Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 19/04/22...

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Results

Easter Monday
M'borough	0-2	Huddersfield
Barnsley	0-2	P'borough
Blackburn	0-1	Stoke
Blackpool	6-1	Birmingham
Cardiff	0-1	Luton
Coventry	0-3	Bournmouth
Millwall	2-1	Hull
QPR	1-0	Hull
Reading	4-4	Swansea
Bristol City	1-1	Sheff Utd
Forest	4-0	West Brom

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Fulham seek out Arsenal star for loan move ahead of Premier League return

Fulham are sitting comfortably at the top of the Championship with a nine-point lead and are in touching distance of winning the division and promotion back to the Premier League.

The London club have been a bit of a yo-yo club in recent years, going up and down between the first and second divisions in England, and this time around they want to make a better attempt at staying in the top flight.

The Cottagers finished 18th in the Premier League last season but were still nine points off 17th placed Burnley and have been playing brilliantly under former Everton boss Marco Silva this campaign.


Marco Silva has Fulham flying in the Championship

With a return to England's top division imminent, the London club have started to plan their recruitment for the new season and have already drawn up a list of targets according to the Daily Mail.

One of these is Arsenal's Folarin Balogun, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough and is wanted at Craven Cottage next season on a similar agreement.

The 20-year-old has played 15 times for The Boro this season, scoring just the three goals with a further two assists in the Championship.

The Arsenal youngster is highly rated by those that know him but has only made two substitute appearances for the Gunners so far.

Fulham needs to stay up next season to stop the yo-yo pattern from developing any further and many will wonder if signing an unproven 20-year-old is the way to go about it.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/04/18/fulham-seek-out-arsenal-star-for-loan-move-ahead-of-premier-league-return/

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Ryan Lowe's Aleksandar Mitrovic jest as Preston North End told not to fear Fulham

PNE take on Marco Silva's team on Tuesday night

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe couldn't help but laugh when asked how he plans to deal with Aleksandar Mitrovic, but knows the one thing his team can't afford to do.

The Lilywhites head to league leaders Fulham on Tuesday night for a midweek away trip on the back of three home matches - from which North End picked up seven points.

PNE have been one of few clubs to keep the Cottagers' star man Mitrovic quiet this season, with him relatively ineffective in the reverse fixture which ended 1-1 in Lancashire. However, the Serbian has caused North End huge problems in years gone by and his truly incredible goal scoring season cannot be ignored.

Mitrovic has broken the second-tier goal record in emphatic fashion, with him netting 38 goals in 39 games while assisting a further seven under Marco Silva. So, what's the plan Ryan?

"If I'd have had Mitrovic I'd be top of the league by now wouldn't I?!" Lowe joked after the Good Friday draw against Millwall. "How do you handle him? You'll have to wait and see and ask me that next week. It's one where, we will respect him and them for what they are and what they do, but we can't fear them can we?

"We are not playing Real Madrid, or Liverpool I should say. We're playing Fulham, who are a good team with good players. I will get this game out of the way, debrief this, and then look at how we deal with Mitrovic, and (Harry) Wilson, and the rest of them.

"What an opportunity for our lads to go and pit themselves against, potentially, the best team in the division," Lowe said. "That's what I'm excited about, us against Fulham. Marco Silva's a fantastic manager, it's a fantastic club and they deserve to be where they are because they've got the best players and probably the biggest budget.

"It's one for us where there is no pressure on us. We will go there and play our football; Coventry went there last week and won 3-1 - I watched that game and I'm not saying we're going to go there and win, but we'll go there with a game plan to get points because that's what we do. The pressure won't be on us, it'll all be on them, so it's a great chance for our lads to showcase themselves against a good team."



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/fulham-vs-preston-mitrovic-lowe-23715082

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Fulham interested in PSV midfielder Erick Gutierrez

Fulham are interested in PSV ace Erick Gutierrez, as detailed in a report by the Daily Mail.

Fulham have identified the midfielder as a potential summer addition.

Gutierrez, 26, has been catching the eye in Holland over the past four years.

The Daily Mail claim Marco Silva's side are keen on landing him as they prepare for their return to the Premier League.

Fulham looking to strengthen

There is no doubt that Fulham need to strengthen their ranks in the next transfer window to ensure that they are competitive in the top flight in the next campaign.

Signing Gutierrez would be a bit of a risk in terms of him not having experience of playing in England before but he would give Silva another option to choose from in midfield.

The Mexico international started his career at Pachuca in his native country and burst into their first-team as a youngster before moving over to Europe in 2018.

PSV swooped to sign him and he has since become one of their most prized assets. He has made 92 appearances for the Eredivisie outfit in all competitions to date, chipping in with six goals and eight assists to date.

He still has another year left on his contract at the Philips Stadion but Fulham could try and lure him to Craven Cottage at the end of this term.

The Championship table toppers were beaten 2-1 away at Derby County last time out and are back in action tomorrow afternoon against Preston North End at home as they look to bounce back.



https://the72.co.uk/270773/fulham-interested-in-psv-midfielder-erick-gutierrez/

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Fulham targeting summer transfer switch for Arsenal player

Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun is a summer transfer target for Fulham, who are close to securing their return to the Premier League after a one year absence, according to MailPlus.

The Cottagers will be looking to bolster their squad massively should they inevitably seal promotion back to the top flight, and Balogun is on the radar of the club's transfer team.

Marco Silva could be set to give the England under-21 international his first taste of regular Premier League football as he's failed to break into the Gunners' senior side as of yet.

Mikel Arteta sent Balogun out on his first loan spell in January to Championship outfit Middlesbrough, where he's scored three times in 15 league appearances, as well as notching two assists.

Despite not being as prolific in the EFL as he has been in under-23's football for Arsenal, Balogun is wanted next season in the Premier League and Fulham could offer him a path to regular game-time in the top flight should the Gunners be keen on letting him out on loan once again.

The Verdict

Despite not being prolific in his time at Middlesbrough this season, Balogun is still a promising talent with the world at his feet.

He clearly does know where the back of the net is judging by his goals for Arsenal's development squad and at youth level for England, but it may take him time to find his feet in a senior environment.

Arsenal will be keen to see him tested in the top flight though, although it's hard to see him playing as a central striker in Marco Silva's system with Aleksandar Mitrovic the main man at Craven Cottage.

If Balogun does join Fulham then perhaps he would be expected to feature in a role on the left flank where he cuts inside and makes things happen – that is merely something to consider at this stage though as there will be countless other clubs interested in doing a deal for the youngster this summer.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-targeting-summer-transfer-switch-for-arsenal-player/

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Swansea City want to strike summer deal with Fulham loan man Cyrus Christie

Swansea City want to keep Fulham loan man Cyrus Christie at the club beyond this season, as detailed in a report by BBC Sport.

Swansea City moved to sign the full-back in the January transfer window on a loan deal until the end of the campaign.

Christie, 28, has since been a hit with the Swans and has made 17 appearances for them in all competitions to date.

BBC Sport claim Russell Martin has said he is interested in bringing him back to Wales this summer.

Summer target for Swansea City

Christie it out of contract at the end of June and most signs point towards him being allowed to leave Fulham as a free agent.

He has slipped way down the pecking order at Craven Cottage under Marco Silva and played only once for the Championship table toppers during the first-half of this term, hence why he was shipped out on loan this past winter.

Swansea City weren't the only club interested in him before they won the race to land him. As per Sky Sports (live transfer blog, 31.12.21, 17.19), Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers were linked, as were European pair Elche and Bologna.

Christie signed for Fulham back in 2019 having previously played for the likes of Coventry City, Derby County and Middlesbrough and has since played 63 times for the Cottagers.

He spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and enjoyed plenty of game time with the Reds, making 44 appearances in all competitions before heading back to his parent club last summer.



https://the72.co.uk/270777/swansea-city-want-to-strike-summer-deal-with-fulham-loan-man-cyrus-christie/

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Gaffer Has No Fear Heading To Craven Cottage

Ryan Lowe wants his players to go to Craven Cottage with a smile on their faces and start on the front foot against a Fulham team who could clinch promotion on the night.

PNE take on the Cottagers for a 7.45pm kick-off on Tuesday, an evening where Marco Silva's side can confirm a spot in the Premier League with a victory.

In fact, they could even achieve that without playing on Monday, if results go their way, but Ryan wants North End to stay focused on their own goals.

He told iFollow PNE: "First and foremost, I'll be the first one to congratulate them when they do get promoted or when they win the division because they've been outstanding I must say that.

    "We can't fear them. We've got to go there with a smile on our face and we've got our own objectives to try and claim as many points as we possibly can to try and finish as high as we possibly can, and if we can do that I'll be pleased."

For a while now, it has seemed a matter of when not if Fulham would be promoted, with the side from London dominating in the Championship all season.

Strong at the back but even more so at the other end of the pitch, they have been a huge threat all year long, signified by the 95 goals they've scored in league action.

Ryan added: "They have probably got the biggest budget and a fantastic manager who's managed in the Premier League and in Europe.

"He's got a good brand of football, and they've also got some fantastic players, let alone [Aleksandar] Mitrovic.

"But it's not just Mitrovic, they've got Harry Wilson who's a fantastic player, [Fabio] Carvalho, all the defenders are fantastic, and the 'keeper. It's not just one player.

"Marco Silva, I remember [him from] when he was at Everton and watching his team play. He always wants to play a good brand of football, a good style and that's what he's done.

    "He's excited the Fulham fans, he's brought life back to Fulham if you like because they're on the verge of getting back to the Premier League so I've thought they've been fantastic this season, but in saying that they have lost games as well.

"Teams have gone there, got on the front foot and had a go at them, and that'll certainly be one of our aims to do that."

The manager also takes confidence from his own side's results so far this campaign, citing wins against other teams who have been pushing for promotion when North End turned up.

"What we've got to do is believe we can go there and take points," Ryan added.

"We believed we could go to West Brom and take points, we took points off Bournemouth who are in and around.

    "These are the teams you've got to believe you can take points off, and Tuesday [against] Fulham will be no different."



https://www.pnefc.net/news/2022/april/gaffer-has-no-fear-heading-to-craven-cottage/

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Pre-Preston Press Conference

Marco Silva wants his players to look at Preston North End as just 90 minutes of football on Tuesday night.

Fulham could already be promoted by then, if Nottingham Forest lose on Monday, but victory at the Cottage 24 hours later would secure our Premier League return regardless.

But our Head Coach is keen to strip away the context of the fixture so that his side can concentrate on playing their game.

"It's up to us to put full focus on the game, forget the emotional part of the game, forget what can happen at the end of the match, just play the football match," he explained.

"And we have to express ourselves because if we've expressed ourselves so well during the season, it doesn't make sense in the last few games if we're nervous or unsure which leads to mistakes that aren't normal.

"It will be a tough one, Preston is doing a very good second half of the season. They'll come here to match us, they want to match us, they'll want to stop it being a party.

"They have improved – their results are showing that. They've shown quality since they changed their manager, there have been some improvements in their results. The new manager made a great impact on the squad.

"We had a tough match when we played away against them, but now we play at home and, of course, we want to win again at home.

"The last feeling for us at home against Coventry wasn't the best. We were not happy with ourselves and we have to react.

"We have to make Craven Cottage a fortress again, and we have to express ourselves in a different way than we did in the last match. We need the fans behind us, we need them to get this done."

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/april/18/pre-preston-press-conference/

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Match Preview: Fulham (A)

Preston North End head to Craven Cottage on Tuesday to take on Fulham, who can secure automatic promotion to the Premier League with a victory.

Match Information
Venue: Craven Cottage
Date: Tuesday 19th April, 7.45pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 43/46)
Kit: Away kit – available to order here!

Ticket Information
Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale online from www.mypne.com and in person and over the phone from the Deepdale ticket office until 10am on the day of the game.

While tickets are then available on the night, supporters are advised to buy from Deepdale given that there will be a £5 price increase at Craven Cottage. Click here for full ticket and collection details.

Match Coverage
Supporters in the UK and Ireland can listen to the game live on iFollow PNE with a £2.50 match pass, with live commentary coming from Guy Clarke and a co-commentator. Those overseas are able to watch the game live for £10, with full subscription details here.

We will also have our usual coverage before, during and after the game across our social media channels as well as here on PNE.Com.

PNE Team News
Emil Riis, who missed the draw against Millwall, has been out on the grass running and will be assessed ahead of Tuesday's game.

There's also a decision to be made over Alan Browne, with the skipper having been forced off with a glute injury on Good Friday.

Izzy Brown, Ryan Ledson and Tom Barkhuizen remain sidelined.

The Opposition
After missing the chance to secure automatic promotion on Good Friday – having lost to Derby County – the Cottagers will get another shot on Tuesday night against North End.

In fact, the job could even be sealed before Ryan Lowe takes his side to the capital, if results elsewhere go their way on Easter Monday.

With Marco Silva in his first campaign in charge of Fulham, it's been a remarkable season, and at this stage it appears a matter of when not if they will secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Key Stats
Fulham are comfortably the division's top scorers, having netted an incredible 95 goals so far this season, 33 more than the second-highest tally in the Championship.

38 of those have come from Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic – to set a new all-time Championship high – and he has scored seven goals in seven games against PNE in his career.

PNE are one of two sides in the division yet to score in the opening 15 minutes of an away fixture this season.

Our Last Meeting
North End earned a point against high-flying Fulham back in November, with striker Ched Evans coming off the bench to score a 72nd-minute equaliser to cancel out Tim Ream's opener.

Man In The Middle
Taking charge of just his second ever PNE game this weekend will be Leigh Doughty.

Doughty, who became an EFL referee in 2019, first refereed a North End fixture last November in the home defeat against Cardiff City.

So far this season, he has taken charge of 29 matches, showing 108 yellow cards and four reds.



https://www.pnefc.net/news/2022/april/match-preview-for-fulham-vs-preston-north-end-on-19-apr-22/

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'Fantastic' West Ham player could join his former manager with another London club

West Ham United defender Arthur Masuaku could be a shock target for London rivals Fulham this summer as they prepare for the Premier League.

That's according to the Daily Mail, who claim that Fulham are already identifying their summer transfer targets.

Fulham are preparing for life in the Premier League even though they aren't officially up yet; a win over Preston on Tuesday night will seal it.

Fulham's last two promotions ended with immediate relegation and they are understandably hoping to make it third time lucky in the top flight.

Marco Silva will need major reinforcements this summer to make that happen, and he could now chase a reunion with Masuaku.

it's suggested that Masuaku may be wanted by Fulham this summer as Silva knows him from their time together in Greece.

Silva coached Masuaku at Olympiacos. Masuaku played 32 times under Silva, bagging one goal and three assists.

The 28-year-old joined West Ham in 2016 and has now played 127 times for the Hammers.

The problem for Masuaku is that he just can't make himself a first-choice player under David Moyes.

Aaron Cresswell continues to be the first-choice left back and the likes of Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma are preferred further forward.

Cresswell has hailed Masuaku as a 'fantastic' player, but the DR Congo ace just can't get into the West Ham side.

If Masuaku wants to play regularly, he may well need to leave the London Stadium.

Still under contract for another two years, West Ham will still be in a position to demand a decent fee for Masuaku.

Fulham may make sense as a destination, allowing Masuaku to stay in London.

Yet with Fulham already having Joe Bryan and Antonee Robinson, you do have to question if a left back is really what they need.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/04/18/west-ham-united-arthur-masuaku-fulham/

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Sky Sports pundit shares score prediction as Fulham take on Preston North End

Fulham will be hoping that promotion back to the Premier League is secured during this gameweek, with the Whites possessing the opportunity to make their top-flight return today, without playing. 

Should Nottingham Forest lose at home to West Brom this evening, then Fulham will be promoted, with a draw also appearing to be not enough for the Reds, with the Cottagers having a much superior goal difference.

Should Forest win, then Fulham will have the chance to secure automatic promotion tomorrow, when they welcome Preston North End to Craven Cottage.

Fulham have picked up seven points in their last seven games, slowing down after what has been an excellent campaign for the most part.

Sitting in 13th, and seven points from the play-offs, the chances of a top-six finish are certainly slim but still mathematically possible.

Issuing his score prediction via his Sky Sports column, David Prutton believes that Marco Silva's side will run out as 3-1 leaders.

The verdict

Fulham's 2-1 defeat to Derby County on Friday meant that they had lost back-t0-back games for the first time in this Championship season, something that will spur them on to emerge victorious against Preston.

Their proximity to promotion will also add extra motivation for the Whites.

Preston still have a slight chance of achieving something this season and they will be battling on until they are unable to gain the necessary points.

It is always hard to argue with a Fulham win, and whilst inconsistencies have crept in during recent weeks, they should have the necessary firepower to win this contest.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-shares-score-prediction-as-fulham-take-on-preston-north-end/

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31-cap international midfielder emerges on Fulham's transfer radar

Mexico international midfielder Erick Gutierrez is on the transfer radar of Fulham ahead of the summer window, according to MailPlus.

Gutierrez, who plies his trade for Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, is a target for the Cottagers as they look set to seal a return to the Premier League following a one-year absence – a win on Tuesday night over Preston North End will be enough to secure their place in the top flight in 2022-23.

The engine room is an area that could need addressing, with Jean Michael Seri's contract set to expire this summer and the future of Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa, currently on loan at Napoli in Italy, unclear.

26-year-old Gutierrez, who has amassed 31 caps for Mexico, signed for PSV in 2018 from Pachuca in his native country and has played 34 times in all competitions this season.

Contracted until the summer of 2023, Gutierrez would cost Fulham a transfer fee and he is one of a plethora of players on their shopping list, with the likes of Dwight McNeil and Folarin Balogun also interesting Marco Silva and his recruitment team.

The Verdict

Fulham will definitely need to strengthen their holding midfield department in the summer, especially when the futures of Seri and Anguissa are uncertain.

And there will be hopes that Gutierrez can be brought in for a relatively inexpensive transfer fee considering his contract only has one more season left to run at PSV.

Fulham's targets clearly indicate that they're expecting to sew up promotion as soon as possible and it appears that the Khan Family are going to splash the cash in order to try and stay in the Premier League this time around instead of suffering immediate relegation.

Getting Gutierrez in would be a good start but judging from some of the Cottagers' recent performances, there's a lot more work to do to get their squad up to scratch for the Premier League.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/31-cap-international-midfielder-emerges-on-fulhams-transfer-radar/

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Fulham formulate Premier League survival plan by signing the last man standing at Arsenal

Fulham are eyeing the Premier League quality of Arsenal man Folarin Balogun, with their top-flight return looking imminent.

Fulham look as if they will soon secure their return to the Premier League. They could have done so at the weekend but for a 2-1 loss to Derby County.

But with such a handy lead between them and the chasing pack in the play-off positions, a return to the top flight seems a matter of when, not if. Indeed, a win in their next game versus Preston would confirm Fulham's Premier League status once again.

Their last few stints in the top flight have been less than successful. Indeed, each of their last three Premier League seasons have ended in relegation.

Fulham did not manage to last more than a season in either of their last two Premier League campaigns. In both 2018/19 and 2020/21 they were sent straight back down following promotion from the Championship.

Of course, they will be keen not to let the same happen again. As such, they will want to recruit well to stand a chance of avoiding the drop.

The Cottagers are poised to lose attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho to Liverpool. In response, they are making tracks towards signing Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk.

On top of that move, Fulham are now reportedly interested in signing Arsenal forward Balogun on loan, per the Daily Mail.

The Gunners saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave for Barcelona in January. The Gabon superstar wasn't replaced, leaving Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette to carry the can up front.

However, that pair too could leave this summer with each player poised to become a free agent. If both left, that would leave Balogun as the last recognised first-team centre-forward on Arsenal's books.

Balogun has an eye for goal
Goals will be an important factor in keeping Fulham afloat next season. The last time they were in the Premier League they scored just 27 times – the second-lowest total in the league.

Adding Balogun to the side should help them in front of goal. The youngster has been a prolific forward in his as yet short career.

Balogun scored 13 goals in Premier League 2 this season in just 11 games before he was loaned out. While he has not had quite the same effect at Middlesbrough, he has still managed to contribute to five goals in 15 games, starting just eight of those.

He has also made his mark on the international stage. The 20-year-old has scored three times in his last two appearances for the England Under-21 side.

Fulham will hope that if they do make the signing, he can reverse their yo-yo trend upon winning promotion to the Premier League.



https://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/fulham-survival-plan-signing-last-man-standing-arsenal-folarin-balogun

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Fabio: Special Occasion

Fabio Carvalho was frustrated that Fulham were unable to clinch a Premier League return on Friday, but is not deterred in pursuit of our ultimate goal.

Victory over Derby County would have locked in a top-two finish, but a frustrating second half put celebrations on ice for the time being.

"Obviously we're disappointed, because we know what we could have done, we could have got promotion there and then," Carvalho said. "But we're still proud of ourselves and we're still confident, because of everything we've done this season.

"We know where we should be; the Premier League. We deserve it and the fans deserve it. We're going to get there eventually, we just need to make sure we stay positive.

"That's our mentality, and one thing we've done excellently this year is, when things haven't gone our way, our bouncebackability has been spot on, and I'm sure we'll bounce back again."

Fulham could even be promoted without kicking a ball, should Nottingham Forest lose to West Bromwich Albion on Monday night.

And while Carvalho admitted that he'll have one eye on that encounter, he's more concerned with what his own side do against Preston North End the next day.

"Honestly, we're fully focused on Preston, but I know myself and some of the lads – I can't vouch for all of them – will be watching," he stated.

"It's not like we're going to be supporting West Brom as that's not something we would do because we just focus on our own game, but we'll definitely be watching tonight."

Regardless of how Forest get on, a victory for the Whites on Tuesday night would secure promotion for the Club, something that Carvalho is keen to get over the line so that attentions can turn to the next goal.

"Getting promoted would be a big thing but, honestly, the biggest target we set ourselves was to win the league, which is what I think we're going to do," the 19-year-old explained.

"Obviously we wanted to get promoted as soon as possible, which is something we deserve, but it would be even more special to do it in front of our home fans.

"They were tremendous throughout the whole 90 minutes over there [in Derby]. Obviously the result didn't go our way but it was good to see them with us, like always, and supporting us to the best of their ability."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/april/18/fabio-special-occasion/

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Join us for Tuesday Night Football



There's still time to secure your seat at Craven Cottage for tomorrow evening's clash between Fulham and Preston North End!

Be there and show your support as Marco Silva's side look to bounce back in SW6 on Tuesday night (19th April), kick-off 7:45pm.

Ticket availability is now limited in home areas, and supporters are encouraged to buy in advance to save ahead of prices increasing on matchday.

Fans can buy online at tickets.fulhamfc.com anytime, or from the Fulham FC Ticket Office either in person or by phone on 0203 871 0810 (9:30am-4:30pm).

BUY ONLINE
STAND    BLOCK    ADULT    18-21 & 65+    JUNIOR
Hammersmith    All Blocks    £35    £30    £15
Putney Home    P1, P2, P3, P4    £35    £30    £15
Johnny Haynes    E, EL, F, FL    £50    £45    £25
Johnny Haynes    Remaining Blocks    £40    £35    £15

£2 discount on above prices for Restricted view seats. Adult members receive a £5 discount on the above ticket prices for an Adult Ticket, £2 discount for a 65+/ 18-21 Ticket, applies to 1 ticket per member per game.
ARRIVE EARLY

Make sure you get to the Cottage in plenty of time to enjoy our early bird refreshment offers. Available until half an hour before kick-off, fans can take advantage of subsidised prices on a number of food, alcoholic and soft drink items.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/april/18/join-us-for-tuesday-night-football/

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Preston North End striker Sean Maguire focusing on progress as Fulham Championship decider looms
Sean Maguire is seeing the progression of Preston North End under manager Ryan Lowe.

Lowe was appointed in Decemeber and has made huge chances to the club since making the move north from Plymouth Argyle.

One of the biggest changes has been the style of play and his desire to control possession, something which Maguire is enjoying.

PNE were left frustrated on Good Friday as they drew 1-1 with Millwall, despite having the better of the chances.

They now look towards the daunting challenge of champions elect Fulham at their home ground on Tuesday, 7:45pm, with the Cottagers having lost their last two.

"We definitely feel the progress, without a doubt," Maguire said.

"At the end of the day, journalists, fans, managers, players, we all watch the same game and we can see how much we've progressed under the gaffer.

"We're playing a totally different style of football and it is really affecting us in a positive way.

"Look at the chances we created on Friday - looking back we're disappointed against a team that are really hard at times and physical.

"It's difficult to stand here and just talk about negatives with us not winning on Friday but we have to look at the last couple of months and the bigger picture."

Maguire had been sidelined with an ankle injury but has come back in to feature in PNE's last two games, starting against Millwall.

There was a bit of anxiety over the timing of the injury for the Irishman but his focus is now building on his fledgling partenrship with Cameron Archer andfinishing the season strong – starting with the trip to the league leaders.

He said: "I've been enjoying the last couple of games. Linking up with Cam, linking up with the three guys in midfield. I'm really enjoying the way the manager has us playing.

"I had that spell of being injured for six weeks when the manager was only three or four weeks into the job but now I can show what I can do.

"Cam knows when I drop I force the centre half to come with me and if they don't come with me then I'm getting the ball on the half turn and creating chances. It's a joy to play with him.

"I know there are four games left, two home games and two away games. We don't want the season to fizzle out by any means.

"We want to finish with as many points as possible and as high up in the table as possible.

"We have a tough game with Fulham away but I think teams like that can really suit us. We're really looking forward to that one."

"Coming up against a team like Fulham, who are top of the league and full of confidence, they obviously know they're going up.

"It means we'll be going there looking to win the game - I know they played Coventry City there last week and lost, we'll be going there full of confidence.

"Every game that comes up, we'll be going there trying to win the game.

"The last three games we've got seven points, we have four games left and we're coming up against arguably the best team in the league, you've got to test yourself."



https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/preston-north-end/preston-north-end-striker-sean-maguire-focusing-on-progress-as-fulham-championship-decider-looms-3657845

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West Ham are monitoring Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope as a replacement for Alphonse Areola, with Premier League-bound Fulham targeting a return for the Frenchman

    West Ham are monitoring Burnley and England goalkeeper Nick Pope
    The 29-year-old impressed in the Hammers' 1-1 draw with Burnley on Sunday
    Pope would be an alternative to Alphonse Areola, who is wanted by Fulham
    West Ham have option to sign Areola for £10million from Paris Saint-Germain

West Ham are monitoring Burnley's Nick Pope as they finalise their goalkeeping plans for next season.

The Europa League semi-finalists have shortlisted Pope, who impressed against the Hammers in Sunday's 1-1 draw, as a potential alternative to current No 2 Alphonse Areola.

Areola has spent the season on loan at West Ham from Paris Saint-Germain as back-up and competition for Lukasz Fabianski, featuring 16 times with all but one of those appearances being in the cup competitions.


Burnley and England goalkeeper Nick Pope (pictured) is being monitored by West Ham

West Ham have a £10m option to buy the Frenchman who earns around £120,000-per-week at PSG, a salary that would put him right near the top of the East Londoners' pay structure.

Areola has also been earmarked as a target by Fulham who are on the verge of sealing a return to the Premier League.

He spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Craven Cottage but was unable to prevent them suffering relegation to the Championship.

England stopper Pope has emerged as another option being considered by West Ham.


Pope is seen as an alternative to Alphonse Areola (pictured) who is wanted by Fulham

They would hope to land the 29 year-old for a similar or slightly lower fee than Areola's option price were Burnley to go down.

Burnley's point at the London Stadium left them third bottom of the Premier League, three points from safety but having played a game more than Everton who are one place ahead of the Clarets.

Pope has been at Burnley since 2016 and racked up almost 150 games for the club.

His current contract expires in 2023 though also contains an option of an extra 12 months.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10728795/West-Ham-monitoring-Burnley-goalkeeper-Nick-Pope-replacement-Alphonse-Areola.html

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Preston North End lineup for Fulham predicted as Ali McCann deserves start

PNE take on Marco Silva's team on Tuesday night

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe may be without his captain on Tuesday night, but Ali McCann proved last time out he is ready to step up the plate if needed.

Alan Browne was forced off in the first half of Good Friday's draw against Millwall at Deepdale. The Republic of Ireland international suffered an injury in his glutes that left him unable to carry on.

McCann was sent on in his place, to get a long awaited run-out in his natural midfield position, after stints at wing-back in Lowe's 3-5-2 formation. The youngster was full of energy, aggression and put in a stand-out display for North End.

He has now shown Lowe what he is all about and it would be a tough call to drop him, even if Browne has overcome his issue and is back in contention. Elsewhere in the team, a tried and tested goalkeeper and back three should remain the same but changes could come at wing-back.

Brad Potts and Greg Cunningham have been Lowe's go-to men, though the latter did look flat-out by the end of the Millwall game and so the question will be whether he can go again four days later. We have seen Josh Murphy replace him from the bench in recent games, but the on-loan man has yet to start a match under Lowe and extra defensive security may be opted for again here - given the threat which Fulham possess.

In attack, Cameron Archer will be partnered by one of Sean Maguire and Ched Evans - assuming Emil Riis is still not ready to return from his hamstring injury picked up nine days ago. The Dane is back jogging but will not be risked at this stage of the season, while Evans is said to have put a foot issue behind him and came off the bench on Saturday. Maguire and Archer have linked-up well in the last two games, but a recall for Evans would not come as a surprise.

PNE predicted lineup: Iversen; van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes; Potts, McCann, Whiteman, Johnson, Cunningham; Archer, Maguire



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/preston-north-end-lineup-fulham-23715189

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Ryan Lowe makes Fulham claim ahead of Preston North End clash

Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe has claimed his side cannot fear facing Fulham.

The Cottagers are set to earn promotion if they can take all three points in London on Tuesday evening.

But Lowe does not think his team has anything to fear, even with Aleksander Mitrovic chasing a record number of goals in a league campaign.

Preston kept the Serbian quiet in the reverse fixture earlier in the season as the teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Deepdale.

Lowe joked that if his team had the 27-year old then they would be top of the Championship table.

But he believes his side can prevent Marco Silva's from earning promotion this week by taking a result from the league leaders.

"If I'd have had Mitrovic I'd be top of the league by now wouldn't I?!" said Lowe, via Lancs Live.

"How do you handle him? You'll have to wait and see and ask me that next week. It's one where we will respect him and them for what they are and what they do, but we can't fear them can we?

"We are not playing Real Madrid, or Liverpool I should say. We're playing Fulham, who are a good team with good players. I will get this game out of the way, debrief this, and then look at how we deal with Mitrovic, and [Harry] Wilson, and the rest of them.

"What an opportunity for our lads to go and pit themselves against, potentially, the best team in the division.

"That's what I'm excited about, us against Fulham. Marco Silva's a fantastic manager, it's a fantastic club and they deserve to be where they are because they've got the best players and probably the biggest budget."

Lowe went on to claim that his side will be under way less pressure than the hosts on Tuesday night.

Fulham already missed out on the chance to earn promotion following a 2-1 defeat to Derby County last Friday.

Silva's side will not have to rely on results elsewhere to get in that position, but if Nottingham Forest fail to beat West Brom this evening then Fulham will earn promotion before even kicking a ball in anger against Preston.

The Verdict

Fulham have earned their promotion back to the Premier League having been the league's best team this campaign.

However, Lowe has touched on a nerve when discussing their form.

The sly dig on the biggest budget clearly shows he is not too impressed by the work Silva has done this season.

While his team have played nice football, promotion is the expectation at Craven Cottage and next season will be the big test for the Portuguese manager.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/ryan-lowe-makes-fulham-claim-ahead-of-preston-north-end-clash/

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"A chance to get regular game time" – Fulham lining up summer move for Arsenal starlet on loan at Middlesbrough: The Verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Fulham are lining up a summer move for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun, as per the Daily Mail.

According to the Daily Mail report, Fulham have identified the youngster as a potential loan addition they could bring in next season.

Balogun is currently on loan at play-off chasing Middlesbrough for the second half of the Sky Bet Championship campaign, where he has appeared 15 times in the league, scoring three goals and getting two assists.

With that being said, we asked three of our writers here at FLW for their thoughts on whether or not Balogun would be a good summer addition for Fulham, and whether or not he was ready for the step up to the Premier League?

Declan Harte
Balogun has performed well with his first real chances in senior football with Middlesbrough.

The Arsenal loanee has three goals and two assists from 15 league appearances.

While a starting role at a Premier League club is probably too much too soon for the 20-year old, a position in the squad behind Aleksander Mitrovic could be great for all parties.

Balogun could learn a lot by playing with the imposing Serbian and Silva will no doubt give him opportunities in the first team.

The youngster still needs to gain experience before breaking into this Arsenal side, so this could be a great chance to prove to Mikel Arteta that he has a future with the North London club.

Charlie Gregory
Folarin Balogun has probably been desperate for a chance to get regular game time, especially in the Premier League, for some time now.

Arsenal haven't been able to give it to him but having managed five goal contributions in 15 Championship outings he looks ready for the task.

He's clearly going to be a good striker at second tier level judging from his Boro efforts. Fulham is a logical next step for the youngster too, as he'll get more action with them than he could for the Gunners.

Perhaps another, longer, stint in the Championship could be more beneficial first but considering he has impressed with Boro and Fulham have a Championship squad as they head up a division, it could work out for the player.

George Dagless
I think it might be better for him to get a longer stay in the Championship.

I think we've seen some good stuff from him at Middlesbrough but there are clearly things he needs to still improve on and learn and that will only come with game time.

Will he play at Fulham in the Premier League? I don't think that is a guarantee given the level they will be at and given the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic will be in front of him in the pecking order.

I think he is a player that could feature regularly in the Premier League, but first of all he needs to be getting more minutes in the Championship to keep developing.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/a-chance-to-get-regular-game-time-fulham-lining-up-summer-move-for-arsenal-starlet-on-loan-at-middlesbrough-the-verdict/