Saturday Fulham Stuff (02/04/16)...

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MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin out of game against Fulham FC

MK Dons' goalkeeper David Martin has fractured his hand.

The 30-year-old suffered the injury in training and is undergoing further assessment. A timescale for Martin's absence has not yet been determined but he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the extent of the damage.

Elsewhere, winger Rob Hall will undergo an MRI scan after suffering a knee injury in training.

However, Karl Robinson has centre-back Joe Walsh and midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey available again for selection after recovering from hamstring and foot injuries respectively.

Robinson told MK Dons PlayerHD: "Losing Dave is a big blow to everybody. Dave has been excellent for us this season and there's no doubt we are going to miss him.

"Cody came in as the number 2 but he's the number 1 now and he has to take that opportunity. I've got tremendous faith in him – he's a good young goalkeeper.

"Hally is a big loss too. He was training, changed direction and he felt something in his knee. There was no-one near him, not even in a competitive environment – it was a freak one."

He added: "These are obviously two negatives but we are positive going into the game with Fulham – there is a vibrancy and buoyancy about the players.

"We are confident and ready for the game."



Read more: http://www.onemk.co.uk/MK-Dons-goalkeeper-David-Martin-game-Fulham/story-29034139-detail/story.html#ixzz44eXOudkn
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3 things to look out for in the Fulham v MK Dons match

Fulham meet the MK Dons in a classic relegation 'six pointer' this afternoon, as both sides' seasons draw to a close with the heat rising on both clubs.

Fulham have one of the best squads in the league on paper, but their defence has been a disaster this season, destroying the good work done by strike duo Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele up top.

McCormack is one of the best strikers in the league, and has been linked to many Premier League clubs and will most likely leave this summer, whilst Dembele nearly moved to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

It's a case that they have scored a lot of goals this season. In fact, they have scored the second highest amount of goals this season but have conceded the third most.

The addition of Richard Stearman in the summer was a good one, but he has struggled with injury this season, and the defence and midfield look very disorganised.

The recent form is disastrous, with a costly home defeat to relegation rivals Bristol City plunging them into danger. They will be hopeful today that McCormack and Dembele will do the job, and their defence can contain the poorest attack in the league.

MK Dons had low expectations at the start of the season, but are putting up a good fight and, after a home win over QPR and a well-earned point at Hull City, they are approaching safety now.

They have limited resources and have struggled to score goals. They have scored the division low of just 32 goals, with Josh Murphy their top scorer.

Their defence in comparison has been a lot better than their fellow strugglers, and they will need to be on form today to contain McCormack and Dembele.

However, their away form is amongst the worst in the division, but they will be looking to exploit the worst defence in the league this afternoon.

FootballLeagueWorld writer Michael Hasan identifies THREE things to look out for in today's game...

1) McCormack and Dembele
One of the best strike partnerships in the league have been McCormack and Dembele, and they have kept Fulham out of the relegation zone.

McCormack has 21 goals and is the division's second top scorer and has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer.

Dembele has 14 goals and the youngster saw a move to Tottenham fall apart in January, and he seems to have lost interest since then.

These two need to be clinical today, as they are the side's greatest strength for their biggest game of the season so far.

2) Fulham's defence
The MK Dons have no established goalscorer this season, with Karl Robinson's side struggling to adapt to the tougher Championship.

Murphy and Dean Bowditch have been their best players, but Samir Carruthers has been impressive in midfield and will need to be at his positive best this afternoon.

Their defence has been pretty economical, but they need to get at the Fulham defence on every occasion as it is by far the shakiest in the league.

Jay Emmanuel Thomas and Alex Revell may be key with their movement and pace, as the two sides gear up for a huge game at Craven Cottage.

3) Huge bearing on the season
This is the biggest game at the bottom of the league all season and the losing side may be consigned to relegation.

Fulham have been in freefall this year under Slavisa Jokanovic, and they are extremely reliant on McCormack and Dembele.

They need their defence to step up and be counted and show commitment, as another home defeat will spell disaster, considering their run-in.

Yet, a home win may spell the end for the MK Dons, as the other sides above the drop zone are in good from.

It should be a very attacking game as neither side wants a draw.

An MK Dons win may even drag Brentford into the relegation mire if they lose at Nottingham Forest today.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-things-to-look-out-for-in-the-fulham-v-mk-dons-match/?