooney knows Fulham are a different proposition, having been part of the United side that has tasted defeat on the banks of the River Thames twice in their last four visits.

"The cup game was quite comfortable," said Rooney. "But at home, Fulham are a different team.

"They have got players who can take the ball between the lines because the pitch is not as big and then they can create chances.

"They are down near the bottom so they will be fighting to get one or three points."

Not that United are too bothered to be getting away from Old Trafford.

As Sir Alex Ferguson noted during the Christmas programme, the pitch has "collapsed", which hardly aids United's preferred passing game.

"We always want a nice surface to play on and in recent games the pitch has not been good enough," said Ferguson.

"It could have cost us. Thankfully it hasn't.

"Hopefully the groundsman can get it right in the next couple of weeks.

"It will be difficult because of the weather but it would be nice to get that little break and come back to a good pitch."

With nine goals in his last nine games, Rooney has found his form after a stop-start campaign, moving onto 12 for the season.

Not that he is too fussed about his own contribution in the scoring stakes; all he is interested in are victories.

"It is nice to score and and it has helped the team pick up points," he said.

"But that is the most important thing, that the team picks up points.

"I have always said I am not really too concerned with how many goals I score as long as we keep winning."

PA


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/wayne-rooney-wary-of-fulham-home-form-8477575.html

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Jol reveals he wanted Gago and Huddlestone at Fulham
The Cottagers signed three players, including Ury Emmanuelson on loan from AC Milan, and the Dutchman is delighted with his side's work during the transfer window

Fulham manager Martin Jol has revealed that he failed in bids to bring Fernando Gago and Tom Huddlestone to the club on deadline day.

The Argentina international moved back to his homeland with Velez Sarsfield, while Huddlestone, who was also linked to Stoke, remains at Tottenham.

The Cottagers did sign three players on deadline day, including AC Milan's Urby Emanuelson on loan until the end of the season and Eyong Enoh from Ajax, and Jol is satisfied with his additions.

"It was a tough month for a lot of clubs, but in the end I feel, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," he told reporters.

"We had a few targets, a few positions we wanted to strengthen - on the left and defensive midfield - and in the end it came off so I was quite happy.

"My first choice target was probably Fernando Gago from Real Madrid because they wanted to get rid of him, but we couldn't get that sort of quality. But I had a few options and we went for a few players.

"Urby Emanuelson is a player I know well, comes from AC Milan and is no mug so I was quite happy to get him.

"I was talking to a player from my old club Spurs, Tom Huddlestone, but that didn't come off and [Eyong] Enoh was here already because you can't bet on one horse.

"Huddlestone was very close. They pulled out at the last moment so I was very happy Enoh was in the building and there was no damage done."


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/02/01/3719727/-?

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Fulham boss Jol backs Manolev to banish 'worst right back' slur

Fulham manager Martin Jol has backed deadline-day signing Stanislav Manolev to star in the Barclays Premier League - despite the defender once being labelled as 'the worst right back in Europe'.

Former Holland star Rene van der Gijp, who is now a popular pundit on Dutch channel RTL, infamously applied the tag to the 27-year-old live on air in 2009, later calling him a 'blind horse'.


Checking in: Stanislav Manolev has joined Fulham

Manolev has joined Fulham on loan from PSV Eindhoven until the end of the season and Jol, who was forced to act after right-back Stephen Kelly departed for Reading earlier in the month, expects the Bulgaria international to prove Van der Gijp wrong.

He said: 'We had to come up with something after Stephen Kelly left and Manolev played almost 30 international games (29) so that tells you enough.

'If you go on Google and look at games from less than four weeks ago he has been the man of the match.

'So he is not that strong now, or a world star in Holland, because he is not playing so much but I know for a fact that he is better than they give him credit for.'

Manolev, who is not eligible to face Manchester United on Saturday as he has not yet been granted a work permit, was one of three players Jol loaned in on Wednesday along with Urby Emanuelson of AC Milan and Ajax midfielder Eyong Enoh.

Jol had hoped to sign Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, but the move collapsed while the Dutch No 1's plane was in the air en route to Heathrow.

Stekelenburg said: 'This feels like a major setback in many ways. I was really looking forward to getting started at Fulham.

It is a great club and it would be an understatement to say the league is great too. It is a blow and I will need time to process it.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2272172/Fulham-boss-Martin-Jol-backs-Stanislav-Manolev-banish-worst-right-slur.html#ixzz2Jl5hNTe6
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BRENTFORD HITMAN MARCELLO TROTTA IS NO PLONKER

MARCELLO TROTTA has vowed to avoid the same fate as his fellow Italian hitman Federico Macheda.

Manchester United striker Macheda exploded on to the scene in 2009, with two goals in his first two games for the Old Trafford giants – but has all but disappeared since.

Now it's Trotta's turn to be hitting the headlines after scoring for Brentford in their shock 2-2 FA Cup fourth-round draw with Chelsea last week.

But Trotta – who is on loan with the Bees from Fulham – is determined to succeed where Macheda failed and make it big in the Premier League.

He said: "I don't think we can compare our situations, let alone our goals.

"Federico scored a decider in the race for the title and above all he was playing for his club, while I am on loan at Brentford.

"I think we will only be able to draw parallels when I'll be able to score a goal for Fulham in the Premier League.

"For now I need minutes under my belt, I need to play.

"That's how you hit form and find continuity. That's the only way you can improve and that's the only way I can play in the Premier League one day."

Trotta made his top-flight debut for Fulham in a 3-0 win over Bolton last April, but has also spent time on loan at Wycombe and Watford since signing his first professional contract in 2009.

His goal against Chelsea helped earn Brentford a lucrative replay at Stamford Bridgeon February 17 and the 20-year-old can't wait to torment them all over again.

But first he is back in League One action at Yeovil today – and has his sights set on helping Brentford win promotion.

Trotta said: "I don't know what's going to happen next season. I want to do well here at Brentford and then we'll see.

"I don't know whether we are going to be in the play-offs or not. There are so many games left until the end of the season.

"Scoring against the champions of Europe has been an incredible experience. It has been great for the whole club and for the fans.

"And playing at Stamford Bridge will be a great feeling.

"We'll give our best and hopefully something important can happen again."



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/296507/?

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Martin Jol: 'We wanted Fernando Gago'

Fulham boss Martin Jol has revealed that he had hoped to bring Fernando Gago to the club from Real Madrid.

The Argentina international instead decided to make the move back to his homeland to join Velez Sarsfield.

Jol has admitted that the 26-year-old was his first choice in the January transfer window, but he was happy with the deals they completed.

"It was a tough month for a lot of clubs, but in the end I feel, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," said Jol.

"We had a few targets, a few positions we wanted to strengthen - on the left and defensive midfield - and in the end it came off so I was quite happy.

"My first choice target was probably Fernando Gago from Real Madrid because they wanted to get rid of him, but we couldn't get that sort of quality. But I had a few options and we went for a few players."

Fulham signed Urby Emanuelson and Eyong Enoh from AC Milan and Ajax.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/jol-we-wanted-gago_67158.html

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Wayne Rooney expects tough Fulham test

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has revealed that he is expecting a much tougher test from Fulham this weekend.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side face the Cottagers on Saturday, following their 4-1 victory over Martin Jol's team in the FA Cup last week.

Despite the relatively easy win in the Cup, Rooney believes that Fulham at Craven Cottage will be a different task altogether.

"The Cup game was quite comfortable," said the 27-year-old forward.

"But at home, Fulham are a different team. They have got players who can take the ball between the lines because the pitch is not as big and then they can create chances.

"They are down near the bottom so they will be fighting to get one or three points."

Rooney has been in fine form since his return from injury and scored another two goals in the 2-1 win over Southampton on Wednesday night.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/news/rooney-expects-tough-fulham-test_67156.html

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Fulham vs. Manchester United: If At First You Get Your Butt Kicked, Try Try Again


Fulham will have to do better than they did at Old Trafford last Saturday if they want to pick up any points.

Fulham will get a second go at Manchester United today as they look to build on their midweek win against West Ham and put even more space between themselves and the relegation zone.  The Whites got shellacked in their tie with United in the FA cup a week ago 4-1, in a wholly uninspiring performance, and will need to vastly improve on that if they are to claw any points from this matchup.

With the transfer window closed, you may see some new faces on the pitch for the home fans to get a look at, the most likely being Emmanuel Frimpong.  The loanee from Arsenal is hoping to get his first shot at providing midfield relief for Fulham, and there's no better time to get minutes than the weekend following a midweek game, especially with Steve Sidwell out with a knee injury.http://fulhamsfinest.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

State of Fulham:

It's difficult to overstate the magnitude of the 3 points picked up during the week against West Ham.  This club needed a win in the worst way, especially after the drubbing by United just prior, and while it wasn't pretty, it's still 3 points.  It puts Fulham in 12th place, 8 points clear of the drop.

Today could be an exciting day, with not only Emmanuel Frimpong possibly getting his debut, but Urby Emanuelson will also have a shot to play, and definitely even start.  While it's not normal for Martin Jol to give new players their debut in their first game, Fulham are a bit thin with injuries and therefore could force Emanuelson into the side.  The versatile winger could be seen either at left-back with John Arne Riise's form dipping, on the left wing, or even central midfield in attack.  Like I mentioned earlier, Steve Sidwell is out with a knee issue (which is actually a big blow to the side), so you could see Emanuelson in the middle as support for Bryan Ruiz.  Ruiz will most likely move up to his more preferred location in the attacking central midfield because Dimitar Berbatov will not play due to a hamstring injury. It will be interesting to see how Jol fits these new players in.

Not featuring will be the aforementioned Sidwell and Berbatov, as well as Kerim Frei and Mohamadou Diarra who both have long-term injuries.  In addition, both Eyong Enoh and Stanislov Manolev have yet to receive work permits and therefore will not be able to play.

State of Manchester United:

Things couldn't be much better in Red, with United looking to go 10 points clear in first place with a victory at Craven Cottage.  The squad is quite healthy, with Johnny Evans and Rio Ferdinand recently fit to return to the side.  Only Ashley Young and possibly Javier Hernandez will miss out due to injury.  United beat Southampton away midweek, although it was a grinding victory and a bit of a shaky defensive performance, so expect Jol to at least try to replicate that in some way. Not much more to be said here, they're really good.

EA Sports Stats of the Match:

-United have beaten Fulham in 6 of their last 7 matches in all competitions, with the lone other match a draw.  The last time Fulham beat Manchester United was in 2009 at Craven Cottage. That's the only win for Fulham in their last 23 matches against United.

-Fulham will seriously miss Dimitar Berbatov.  That sounds like an obvious statement, but consider this: for all the crap he gets about being lazy, Berbatov is 2nd in the Premier League among strikers for passes in the opponent's half of the pitch with 492.

-My guess at who replaces Berbatov is Mladen Petric.  It's a perfect chance for him to see some minutes, which he hasn't gotten very many of recently, mostly because Hugo Rodallega pairs with Berbs much better.  Petric has a goal every 138 minutes this season, good for 10th in the Premier League.  If he'd been credited with the goal Wednesday (instead of the Joey O'Brien own goal) that number would drop to a goal every 115 minutes, which would be 5th.

-Fulham's suspect and porous defense has caused Mark Schwarzer to work hard this season.  The Aussie's made 126 saves this season (third in the Premier League), averaging a save every 16 minutes.

888sport.com Lines of the Match:

Robin van Persie to score first – 11/4; to score anytime – 4/6
Now that Wayne Rooney has given up penalty duties to RVP, given how good his form has been, it'd be a risk to back anyone else to score first, or really at any time.

Javier Hernandez to score last – 9-2
Doesn't it seem like he always comes on late and makes a difference? While Eden Dzeko is complaining he's not a "super sub" Chicarito is quietly doing a man's work for Untied off the bench.  The only issue here is he picked up a bit of a hip knock midweek and is unsure if he'll make the squad.

First goal before the 26th minute – 5/6
I'd imagine, like Wednesday, this match will see goals and a good number early, so I think this is a good get.

Prediction:

I'm not liking our chances.  Like last Saturday, it will be more about what the performance looks like than what the final score is.  Fulham's defense looked iffy against a West Ham attack missing Andy Carroll, I don't really want to see what happens against United.  Manchester Untied 3-0. It will be a good match for Frimpong and Emanuelson to get time on the pitch with the first team though, which could be important going forward.


http://fulhamsfinest.com/2013/02/02/fulham-vs-manchester-united-if-at-first-you-get-your-butt-kicked-try-try-again/?

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LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Man Utd (17:30 GMT)
Fulham's win over West Ham in midweek was badly needed but it will be tough for them to follow that up against a Manchester United team who just swatted them away in the FA Cup last weekend.

Cottagers boss Martin Jol brought in a few players on deadline day and it will be interesting to see whether they start. I can see Emmanuel Frimpong, who has arrived on loan from Arsenal, going straight in because he badly needs bodies in the middle of midfield.

Fulham have given United some tough games at Craven Cottage in the past, but that wasn't the case last season, when United were 3-0 up by half-time and coasted home.

I am going to back Fulham to score here, because United do concede goals. But I still back Sir Alex Ferguson's side to leave west London with the three points.

Lawro's prediction: 1-2


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21295650

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Fulham V Man Utd

By John Motson
BBC Match of the Day commentator



BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Saturday, 2 February

TEAM NEWS

Fulham's Dimitar Berbatov misses out against his old club with a hamstring injury.
Steve Sidwell, Mahamadou Diarra, Kerim Frei and Kieran Richardson are also injured but AC Milan loanee Urby Emanuelson could make his debut.

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand is in line for a recall, while fellow central defender Jonny Evans is fit again after a recent hamstring injury.
However, winger Ashley Young (knee) is still out.

MATCH PREVIEW

With bitter rivals Manchester City not playing until Sunday, neighbours United could be 10 points clear at the top of the table by Saturday night.

That is a daunting gap for Roberto Mancini's men to reel in. In spite of what happened last season, not many will predict United being caught again in similar style, especially with the title-winning form they are in at the moment. Additionally, the dramatic style in which they lost out on the Premier League gives them a steely psychological edge.

The only hope for the defending champions is that United start dropping unexpected points - and if Fulham get anything from this match, it would probably fall into that category.

Was Fulham's midweek win against West Ham, only their third in the past 16 league games, a turning point? It needs to be.

The Cottagers' home form won't give them a great deal of confidence, and of course they were crushed 4-1 by United in the FA Cup fourth round recently. On paper, the Red Devils have little to worry about - especially with their former mercurial striker Dimitar Berbatov unlikely to play.

Fulham recruited a few interesting names in the transfer window, Urby Emmanuelson and Emmanuel Frimpong among them. What better way for new players to make an immediate impact than against United.

Still, Fulham look a little bit threadbare when compared to United's strength in depth. The leaders have got the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling coming back to the fore now, and such a massive choice of permutations all over the park. They really do seem to have every position covered.

The same could be said in the goalkeeping area, but United supporters would prefer it if that was one area they never had to rotate. David De Gea has been rocky of late, and will do well to hold off the challenge of Anders Lindegaard for the rest of this season.

Despite all the United eulogising, Southampton proved in midweek that - if you are brave enough - you can really get at them. Fulham take note.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Manchester United have won six and drawn one of their past seven matches against Fulham in all competitions.

Fulham have only beaten Manchester United three times in 23 Premier League meetings.

Fulham
Fulham have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 10 league matches.
The midweek win against West Ham was only their third in their last 16 Premier League games.
Dimitar Berbatov scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season against West Ham, but only his third in 13 games. Six of these goals have come before half-time.
Damien Duff now has seven assists this season (only three players in the Premier League have more). The last time the Irishman had more assists in a Premier League season was at Chelsea in 2003-04 (nine).

Manchester United
United have now came from behind to win on nine occasions in the Premier League this season. The most in a Premier League season is 10, by Newcastle in 2001-02.
Wayne Rooney has now scored two goals in a match on 27 occasions in the Premier League - only Alan Shearer (46) and Thierry Henry (34) have more.
The Red Devils have taken 32 points from the last possible 36 (W10, D2).
They had 11 shots against Southampton, who had 20.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21209186

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Derek Boateng's Move To Fulham Collapses

Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng's proposed move to Fulham failed to materialize after the transfer window in England closed on Thursday night.

His Ukrainian club Dnipro were unwilling to allow the defensive midfielder to leave despite initiating the process for the transfer to be completed three weeks ago.

Boateng had already undergone a medical at Fulham, who have secured a work permit for him, and talks between the clubs were said to be ongoing before the deadline.

Thursday night's deadline passed without a deal being reached between the two clubs which means Boateng will stay in Ukraine until next season.

A fee of about £2m was mooted to sign a player who cost more than double that when joining Dnipro from Getafe back in 2011.

However things went quiet from Dnipro end even though the Ghanaian has since fallen out of favour and has made only two league starts in the first half of the season.

Martin Jol's interest in the 29-year-old is long established, with the Fulham manager having come close to securing the defensive midfielder on loan last summer.

Boateng, who had enjoyed spells in Greece, Sweden, Israel and Spain before moving to Ukraine.

He is currently with Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.


http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/artikel.php?ID=263895

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Transfer window gives Fulham FC manager Martin Jol a bright outlook

MARTIN JOL declared himself pleased with Fulham's deadline-day acquisitions, despite a loan move for Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone falling through at the last minute.

The Cottagers spent January scouring Europe for reinforcements in a bid to arrest an increasingly concerning slump in form.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong was Fulham's only first-team addition up until Thursday, when Jol brought in three players on loan.

Urby Emanuelson arrived from AC Milan until the end of the season and was followed by PSV Eindhoven right-back Stanislav Manolev and Ajax's Eyong Enoh.

"It was a tough month for a lot of clubs, but in the end I feel, although it was not easy, we were quite satisfied," Jol said.

"We had a few targets, a few positions we wanted to strengthen – on the left and defensive midfield – and in the end it came off so I was quite happy.

"My first choice target was probably Fernando Gago from Real Madrid because they wanted to get rid of him, but we couldn't get that sort of quality. But I had a few options and we went for a few players.

"Urby Emanuelson is a player I know well, comes from AC Milan and is no mug.

"I was talking to a player from my old club Spurs, Tom Huddlestone, but that didn't come off and Enoh was here already because you can't bet on one horse."


http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/man-utd-fc/2013/02/02/55578-32729951/?

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Fulham to ramp up Hangeland talks

MARTIN Jol has made securing the future of Brede Hangeland his top priority following the end of the transfer window.

The Fulham boss bolstered his squad with four new signings in January after capturing Emmanuel Frimpong, Urby Emanuelson, Stanislav Manolev and Eyong Enoh.

Jol also managed to keep hold of skipper Hangeland, despite interest from west London rivals QPR.

But the Norwegian can leave for nothing when his contract expires in the summer and has so far failed to sign the extension on the table.

And Jol will now turn his attention to trying to persuade the towering defender to commit his future to Craven Cottage.

When asked if securing Hangeland was a priority, the Dutchman replied: "Yes. I always knew he was staying here because there was never a situation that we wanted to sell him.

"There was no clause in his contract like [Chris] Samba. The only thing is at the end of the year he will be free."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/02/02/82029-32730127/?#ixzz2JlBDkK33

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Looking Up

Martin Jol looked back on our midweek match against West Ham United and admitted that the win could prove pivotal later in the season.

With Manchester United next up on Saturday afternoon, Jol was delighted to take three points from our clash with the Hammers – a result which saw us leapfrog our London rivals in the Barclays Premier League table.

"If West Ham had beaten us it would have been crucial points for them," Jol said. "But we were lucky enough and fortunate enough to get the points against them.

"It was a vital game for us - it was almost a must-win game because the managers of the other clubs were maybe thinking that Fulham would be the club that gets dragged into the [relegation] situation, or Norwich City, or West Ham.

"Now Stoke City are above us but are not far away from us so we will look up [the table] now. Of course you look down because you need wins – with 28 points you will go down, that is for certain. But there are other teams with bigger problems than us so we will try to be sharp and motivated and inspired to get a few wins."

But while the Dutchman was naturally thrilled to see his side secure a first league win since New Year's Day, he warned that there is still a long way to go in the season and that things can change very quickly.

"The pressure is never off," he stated. "Look at West Ham, they were doing so well. Look at my friend Chris Hughton at Norwich, they were unbelievable and they are on less points than us now, so you are never out of trouble.

"That is what I said, there are always eight or nine teams fighting against relegation and that is not something to be proud of but it's sport, it's football, it's the Premier League. I can remember two years ago when Birmingham City won the Carling Cup and had to play all these games and then went down, and they were fine before that. I remember they were not even in the bottom three, so we are aware of the situation. 28 points is good but not great – we could have had more but we could have had less."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/february/02/looking-up?

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Hanging On To What We`ve Got!
   
Martin Jol, we believe, did some splendid business in the transfer target.

Bringing in a quartet of players - Emmanuel Frimpong, Urby Emanuelson, Stanislav Maolev and Eyong Enoh, should bolster our squad.

However, our Dutch boss believes his biggest achievement this transfer window was holding off bids for his established stars, players such as Brede Hangeland, with Jol remarking,

"We wanted to keep our players."

"We had to let go Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey in the summer - but that was not the case this time"

"It meant I could focus on players coming in.

Splendid work all round.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=307629#ixzz2JlBcqCuz

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Dimitar Berbatov set To Miss United Clash

Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov will not face his old side when they visit his current club Fulham today, according to boss Martin Jol.

Berbatov picked up a hamstring injury in Fulham's 3-1 victory over West Ham in midweek and so will not be fit to torment his former employers in the late kick off.

The Bulgarian has been an inspired singing at Craven Cottage having already scored eight times as well as being involved in the majority of other Fulham goals this season.

The former Tottenham striker turned 32 this week and he has only failed to notch double figures in a season once since he arrived in England seven years ago.

Berbatov's injury isn't the only worry for Jol as dominant midfielder Steve Sidwell will also miss the visit of the league leaders after picking up a similar injury on Wednesday night.

Sir Alex Ferguson will be pleased that Berbatov will not be coming back to haunt them and United could go ten points clear at the top of the table with a win in West London.


http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-united/dimitar-berbatov-set-to-miss-united-clash

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Roma Sporting Director Franco Baldini Explains Maarten Stekelenburg to Fulham Deal Collapse

Roma sporting director Franco Baldini has spoken about the breakdown in goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg's proposed move to Fulham, confirming it came about because the Giallorossi could not find a replacement in time.

Stekelenburg looked all set to move to Craven Cottage from Roma, where he has fallen out of favour under veteran coach Zdenek Zeman.

But on a frantic transfer deadline day, the deal fell through at the last minute.

"Fulham's first offer was not what we hoped for", Baldini told reporters.

"Finally, they met our requirements, but then we had to bring in a replacement.

"We had two or three people in mind, but we did not manage to get one of them.

"Prior to Stekelenburg boarding the plane it was already clear that the deal would be completed in good time if we could find a replacement."

Stekelenburg now finds himself back at Roma and fighting for his place under Zeman, with whom his relationship is strained.

The Holland international has not though ruled out a rekindling of his move to Fulham in the summer and could yet end up at Craven Cottage.


Read more at http://www.insidefutbol.com/2013/02/02/roma-sporting-director-franco-baldini-explains-maarten-stekelenburg-to-fulham-deal-collapse/78555/#21hH70HqQT2oCiMB.99