Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 08/03/22...

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We will have to press high – Fulham boss warns the Swans what to expect

Fulham manager Marco Silva will this evening bring his runaway league leaders to SA1 with a clear game plan as to how he believes he can secure three more points on his plan to bring Premier League football back to Craven Cottage.

Fulham look almost certain to secure that immediate return as they have opened up an eleven point lead at the top of the table and seeimgly scoring goals for fun with 84 goals already in the for column this season.

But he admits that they will come up against a Swansea side who like to dominate possession and expects his side to press high to try and control the game making it increasingly difficult for Russell Martin and his team.

Fulham have already beaten the Swans once this season – a 3-1 victory back in September – but Silva recognises it was one of the rare occasions where majority possession was conceded by his side.

"They're a team that like to have possession. I think they're the team with the most possession in this competition," Silva said in his Monday press conference.

"Their game is to play out from the goalkeeper, they have enough courage to do it, and they do it with quality. I think the game we played against them at the Cottage is a good example of that.

"I think maybe they were the only team that had more possession than us at the Cottage. That shows the way they like to play.

"We know that sometimes they will have possession in a low position around their box, they use the goalkeeper a lot in this moment as well to start from the back. And they do it well.

"It's up to us, with our plan and our strategy, to try to control these moments, and to feel comfortable with this situation because it's not the end of the world.

"Of course we like to have the possession, we like to keep the ball, we like to control the game with the ball, it's our way, but in some moments we have to feel comfortable with the situation, even if it's not natural for us a team to see the others with the ball.

"We have to press really high to try to get the ball from them, and we will do it in certain moments. Other moments, we have to control in a different way, and I think that will be a good challenge for us."



https://planetswans.co.uk/2022/03/08/we-will-have-to-press-high-fulham-boss-warns-the-swans-what-to-expect/

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Let's talk about...Fulham

Swansea recorded back-to-back wins last weekend thanks to a 3-1 win over Coventry at home. Michael Obafemi scored a well-worked brace after Jamie Paterson bagged his first since making his return to the squad.

Next up is another home game against the Championship's best team, Fulham. The Cottagers find themselves comfortably top of the table while their star striker has already set a new goalscoring record.

Their January Transfer Window

After bringing in Paulo Gazzaniga, Harry Wilson, Rodrigo Muniz and Nathaniel Chalobah in the summer, Fulham enjoyed a relatively quiet January transfer window in terms of incomings. Their only signing was Neco Williams; the Welsh international joined on loan from Liverpool. Their loanee Domingos Quina was recalled by parent club Watford after struggling to break into the first team.

As for exits, Fulham loaned out several fringe players including Cyrus Christie, who has been excellent for Swansea since his arrival. They also sold American goalkeeper Damian Las to Austin.

Their Top Scorer

Fulham's excellent season can be attributed largely to Aleksandar Mitrovic's remarkable season in front of goal. So far this season, Mitrovic has scored a record-breaking 34 goals, beating Ivan Toney's record of 31 with a third of the season to play.

The 27-year-old Serbian international started his career at Partizan, winning the Serbian SuperLiga title in 2012-13. After scoring 13 in 28 games, he joined Anderlecht for an estimated €5 million.

Mitrovic scored 16 in 32 games in his debut season, leading Anderlecht to the Belgian Pro League title. He later helped them lift the Belgian Super Cup before winning the golden boot in his second season. He left the Belgian giants after two seasons and an impressive 36 goals in 69 league games.

He joined Newcastle in July 2015 for £13 million. His nine goals were not enough to keep Newcastle in the top flight as they fell to the Championship despite finishing strong under Rafael Benitez.

Despite dropping down a league, Mitrovic struggled for goals in his first Championship campaign. However, his record of four goals in 25 outings were enough for Newcastle to win the league, bouncing back to the Premier League at the first opportunity.

After a difficult start to the 2017-18 season, Mitrovic returned to the Championship in February 2018 to join Fulham on loan. He quickly became a fan favourite, scoring 12 in 17 games as Fulham were promoted via the playoffs.

His clinical finishing earnt him a permanent move to Fulham, signing for the newly-promoted side for an initial £22 million. He missed just one of their 38 league games, scoring 11 times. However, Fulham struggled upon their return and finished 19th.

Mitrovic's return to the Championship was brief. After scoring 26 in 40, Fulham were promoted via the playoffs once again. They finished fourth, beating Cardiff City in the play-off semi-final before an extra-time win over Brentford at Wembley.

Fulham once again struggled in the Premier League. They were relegated back to the second tier after finishing 18th, with Mitrovic scoring just three times.

However, he has enjoyed an unbelievable 2021-22 season. He leads the golden boot race by a considerable distance with 34 goals; the next highest scorer is Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke with 20.

Previous Meeting

The two sides last met in September, with the aforementioned Mitrovic stealing the show for The Cottagers. Swansea travelled to Craven Cottage on a run of four games without defeat, although they drew three in that run.

It was Fulham who found the breakthrough after 12 minutes. Following a poor clearance, Tim Ream's header found Mitrovic in the box. The Serbian striker cleverly turned Kyle Naughton before drilling his shot beyond Ben Hamer, although the goal should have been disallowed as Mitrovic was offside.

Mitrovic made it 2-0 20 minutes later, rounding off a well-worked counterattack for the home side.

Swansea pulled one back in the 38th minute through Jamie Paterson. He received a through ball from Joel Piroe before cutting onto his right foot, leaving Denis Odoi and Paulo Gazzaniga helpless as he curled home.

However, Mitrovic completed his hattrick just before half-time, once again completing a deadly counter-attack with an excellent half-volley.

Swansea were much improved in the second half but were unable to find a breakthrough, giving Fulham all three points.

Final score – Fulham 3-1 Swansea City

Match Preview

After back-to-back wins, Swansea face the toughest home test of the season on Tuesday night. Fulham come into the game on a run of three successive wins, beating Blackburn in the early Saturday kick-off. Their only league defeat of 2022 came against Huddersfield last month. Since the turn of the year, Fulham have won nine, drawn one (home to Blackpool and lost one.

Swansea will be without the ineligible Cyrus Christie as they face his parent club. Nathanael Ogbeta is also likely to miss out, while Hannes Wolf continues his recovery after a positive covid test last weekend. In their absence, Russell Martin will likely turn to Korey Smith and Joel Latibeaudiere.

Meanwhile, Michael Obafemi will no doubt be looking to continue his goalscoring form. He has four goals in his last three home games.

Expect a difficult game against an in-form Fulham side. The absence of Christie will be sorely felt, although Andy Fisher's excellent display on Saturday should give Swansea some hope as they meet Mitrovic once again.

After Tuesday's outing, Swansea face back-to-back away games at newly-promoted sides. They travel to Blackpool on Saturday before an away visit to struggling Peterborough the following Wednesday.



https://planetswans.co.uk/2022/03/08/lets-talk-about-fulham-2/

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Goals, style, rooftop pool – but will Fulham stay afloat in Premier League?

The runaway Championship leaders have been thrilling this season but may still struggle if they are promoted again


Aleksandar Mitrovic (right) has scored 34 goals in the Championship with Harry Wilson also excelling. Photograph: Mark Greenwood/IPS/Shutterstock

What goes up must come down. Then go back up. Then come down. Then go back up again. That is the law that Fulham seem determined to prove, with Saturday's peremptory 2-0 win over Blackburn moving them closer to their third promotion from the Championship in five seasons. There is still a way to go, of course, but it looks like they will soon return to the Premier League. Isn't that exciting?

It is OK to say no. It is fair to venture that the more interesting stories in this season's Championship are to be found almost everywhere else. Such as at Luton Town, who have earned themselves a whiff of the top flight only eight years after clambering out of non-league; or at Middlesbrough, who have not only beaten Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup since Chris Wilder took charge but who moved back into the play-off places on Saturday at the expense of their manager's old flame, Sheffield United; or indeed at Blackburn, who are to be admired for also being in contention for a play-off spot in a season in which they have suffered the heaviest home defeat in their history, November's 7-0 humbling by, yes, Fulham.

Big deal, right? Fulham were supposed to win the league. Several important players left after their relegation from the Premier League in 2021 but they retained a powerful squad and were tagged as pre-season favourites for promotion. But that does not mean their conquest of the second tier was inevitable. The two clubs who went down with them were also expected to challenge hard: Sheffield United are fighting to get back into the play-off places and West Brom, with internal wrangles, are finding it even tougher.

While West Brom's owner is looking for buyers for the Baggies, Fulham's owner, Shahid Khan, can start picturing himself watching players such as Mohamed Salah and Jack Grealish in action while he dives into the rooftop swimming pool that is to be part of the Riverside Stand under construction at Craven Cottage. Khan has a similar amenity at his other sports holding, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and people pay thousands of dollars to take a dip while they spectate. So in your face, Tottenham's notional cheese bar. And up your game, prospective new Chelsea overlords.

At this point it is appropriate to wonder whether the Premier League really needs another London club. Or to lament the number of London clubs that the Premier League can sustain compared with the rest of the country. At any rate, Khan, who was interested in buying Wembley in 2018, plans to make money by making a Craven Cottage a go-to venue for much more than football.


Fulham's Riverside Stand, pictured at the end of January, is due to include a swimming pool for fans. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

But the football will be worth watching too. Fulham have got that very right this season. Even if you think their topping the table is par for the course, the style with which they have done it under Marco Silva has been above and beyond anything seen under his predecessor, Scott Parker. Twelve of their victories this season have been by three goals or more. Blackburn were not the only side to be blown away 7-0 on their own pitch – Reading endured a similar ordeal – and Fulham have fired six past Birmingham and Bristol City. With 12 matches left, they have scored more goals than seven of the past 10 winners of the Championship and could end up conceding fewer than any of them.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has struck 34 league goals, rifling them in at a rate that has the merit of triggering mention of George Camsell, who holds the record for the highest haul in the second division thanks to his 59 goals for Middlesbrough in the 1926-27 season, a tally he amassed despite abdicating penalty-taking duties out of shame after missing one in a FA Cup tie against lower-league Millwall. Nineteen-year-old Fabio Carvalho has shone in midfield with his wondrous finesse and balance, shape-shifting turns and sharp wit.

Harry Wilson's dinked finish against Blackburn on Saturday was his latest contribution to a fine personal campaign, while Neco Williams showed he has got into the groove since arriving on loan from Liverpool in January by intercepting a Blackburn pass on the edge of his box, scampering forward and trying to chip the goalkeeper from the halfway line, foiled by the crossbar. With Jean Michaël Seri or Nathaniel Chalobah patrolling in front of a defence in which Tosin Adarabioyo has looked classy all season, Fulham have been thrilling to watch.

They were seldom that under Parker. Before he took them down from the Premier League last season, he took them up from the Championship, through the play-offs, with several of the players Silva now has. They were tidy and boring. A lot like today's Bournemouth – now there is a team whose prospective promotion really is not exciting.

Parker has been in charge at Bournemouth since leaving Craven Cottage last summer and they have been Fulham's closest rivals for much of the season. But they were beaten at Preston on Saturday and find themselves third, albeit with matches in hand. They are below Huddersfield, who, under Carlos Corberán, are playing the type of football the club hoped they would see after hiring Marcelo Bielsa's former assistant.

Bielsa's recent jilting by Leeds is an obvious reminder that what delights in the Championship may not cut it for long in the Premier League without overhauls or adjustments. The fact that Norwich, winners of the Championship in 2019 and 2021, look doomed to finish bottom of the Premier League again also offers a warning of the growing gulf and of how quickly promoted teams need to get everything right. As, of course, does Fulham's own recent history. Yo-yoing is practically part of the process. Fans of clubs of a certain size just have to hope to be able to enjoy the ride.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/08/fulham-premier-league-return-rooftop-pool-championship

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Fulham team news and predicted XI to face Swansea City

Fulham have been a real force this season in the Championship, and they look set to return to the Premier League.

They have an 11 point lead over 2nd place Huddersfield Town and have played two games less than the Terriers.

With Aleksandar Mitrović leading the line, Fulham have scored 84 goals this season and look set to reach 100 goals in the Championship this season.

The appointment of Marco Silva at the start of the season showed Fulham's intent from the off, and it is intent that Silva has helped them live up to this season.

Fulham team news
Fulham has been impressive recently, and it is unlikely that Silva will make any changes to the starting team.

Terence Kongolo has been out for some time now and isn't expected to be back for this game.

Tom Cairney has missed the last two games through injury. He failed a late fitness check ahead of the last outing v Blackburn Rovers and could return tonight.

Predicted XI
Rodak (GK)

Williams

Adarabioyo

Ream

Robinson

Reed

Chalobah

Wilson

Carvalho

Kebano

Mitrovic

Closing in on the title...
With 12 games remaining and a comfortable gap, Fulham and Silva look set to win the league title this season.

The biggest task for Silva at Fulham will come next season when he has to try and keep them in the Premier League – Getting Mitrovic scoring in the Premier League could be the key to keeping them up.

Tonight, Fulham will need to make sure they are at their best to take three points back to Craven Cottage from Wales.

The game kicks off at 7:45pm.



https://the72.co.uk/265224/fulham-team-news-and-predicted-xi-to-face-swansea-city/

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Swansea City team news and predicted XI to face Fulham

Swansea City currently sit in 16th place of the Championship table ahead of their home game v Fulham later this evening.

Manager Russell Martin took charge six days before the start of this season which would have certainly affected his and the players' preparation.

But despite the late change, Swansea City have shown signs of promise under Martin. Recent wins against West Brom and Coventry City have showed their quality.

Tonight they face the runaway leaders Fulham, a game that will test how far they have come under Martin.

Swansea City team news
Korey Smith is facing a nervous wait to see if he will feature tonight after receiving treatment at the end of Saturday's game. Martin said he expects Smith to be fine and believes it was just cramp causing Smith problems.

Hannes Wolf will be without after testing positive for COVID-19, the on-loan midfielder isn't seriously unwell, but the virus will keep him out of this game.

Nathanael Ogbeta is still a little way off full fitness for Swansea City. He will have to wait to make his full debut after signing from Shrewsbury Town.

Cyrus Christie is ineligible for this game as it is against his parent club Fulham.

Predicted XI
Fisher (GK)

Cabango

Naughton

Manning

Latibeaudiere

Downes

Grimes

Smith

Paterson

Piroe

Obafemi

Strong end to the season...
With the season coming to an end for Swansea City, players will be hoping to impress ahead of next season as Martin has his first full pre-season with Swansea City.

Martin will be keen to see which players he can take into next season and help him make progress with the Swans.

Tonight's game will be a big test against the top of the table Fulham, and it kicks off at 7:45pm.



https://the72.co.uk/265211/swansea-city-team-news-and-predicted-xi-to-face-fulham/

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Goals and assists aplenty for Fulham's Welsh midfielder

After full season loans at Derby County, Bournemouth and Cardiff City together with brief spells at Crewe and Hull City, Harry Wilson has had a fair few different shirts for someone who is only 24 years old.

But this season he seems to have found his home with Fulham and his goal in Saturday's win over Blackburn took him to the 'double double' of more than 10 goals and assists in the same season.

His strike took his goal tally to add to his already impressive figures of 13 assists as Fulham seemingly sweep aside all in front of them on their way to an immediate return to the Premier League.

Wilson signed a five year deal at Craven Cottage last summer after loan spells at Crewe, Hull, Derby, Bournemouth and Cardiff City and he has repaid the faith and investment shown in him by Fulham with his more than impressive tally.

Wilson, capped 34 times already for Wales, only ever made two appearances for Liverpool – one in each domestic cup – before his varying loan spells that saw full seasons at Derby, Bournemouth and Cardiff with each of them producing league goals aplenty.

But what does the midfielder make of his tally at Fulham this season "I didnt set any targets at the start of the season," he told the Fulham You Tube channel.

"Throughout the season you tend to set yourself a couple but as the season progresses you tend to set yourself some and just before Christmas I set myself the target of the 'double double'.

"Then I said if I got there early enough then maybe I would look at 15 but he main focus is us winning games."

Fulham arrive in SA1 this evening with an eleven point lead at the top of the Championship, 84 goals to their tally and a leading scorer who already has 34 league goals to his name, stats that tell you this will be one of the Swans toughest tests of the season.

Wilson though recognises the threat that the Swans have for Fulham.  "When they came here earlier in the season the way they controlled possession it was tough but we ended up winning the game 3-1.  So we know if we can keep our shape and be comfortable without the ball that we know when we do have the ball we can cause them problems.

"They are a great great team, the new manager has got them playing a great style of football and I know that speaking to a few of them they have really bought into that.

"The way their manager wants them to play is out from the back all of the time so we know what we are going to face."

Wilson also knows what to expect from the home crowd given his time last season at Cardiff but he adds that he hopes his place in the national squad will dampen down some of the reaction he receives "They have a massive rivalry with Cardiff down there so I am expecting some stick but I hope that my position in the Welsh side will even that out a bit."

The game this evening kicks off at 7.45pm.



https://planetswans.co.uk/2022/03/08/goals-and-assists-aplenty-for-fulhams-welsh-midfielder/

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Preview | Swansea City v Fulham

Swansea City will look to record three consecutive league wins for the first time this season when they host Fulham at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).

The Championship leaders arrive in SA1 having only failed to win two league games in 2022.

The home side will take confidence from a fantastic result against West Bromwich Albion eight days ago and a near-perfect first half performance against Coventry City last time out when they dominated possession and reduced the visitors to a solitary chance.

The Cottagers will provide a much tougher test, however, and they won the reverse fixture 3-1 thanks to a first-half hat-trick from top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Fulham's form since the turn of the year has put them in pole position for the title with an 11-point lead at the top of the table.

Team news


Hannes Wolf remains out of the squad due to Covid-19, while Cyrus Christie will be unavailable due to the terms of his loan agreement which prevent him from facing his parent club.

The game comes too soon for Nathanael Ogbeta, however, who returned to the grass last week after a hamstring injury.

Pre-match views


Russell Martin: "Even with the two results we've had, they'll be no expectation outside this building for us to get any result against Fulham because of the form they're in and the quality they possess.

"I think it's a brilliant opportunity for the guys to really show where they are at and how good they can be.

"I loved our performance at Craven Cottage earlier in the season. I was probably happier with that performance than I was with the performance [against Coventry City] on Saturday.

"If we can replicate something like that and play with that intensity, we'll have a chance of surprising people."

Marco Silva: "They're a team that like to have possession. I think they're the team with the most possession in this competition.

"Their game is to play out from the goalkeeper, they have enough courage to do it, and they do it with quality. I think the game we played against them at the Cottage is a good example of that.

"I think maybe they were the only team that had more possession than us at the Cottage. That shows the way they like to play.

"We have to press really high to try to get the ball from them, and we will do it in certain moments. Other moments, we have to control in a different way, and I think that will be a good challenge for us."

Remember the last time?
A first-half brace from Mitrovic sealed defeat for the Swans when they last hosted Fulham in November 2019.

Steve Cooper's men were unfortunate to be on the losing side that day playing the better football and creating the majority of chances. But the Serbian international was clinical and he headed in a rebound after Aboubaka Kamara's volley clattered the crossbar, before calmly finishing off a move orchestrated by Josh Onomah.

The Swans continued to press, but found visiting goalkeeper Marek Rodak in fine form. They got a well-deserved goal back just after the hour mark when George Byers headed in from Barrie McKay's cross, but they were unable to find the equaliser as the visitors held on for the points.

Prime numbers
34 – It would be remis not to mention Mitrovic's record-setting goal tally. He's already broken the goal scoring record for the Championship and shows no sign of slowing down with 12 games remaining. He is yet to go more than two league games without a goal and is currently averaging 1.09 goals per game.

68 – It's a familiar fixture with the sides meeting 68 times across 97 years. The Cottagers hold the advantage coming out on top on 34 occasions.



https://www.swanseacity.com/news/preview-swansea-city-v-fulham-0

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Russell Martin | If we play with the right intensity, we'll have a chance of surprising people against Fulham

Russell Martin says Tuesday's game against table-topping Fulham is a great opportunity for Swansea City to show how good a team they can be.

The West London side head to SA1 top of the Championship having already accumulated 73 points from 34 matches so far this season.

However, the Swans come into the game on the back of three straight wins at home following a Saturday's 3-1 victory against Coventry at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Fulham have failed to win just twice this calendar year, while top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic broke the Championship goal scoring record on February 23 with 14 league games remaining.

Russell Martin will be without Cyrus Christie as he is unable to play against his parent club, while Hannes Wolf is sidelined after missing the win over Coventry due to testing positive for Covid-19.

But the Swans head coach believes the game is an ideal opportunity for his players to show their progress.

"Even with the two results we've had, they'll be no expectation outside this building for us to get any result against Fulham because of the form they're in and the quality the possess," he said.

"But I think it's a brilliant opportunity for the guys to really show where they are at and how good they can be.

"I loved our performance at Craven Cottage earlier in the season. I didn't love the result, but I was probably happier with that performance than I was with the performance [against Coventry City] on Saturday.

"If we can replicate something like that and play with that intensity, we'll have a chance of surprising people.

"Cyrus can't play on Tuesday but we have people who are desperate to be on the pitch and desperate to play."



https://www.swanseacity.com/news/russell-martin-if-we-play-right-intensity-well-have-chance-surprising-people-against-fulham

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'Expecting goals' – Swansea City v Fulham prediction: The72

Swansea City host Fulham in the Championship on Tuesday evening.

Russell Martin's Swansea City welcome league leaders Fulham to the Swansea.com Stadium in what is an intriguing clash between two in-form sides.

he Swans seem to have finally clicked under Martin and are finally putting a good run of results together. After two convincing wins in a row, Swansea City finally seem like they're on the up, but tests don't come much tougher than this in the Championship.

Fulham have won their last three on the spin, extending their lead at the top of the table to 11 points. Marco Silva's side look unstoppable at the moment and look to continue their great run in Wales tonight.

Here, a handful of The72's staff members make their predictions on tonight's game...
James Cheap

"Things look like they're finally starting to click for the Swans under Russell Martin following two impressive wins of late. However, tests don't come much tougher than this in the Championship with league leaders Fulham looking to further extend their lead at the top of the table.

"This one sets up to be a match between two very attacking sides who are both in-form so I'm expecting goals, especially after the reverse fixture ended in a 3-1 win for the Cottagers."

Score Prediction: Swansea City 2-4 Fulham

Luke Phelps

"Swansea have picked up some impressive wins of late. After a shaky patch the Swans seem to be getting back to their best with the return of Jamie Paterson proving timely, so they'll go into this game with momentum.

"Fulham though are the league's best team and they have been all season. They can blow away anyone on their day but they are prone to the odd poor performance, so tomorrow's game is certainly open.

"I can see Fulham just having enough attacking quality to get through this one though."

Score prediction: Swansea City 0-2 Fulham

Ollie Chesters

"Swansea come into this one looking strong, with striker Michael Obafemi having an impressive outing last time out.

"It's certainly no easy task for the Swans though, as they face top of the table Fulham who don't look like slowing down at the moment.

"With Aleksandar Mitrovic in the form of his life and already breaking the Championship goal scoring record, Swansea will have some task in stopping him from scoring.

"I think it'll be a routine win for Fulham in this one."

Score prediction: Swansea City 1-3 Fulham



https://the72.co.uk/265234/expecting-goals-swansea-city-v-fulham-prediction-the72/

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Russell Martin : Nobody expects anything from us tonight

Swansea City's hardest challenge at home for some time kicks off at 7.45pm tonight at the swansea.com stadium. Fulham are the visitors a club who will almost certainly hit over one hundred goals this season, and are favourites to return to the premier league.

Swansea are a completely different story this season, the patience and time given to Russell Martin hasn't pleased everyone, but recent performances have given the Jack Army some hope. Talk of relegation has gone, and the swans are now scoring goals, especially at home, and taking their chances. That all said nobody really expects Swansea to take anything from tonight's game, let alone win it. That gives Russell Martin a bit of a free hit as we reported this morning. However, he does believe there's something for his side to be taken from the game.

The swans boss is still very positive though. "With the two results we've had, there will be no expectations outside this building to go and get a result against Fulham because of the form they're in, the team they are and the quality they possess. But it's a brilliant opportunity for the guys to really show where they're at and how good they can be. I loved our performance there earlier on in the season. I didn't love the result. I was probably more happy with the performance than I am today, but if we can replicate that and play with that intensity, we'll have a real chance of hopefully surprising a few people."

Although Martin has a few selection issues, Nathanael Ogbeta is out and still to be seen in a white shirt, Hannes Wolf is also out with Covid and Cyrus Christie can't play due to the fact Fulham are his parent club. You would have thought that the swans boss would look to experience against such a well drilled side like Fulham. However, that doesn't seem to be the case for Ryan Bennett. Speaking about the defender on the weekend he said. "He's fine, Fin Burns came out of the team, and I thought it was really unfair out of the starting XI and then out of the squad because Fin did great in his last two games. "Bristol City, he was excellent on his debut. Sheffield United, he was one of the few players to emerge with some credit. How brave he remained throughout the whole game for an 18-year-old kid. Didn't go under at all."So we really love Fin, but with Naughts coming back it's difficult because the most consistent back three has been the back three that played today. It's the back three we've had the best record with. So there was a temptation to put Ryan Manning up the pitch because it would have been a more natural fit maybe, but then we lose balance at the back. And whenever we've done that, even when Ryan [Manning] has brought us a lot in the final third, it's affected us. So the decision was to try and remain consistent with that one. But Benno's fit. He's in the squad. He's training well. He's been no problem at all and he's been really good with the likes of Fin Burns when he's not involved and he understands"

This game will be a real test tonight for swans fans to compare the Russell Martin revolution to that of Marco Silva's seemingly unstoppable football machine. And nobody apart from those inside the building at SA1 believes the swans will take anything from the game tonight. But this is Swansea, and we know things don't always go as expected.



https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/swanseacity/news/57237/russell-martin-nobody-expects-anything-from-us-tonight

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Match Day Programme Notes v Fulham 8-3-2022

International Women's Day – 8th March 2022

To celebrate International Women's Day we thought that it would be great for some of our women members and supporters to introduce themselves to you – Sian Davies (Swansea City Supporters' Trust (SCST)), Cath Dyer (Swansea City Disabled Supporters Association (DSA)) and Amy Clement (Her Game Too).

Sian to kick off:
My family have supported the Swans for five generations. One of my earliest memories is being at the Vetch on a winter's night with a few hundred other fans watching Swansea schoolboys. When I retired from a career in education and being a Welsh speaker, having learnt Welsh in my early 20s, I wanted to become more involved with the Swans and give something back to the club that is, and has been, such a large part of my life.

I'd been a member of the Supporters' Trust for many years and was lucky enough to be elected to the Trust Board; this is my second term as a Board member. I have a number of roles within the Board including responsibility for the membership database. For many years the number of women members of the Trust has, sadly, been very low and one of my priorities going forward is to try to remedy this. If, as women fans, you'd like your voice to be heard, join the Trust and if you'd like to be involved in initiatives to increase the number of women Trust members please email me at [email protected] or come and speak to me at the Trust Pod outside the stadium before home games.

Over to you Cath:
A Swans supporter since 1981, enjoying glory days at the Vetch, and mingling with players during discos in Harpers. I met my husband in Barclays, a fellow Swan, we have 3 children, 2 of whom are disabled. We moved to Llandrindod Wells but still made the journey to the Liberty. Being bilingual and musical, I led a Cylch Meithrin, and become a teaching assistant in English and Welsh schools, playing the piano for the school in the Urdd Eisteddfod.

Following a move back to Swansea in 2010, I joined the Trust so that I could give something back to the club that had supported our disabled daughters' journey, and joined the Travel Plan committee, Awards night committee and undertook Welsh and English interviews.

I was fully involved in setting up the DSA with Ian James. We aim to ensure everyone has their best match-day experience, is included and that we are there for them.

And finally, Amy:
Her Game Too was founded by myself and eleven other girls in May 2021. We are all passionate football fans who have experienced sexism whilst talking about, attending, working in or playing football. Our research found that sexism in football spreads much more widely and deeper than we had originally thought and our initial campaign video certainly supported this, receiving over 1 million views in 24 hours. We want women to feel safe and welcome in the football world. We want to raise awareness, educate, inspire and make a change. We urge female fans to get involved with their football trusts and communities so our voices can be heard.



https://www.swanstrust.co.uk/2022/03/08/match-day-programme-notes-v-fulham-8-3-2022/

[WhiteJC]

Swansea Matchday Preview

Swansea City v Fulham | Tuesday 8th March 2022 | 7.45pm | Swansea.com Stadium | #SWAFUL

The opposition

    Four wins from their last six means Swansea's Play-Off hopes may not be over just yet. They're currently sitting in 16th, but if they win their game in hand on sixth place Middlesbrough then they will be just eight points off the pace.
    Results have been a mixed bag this season, but the team are showing plenty of signs to suggest they're getting used to new boss Russell Martin's system. They're the only side in the Championship to have better average possession (64.1%) and pass success (85.4%) than Fulham.
    Cyrus Christie has settled in quickly since moving to Wales, operating in Martin's wing-back system, and will be frustrated to miss Tuesday's game having registered two goals and an assist in his last four matches.

Swansea team news

The hosts are light in both wing-back positions this week, with Christie ineligible to face his parent club, while Hannes Wolf misses out on the other side having tested positive for Covid.

Fulham team news

Aside from Anthony Knockaert who's nursing a back injury, Marco Silva has no new injury concerns.

Tickets

Fans can buy tickets over the phone until 3pm on Tuesday, to collect from the Swansea.com Stadium the evening of the game.

Weather

It should be a dry and cloudy night in Swansea, with temperatures around eight degrees during the game.

Coverage

International fans will be able to watch live coverage of the game. All other subscribers can listen to live commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid.

Player insight

Harry Wilson isn't sure what sort of reception he'll be getting from the home fans on Tuesday night.

The winger spent last season on loan with their rivals Cardiff City, but the Swans fanbase will be on his side when Wales take on Austria in their World Cup Play-Off later this month.

"They've got a massive rivalry with Cardiff down there and obviously I played for Cardiff last year," Wilson told FFCtv, "so I'm expecting a little bit, but I'm hoping that my Welsh roots will even it out a little bit, because I'm hoping at the end of this month that they'll be supporting me."

Form

Swansea: LWLWW

Fulham: WLWWW

Pre-match quotes

"There will be no expectations outside this building to go and get a result against Fulham because of the form they're in, the team they are and the quality they possess. But it's a brilliant opportunity for the guys to really show where they're at and how good they can be."

Russell Martin
Swansea City Head Coach

"We have to press really high to try to get the ball from them, and we will do it in certain moments. Other moments, we have to control in a different way, and I think that will be a good challenge for us."

Marco Silva
Fulham Head Coach

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/march/08/swansea-matchday-preview/

[WhiteJC]

'There is a good feeling at the club' – Sky Sports' David Prutton issues Swansea City v Fulham prediction

Swansea City host Fulham in the Championship later this evening.

Swansea City welcome league leaders Fulham to the swansea.com Stadium tonight, in another exciting clash in the Championship.

Marco Silva's side have been the league's standout side throughout. They go into tonight's game on the back of a three-game winning streak, looking to build on an 11-point lead at the top of the table, whilst the Swans go into the game on the back of some decent form of their own.

After a patch few weeks over January, Swansea City have won back-to-back games in the Championship, beating Coventry City 3-1 at home last time out.

And making his prediction ahead of tonight's game, Sky Sports pundit David Prutton issued this prediction:

"It was an excellent win for Swansea against Coventry on Saturday. They aren't going to threaten either end of the table this season realistically, but it's important for them to have a good end to the season so there is a good feeling at the club heading into the next campaign under Russell Martin.

"Fulham are on an inevitable march towards the Premier League. It is when rather than if now, and about what records they can break along the way. Away win."

Prutton goes on to predict a 3-1 win for Fulham.

All to play for...
Despite Fulham looking like they're in the clear with 12 games of the season remaining, Silva will know that the task at hand is far from complete.

His side have been prone to the odd defeat this season and so there's still time for the wheels to fall off, with Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth following closely behind.

And for the Swans, they'll be hoping to put in some impressive performances in the final games of the season as to start the next campaign in a positive manner.

There should be some fantastic football on display tonight and it wouldn't be surprising if either team emerges as the victors.

Tonight's game kicks off at 7:45pm.



https://the72.co.uk/265285/there-is-a-good-feeling-at-the-club-sky-sports-david-prutton-issues-swansea-city-v-fulham-prediction/

[WhiteJC]

Marlon Loves Winging It!

Wing-backs in friendly rivalry to keep driving Wanderers forward

Marlon Fossey and Declan John are ready to go head-to-head for the rest of the season to help Wanderers stay in the hunt at the top end of League One.

The wing-back pair have played a big part in the Whites' revival that has seen Ian Evatt's men win nine of their last 12 games to get into play-off contention.

Evatt's change of formation helped spark the winning run which the Whites will be looking to continue at home to Morecambe tonight (Tuesday).

And Fossey and John aim to keep comparing statistics during the run-in to see who comes out on top.

"We actually talked about setting up a little competition," said Fossey.

"But if I'm in on goal and see Dec I'll still pass to him!

"Competition is fun and me and Dec are thriving in this system and long may it continue.

"There was a goal contribution for each of us at the weekend and onto the next."

Fossey claimed assists for the goals scored by Aaron Morley and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, while John popped to net the second himself in Saturday's impressive 3-0 win at Gillingham.

That was John's third goal in 10 games, while Fossey's first Wanderers' goal saw them both on the scoresheet in a 3-2 win at Oxford United last month.

And Fossey hopes to add to that tally now he's popping up regularly in and around the penalty area as one of Wanderers' extra attacking options.

"I used to do that – in my striker days at Fulham!" added the on-loan Cottagers' man.

"Since I've been a right-back it's been an area of the pitch where I haven't been near.

"Being at Bolton I've been in that shooting area a lot more. Sometimes I'm snatching at it and rushing but I think the more I get in those positions the more I'll be composed and slot a few away and hopefully do a back flip as well!"

Wanderers' fans would love to see the 23-year-old reprise his goal celebration against Morecambe as the Whites go for seven home wins in a row.

Fossey is revelling in the play-off push and is eyeing another winning performance to keep the momentum going.

"I'm enjoying playing in a competitive and high-quality team," he said.

"I believe in this team a lot and I back our quality against pretty much any team in this league.

"We have 10 games left and all are winnable. If we play our brand of football we will have at least a chance in every one of those games and hopefully we win most of them.

"Unfortunately it's not in our hands, but all we can do is take care of our business and see where that takes us.

"Morecambe is our next mission and hopefully we can get the three points."



https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2022/march/winging-it/

[WhiteJC]

Sky Sports pundit issues score prediction for Swansea City vs Fulham

Swansea City's season is in danger of petering out as they prepare to welcome Fulham to South Wales in the Sky Bet Championship this evening.

The Swans are currently 16th in the league standings, comfortably ahead of the relegation zone and a good distance away from the play-off places – but there is still reason for them to perform well as the season draws to a close.

Building momentum going into next season is vital for Russell Martin's side and their 3-1 victory over play-off chasers Coventry City on Saturday was certainly another step in the right direction after their win over West Bromwich Albion the week prior.

Their opponents Fulham meanwhile, look destined for the Premier League, sitting top with a 12 point gap to third-placed AFC Bournemouth.

The Cottagers have won four of their last five in the league, which included an impressive 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

With that in mind, Sky Sports EFL expert and pundit David Prutton has issued his score prediction for the match, going for a 3-1 win for Fulham.

"It was an excellent win for Swansea against Coventry on Saturday. They aren't going to threaten either end of the table this season realistically, but it's important for them to have a good end to the season so there is a good feeling at the club heading into the next campaign under Russell Martin." Prutton wrote on SkySports.com.

"Fulham are on an inevitable march towards the Premier League. It is when rather than if now, and about what records they can break along the way. Away win."

The Verdict

Fulham's return to the Premier League feels inevitable at this stage, but Marco Silva does not strike me as a man that will allow things to become complacent.

With that being said, you can see why David Prutton has opted for an away win for Fulham tonight.

Russell Martin's side are building something, though, as evidenced by their back-to-back wins over decent opposition in recent weeks.

It will certainly be no pushover for Fulham, but they have the talent and ability to put away anybody in this league on their day.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-issues-score-prediction-for-swansea-city-vs-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Swansea City Striker Michael Obafemi Targets Double Figures And A Win Over Runaway League Leaders Fulham

Swansea City striker Michael Obafemi is looking to add table-topping Fulham to his hit list tonight (Tuesday) after notching the first brace of goals in his career at the weekend.

It took a while for the young Republic of Ireland international to make his mark in west Wales after his £1.5m summer transfer from Premier League Southampton, but four goals in his last six games have underlined his talent.

"I'm definitely getting into form, I'm taking my chances and I want to kick on against Fulham," said the 21-year-old Obafemi.

"I had a slow start to my Swansea career. Now I feel I've hit the ground running and I', showing the fans what I can do.

"I wasn't really settled to begin with being so far away from home. I've adjusted to it now and I'm enjoying it.

"We're all ready for Tuesday night – bring it on. It doesn't matter who we play against we want to get three points, whether it is against a team at the top or the bottom."

Born in Dublin, but raised in London, Obafemi made his Premier League debut at the age of 17 and became The Saints' youngest scorer in the top-flight a year later when he scored his first professional goal in a 3–1 victory at Huddersfield.

Things have changed since then and Swansea boss Russell Martin has asked him to play in a different way as he looks to get the most out of his striking partnership with top-scorer Joel Piroe.

"The manager wants me to stay in the middle of the goal and the middle of the pitch to get chances. It is a change of approach for me," added Obafemi.

"I used to try to get in behind defences, but now I stay in the middle. It's different, but if it gets me goals I'll do it all day long – just give me one chance and I'll take it.

"I'd love to get into double digits for sure by the end of the season and to play as many games as possible. We have targets we have set ourselves as a team and we want to keep on winning.

"We have underachieved slightly this season with the way we play and the team we've got. Next year we can have a real shot at kicking on for promotion."

Despite facing a stern test against Fulham, Swansea are in decent form themselves and are aiming to win three consecutive matches for the first time this season. The Swans will be without Cyrus Christie as he is unable to play against his parent club, while Hannes Wolf is still sidelined after missing the win over Coventry due to testing positive for Covid-19.

Martin is looking forward to welcoming Marco Silva's side to South Wales and has challenged his players to cause a few surprises.

"Even with the two great results we've had, there will be no expectation outside this building for us to get any result against Fulham because of the form they're in and the quality they possess," added the Swansea boss.

"I think it's a brilliant opportunity for the guys to really show where they are at and how good they can be.

"Even though we lost 3-1, I loved our performance at Craven Cottage earlier in the season. I was probably happier with that performance than I was with the performance [against Coventry City] on Saturday.

"If we can replicate something like that and play with that intensity, we'll have a chance of surprising people."



https://www.dai-sport.com/swansea-city-striker-michael-obafemi-targets-double-figures-and-a-win-over-runaway-league-leaders-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

How is ex-Fulham man Lazar Markovic getting on these days?

It's fair to say that Lazar Markovic did not make much of an impression during his time at Fulham.

Having previously had loan spells with Fenerbahce, Hull City, Sporting CP, and Anderlecht, Markovic joined the Cottagers on a free transfer from Liverpool as they were battling relegation from the Premier League in 2019.

However, the former Liverpool man did not have much influence on things as Fulham were relegated, pulling on the club shirt just once – a substitute appearance in a 3-1 loss away at West Ham United.

Prior to signing for Fulham, on top of his loan spells, the Serbian winger had come through the ranks at FK Partizan Belgrade, where he won three Serbian championships.

His performances for FK Partizan earned him a move to Benfica, where Markovic's sole season in Portugal was enough to impress Liverpool enough to invest.

Things never quite worked out for Markovic on Merseyside though, with the player ultimately leaving the Reds on a free.

Markovic's time at Fulham did not work out either and he went on to leave the club shortly after joining when his short-term deal expired.

Here at FLW, we thought we'd take a look at how the Serbian is getting on these days.

Upon leaving Fulham, the then 25-year-old returned to FK Partizan Belgrade in his native Serbia, where, as above, he previously came through the academy and won three Serbian championships.

Since making the move back home, the 28-year old has gone on to make a further 78 appearances for FK Partizan Belgrade, scoring 19 goals and assisting 13 times during that period.

A recent Twitter post shows Markovic in FK Partizan action.

At 28-years-old, Markovic still has plenty of years ahead of him, but seems settled in Serbia having returned there.

After having played for so many clubs and had several different loan spells earlier in his career, perhaps the stability offered by FK Partizan Belgrade was exactly what Markovic needed when he left Fulham almost three years ago.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/how-is-ex-fulham-man-lazar-markovic-getting-on-these-days/

[WhiteJC]

'I'm a solid goalkeeper' – Fulham youngster 'excited' for the future after impressive loan spell

Fulham goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond has said to fulhamfc.com that 'he is excited about what the future holds' in a tell-all interview outlining his loan move to non-league Boreham Wood.

Ashby-Hammond, who featured as his loan club were knocked out of the FA Cup by Everton last week, has spoken highly about the club and is adamant that the progress he is making will stand him in good stead to forge a career with the Cottagers.

The 22-year-old's brother, Luca, is also a goalkeeping prospect at the club and is on loan in the same league with Stockport County.

In his interview on his club's official website, Taye Ashby-Hammond said:

"I've played a lot of games at National League level and I think this season has cemented that I'm a solid goalkeeper who has performed at a decent level.

"It's been a crucial loan period for me and I'm excited about what the future holds."

The youngster spent time on loan at Maidenhead United last season before making the move to Hertfordshire in this campaign and cemented his place as the regular goalkeeper at the club.

Future-proofing...

With Fulham looking almost certain to return to the Premier League ahead of next season, manager Marco Silva will be looking to his young players to help him build a stable and sustainable Premier League side and lessen the chance of yo-yoing for years to come.

The Ashby-Hammond brothers will be crucial between the sticks and both provide great hope for fans that a contingency plan is in place as Fulham look to build.

Fulham travel across the Welsh border tonight to face Swansea City as they continue to bridge the gap between themselves and the chasing pack. Silva's men are currently 11 points clear at the top of the Championship table and have only lost five times this season.

The club are currently on a three game run of wins and look sure to joining the elite of English football next season.



https://the72.co.uk/265329/im-a-solid-goalkeeper-fulham-youngster-excited-for-the-future-after-impressive-loan-spell/

[WhiteJC]

Sanderson double downs Brighton

A brilliant brace from Olly Sanderson saw Fulham's under 18s edge a five-goal thriller at Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon despite playing for more than an hour with ten men.

The in-form Sanderson's second, scored deep in stoppage time, scored a second win on the road in four days for Ali Melloul's men, who displayed tremendous tenacity to pick up all three points after Devan Tanton was dismissed after being shown two yellow cards in the space of eleven first half minutes. In blustery conditions in west Sussex, Fulham had the best early chances with Sanderson nipping in to dispossess Ruairi McConville before a mix-up between the striker and Luke Harris prevented the visitors from making the most of a good opportunity.

Sanderson then forced a fine save from Albion goalkeeper Tommy Reid with a powerful header from Imani Lanquedoc's cross, but a poor touch from Reid soon let the Fulham striker open scoring with the simplest of finishes on 27 minutes. The hosts levelled immediately, however, with Billy Clark burst onto a pass from Elliot Jenks and curling a fabulous finish into the far corner. Worse was to come for the young Whites when Tanton received his marching orders after an ill-advised lunge when he had already been booked.

Fulham were still unfortunate not to go in front before the break. Tyler Caton's deflected drive bounced back off the post – and the Londoners weren't in the mood to shut up shop despite being a man down. Brighton, who saw more of the ball as a result of their numerical advantage, went close at the start of the second period when Jack Hinshelwood flashed a free-kick fractionally wide of goal, with substitute goalkeeper Michael Allen looking beaten, but Fulham went ahead with their first serious attack of the half.

The young Whites broke beautifully with Cypriot midfielder George Okkas finding Delano McCoy-Splatt, who threaded a lovely pass out for Harris. The sixteen year-old beat his man and fizzed a cross in for Sanderson, whose deflected shot broke nicely for Michael Olakigbe to lash Fulham back into the lead. Brighton pushed forward in search of an immediate response and were denied by a brilliant save from McNally, who somehow denied Clark when he seemed certain to score his second from close range.

The away side couldn't hold out though as the Seagulls levelled three minutes later. Josh Duffus delivered a sensational finish, finding the top corner with a brilliant right-footed shot after he had cut in from the left flank. A remarkable game still had plenty of twists and turns in it. Harris rattled the crossbar from range only moments after Fulham had lost the lead before McNally produced a brilliant double save to keep out efforts from Markus Ifill and Shim Mhueka.

Brighton were reduced to ten men with four minutes left when Leigh Kavanagh was shown a straight red after a reckless challenge on Harris. Fulham sensed an opportunity to push for a winner, which arrived in the second minute of stoppage time when Sanderson followed up a Harris shot to put the visitors 3-2 up. Melloul's charges held on during eight nervy minutes of added time to claim an outstanding victory.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Reid; Winstanley (Gee 65), Sturge, Kavanagh, McConville; Jenks, Hinshelwood; Ifill, Clark, Mheuka; Duffus. Subs (not used): Shann, Fisher, Ryan, Smith.

BOOKED: McConville, Jenks.

SENT OFF: Kavanagh.

GOALS: Clark (28), Duffus (73).

FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): McNally (Allen 45); Tanton, Araujo, C. Robinson, Benjamin; McCoy-Splatt, Caton (Okkas 55); Lanquedoc, Harris (Works 90+4), Olakigbe (Parker 85); Sanderson. Subs (not used): Parker, Works.

BOOKED: Tanton, Araujo.

SENT OFF: Tanton.

GOALS: Sanderson (27, 90+2), Olakigbe (58).

REFEREE: Jordan Mcritchie



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/03/sanderson-double-downs-brighton/

[WhiteJC]

Talking Tactics | Swansea City v Fulham

Swansea City will look to follow up their 3-1 victory over Coventry at the weekend when league leaders Fulham make the trip to the Swansea.com Stadium tonight.

The Swans have won four of their last five in south Wales, so come into the welcome of the Cottagers in good form.

Ahead of the clash, WhoScored.com preview the encounter, looking at what to expect from Fulham, the key battle and a key stat.

What to expect from Fulham
Well, fans can expect goals, goals and more goals from this fantastic Fulham side. The Cottagers have failed to score in just three of their 34 matches.

Marco Silva has the west London outfit playing excellent attacking football that has helped them soar to the summit of England's second tier.

Ahead of Tuesday's game, Fulham sit 11 points clear of second-placed Huddersfield, with two games in hand, and 12 clear of the play-off places, albeit having played two more games than Bournemouth in third.

Silva has stuck religiously to the 4-2-3-1 setup that has served Fulham well up to this stage of the season and the Portuguese will see no reason to tinker with that setup.

The irrepressible Aleksandar Mitrovic leads the line and Silva's tactics allows the Serb to run rampant in the final third. Indeed, Mitrovic is already the record goalscorer in a single Championship campaign having netted 34 goals this season.

That there are still 12 games to play in 2021-22 means it wouldn't be a shock to see Mitrovic tear up the history books before the season draws to a close.

Harry Wilson and Neeskens Kebano provide the width from the right and the left respectively, and are additional goal outlets down the flanks.

Both have nine goals to their names this season, while Wilson's 11 assists is second only to John Swift (13) in the Championship. Fabio Carvalho, meanwhile, completes Fulham's scalpel-sharp attacking quartet.

The teenager was linked with a move to Liverpool in January, and he'll be keen to prove once more why one of the Premier League's title contenders is monitoring his development.

The attack is allowed to work their magic courtesy of the solid midfield base of Harrison Reed and Jean Michael Seri. The pair have chipped in with respective averages of 1.2 and 1.5 tackles per game in the Championship this season, so it's easier said than done trying to get the better of the pair to be in with a chance of going for the Fulham goal.

It's part of the reason why only West Brom (8.2) are conceding fewer shots per game than Fulham (8.7) in the Championship this season, and that no team has conceded fewer goals than Silva's side (29), so when the Swans do get their chances to score, they need to take them.

Key battle
Michael Obafemi rattled in goals number four and five for the season in Swansea's 3-1 win over Coventry on Saturday afternoon, and his performance yielded a WhoScored.com rating of 8.73, that enough to make the Championship team of the week.

Of those five league goals scored this season, four have come since the start of February, that the fifth-best return of any player in the second tier in that time, with Obafemi seemingly finding his feet having struggled for minutes and consistency following his arrival from Southampton last summer.

Swans fans will be hopeful the youngster can reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of 'finishing' against a Fulham backline that has conceded the joint-fewest goals in England's second tier.

Much of that has been down to the performances of Tosin Adarabioyo. The 24-year-old's WhoScored.com rating of 7.14 is among the best of Championship centre-backs this term, but Adarabioyo will be up against it when he comes up against Obafemi tonight.

Key stat
Fulham are far and away the top scorers in the Championship this season. They have scored at least 32 more goals (84) than any other team, with Mitrovic scoring 40.5% of those.

The Serb has more goals to his name than Hull (30), Barnsley and Peterborough (both 24), and just three fewer than the Swans.

The division's best-rated player with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.87, Mitrovic has also developed a knack for scoring against the Swans.

Indeed, against only Preston (6) has he scored more competitive goals than Swansea (5) in his career, including a first half hat-trick in the reverse fixture.

He boasts a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of 'finishing', so minimising the chances for Mitrovic in midweek is of the utmost importance.



https://www.swanseacity.com/news/talking-tactics-swansea-city-v-fulham-0