Saturday Fulham Stuff - 16/03/24...

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Tottenham predicted lineup vs Fulham - Premier League

    Tottenham looking to build on important win over Aston Villa
    Micky van de Ven is injured; Radu Dragusin set for his first Spurs start
    Tottenham can go fourth in the Premier League with a win over Fulham

Tottenham's hunt for a Champions League place takes them to Craven Cottage on Saturday when they visit Fulham.

Ange Postecoglou's side need a strong finish to the season if they are to finish fourth and be sure of Champions League qualification. They can move ahead of Aston Villa if they get all three points on Saturday afternoon.

They did suffer an injury blow during the 4-0 win over Villa last weekend as Micky van de Ven limped off with a knee issue, though he is expected to be fully fit again after the March international break.

Here's the team Postecoglou may choose when Spurs face Fulham.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Fulham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Guglielmo Vicario - A clean sheet away at Villa is not something many goalkeepers have achieved this season. Vicario has slotted into life in the Premier League in a way many Italians haven't in the past.

RB: Pedro Porro - Bang in the hunt for a place in the Premier League's Team of the Season, having provided seven assists in his first full campaign in England's top flight.

CB: Cristian Romero - The Argentina World Cup winner has developed a forceful partnership with Van der Ven but, with the Dutchman sidelined here, Romero will need to keep his head and take on more of a leadership role against Fulham.

CB: Radu Dragusin - Van de Ven may not be out for very long, so this is a big opportunity for Dragusin to impress Postecoglou and show why he should get more minutes towards the end of the season.

LB: Destiny Udogie - Another Italian who has settled well in his first Premier League season, Udogie still has weaknesses in his game but provides a dynamism and energy few else at Spurs can.

CM: Yves Bissouma - There was a clear dip in form from Bissouma earlier in the season, specifically after his red card against Luton Town. The former Brighton midfielder seems to be back to his best now and Postecoglou clearly trusts him.

CM: Pape Matar Sarr - Alongside Bissouma, Sarr is growing in confidence each week and the Villa match was another big display from the youngster, assisting the crucial opener with a brilliant cross.

RW: Dejan Kulusevski - The Swede spoke glowingly about Postecoglou in the week to The Player's Tribune, saying: "Ange is brave, and he makes you brave." He needs to back up that admiration with some strong performances between now and the end of the season.

AM: James Maddison - The Englishman was key to the win over Villa last weekend and seems to be at his pre-injury best. He will be desperate to play in the Champions League next season as he is certainly good enough.

LW: Brennan Johnson - Has been battling Timo Werner for this starting role recently and, despite both scoring against Villa, Johnson had a very good game from the start and should be chosen again here.

ST: Son Heung-min - The South Korean has been involved in 20+ Premier League goals in five different seasons now, showing has been one of the strongest players in the league for a long time now.



https://www.90min.com/posts/tottenham-predicted-lineup-vs-fulham-premier-league-16-3-24

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Dragusin starts, Van de Ven out - The Tottenham team Ange Postecoglou should pick vs Fulham
Here we take a look at who our Tottenham reporters at football.london would select in their Spurs XI for Saturday evening's Premier League match against Fulham

Tottenham are on the road once again this weekend as they look to strengthen their Champions League credentials. Victorious at Aston Villa last Sunday as they hit their European rivals for four, Spurs will be aiming for more of the same when they travel across the capital to Fulham's Craven Cottage home.

Three points in west London would see Tottenham move ahead of Aston Villa and into fourth, although the Midlands club would have the opportunity to overtake them on Sunday when they face West Ham at the London Stadium. Heading into Saturday's fixture at Fulham, Ange Postecoglou appears to have a fairly simple call to make in regards to his Tottenham team considering their win over Villa.

Micky van de Ven looks set to miss out through injury, thus meaning the boss will be forced into a change from the team that started at Villa Park. So who will be in his starting XI to take on the Cottagers? Our Tottenham reporters at football.london have had their say below.

Alasdair Gold - Tottenham Hotspur correspondent
Ange Postecoglou was left delighted with Spurs' performance from start to finish at Villa Park and that would suggest little reason to change up the team. The only required switch is likely to be Radu Dragusin coming into the team with Micky van de Ven out with a hamstring issue that Postecoglou and the Dutchman do not think is serious.

Elsewhere Timo Werner will be pushing for a start after back-to-back goals in the past two matches but Brennan Johnson has been even more impressive in those same games so should keep his spot and Dejan Kulusevski was involved in three of Tottenham's four goals at Vila.

Rodrigo Bentancur will also be looking to get back into the line-up but the Uruguayan could struggle to get past Pape Matar Sarr or Yves Bissouma after their displays on Sunday.

Gold's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Son, Johnson.

Rob Guest - Football writer
It should be a fairly simple decision for Ange Postecoglou when it comes to his Tottenham team to take on Fulham. Spurs were excellent at Villa Park last weekend and deservedly came away with all three points in a 4-0 triumph.

The only negative to come from the game was Micky van de Ven going off injured early in the second half. Radu Dragusin performed well in his pitch time and he looks set to start at Craven Cottage as the Dutchman misses out.

Timo Werner did his chances of starting no harm at all following his goal but Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski had a big say on the game and deserve to keep their place in the team. That means players such as Werner and Rodrigo Bentancur have to bide their time on the bench once again.

Guest's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie; Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Son, Johnson.



https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/fixtures-results/dragusin-starts-van-de-ven-28821458

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Tottenham set for huge injury boost after 26-year-old striker is spotted in team training ahead of Fulham
Richarlison has 10 goals in 22 league games for Spurs this season.

Tottenham striker Richarlison has missed games against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa but was spotted in training as Spurs released a video of the squad fresh after Thursday's session with the Brazilian in the squad.

The first team also gathered for a photo with a group of youngsters after their training and Richarlison who picked up a knee injury against Wolves was seen with his teammates swiftly after the workout.

The former Everton man is enjoying his best time in north London since he joined the club two seasons ago.He's bagged 10 goals and assisted three times already. He stepped up massively when club captain Son Heung-min was away at the Asian Cup and will be desperate to return to the field with 10 games remaining.

The 26-year-old striker will also be keen to prove his fitness with Brazil having two international games this month, one against England and the other against Spain.

Spurs looking for a strong finish
Tottenham vs Fulham will be one of only four league games this weekend, with the FA Cup taking centre stage but Villa are not in action until Sunday, so Spurs will go fourth if they can secure all three points at Craven Cottage tomorrow evening.

The north London club crashed out of the FA Cup and League Cup at the first round and without European football this season, getting back to the Champions League is the club's main target in the final games of the campaign.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/spurs/tottenham-set-for-huge-richarlison-boost-after-he-was-spotted-in-team-training-ahead-of-fulham-4556223

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Fulham prepare bumper contract for Tosin Adarabioyo as they battle to ward off interest from Liverpool and other elite European clubs... with the defender's current deal expiring in the summer

    Fulham hope to convince Tosin Adarabioyo to stay with a lucrative new contract
    The defender was open to leaving as his deal expires soon and he has admirers

Fulham are preparing a new contract offer for defender Tosin Adarabioyo that could make him one of the best paid players at the club.

The centre-back's current deal runs out this summer and he has been free to talk to foreign clubs since January. He has attracted a number of enquiries with the likes of AC Milan and Marseille keen while Liverpool have also checked on his progress.

But now Fulham hope to convince him to stay with a tempting contract.

The 26-year-old, who had been open to leaving at the end of this season, has been a steady performer for Marco Silva this campaign despite the impasse over his future and his displays have put him on the radar of England manager Gareth Southgate.

Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool's Joe Gomez were given the nod in Thursday's England selection for forthcoming friendlies with Brazil and Belgium but Adarabioyo's stats have been comparing favourably with other leading English centre-backs despite only making 14 Premier League appearances after injury this season.


Fulham are preparing a contract offer for Tosin Adarabioyo as they battle to keep hold of him


Adarabioyo has turned the heads of Liverpool, AC Milan, and Marseille and his contract expires in the summer

Earlier this month, Fulham manager Silva hailed Adarabioyo's contribution: 'In December, when it was really busy, he helped the team to reach a really good level. He is a really important player for us inside the football club.

'He is growing. He is a really good player and of course we always expect better things from him, and if he is going to be the case to go for the national team (then) even better, because it's always the ambition of a football player.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13200605/Fulham-contract-Tosin-Adarabioyo-Liverpool-European.html

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Fabrizio Romano reveals rumoured Spurs target has been offered long-term deal by current club
Rumoured Tottenham Hotspur target Tosin Adarabioyo has been offered a new long-term deal by Fulham, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The central defender is out of contract at Craven Cottage and was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham earlier this season (The Sun).

Romano claims that the Cottagers have offered Adarabioyo a more lucrative contract with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

A number of clubs remain interested in landing the 26-year-old at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Tottenham were heavily linked with a move for Tosin Adarabioyo
The Italian transfer guru took to social media platform X to write: "Understand Fulham have offered new long term deal to Tosin Adarabioyo with salary rise as part of the proposal.

"Tosin's current contract expires in June...but he's still considering his future as several clubs remain interested in signing him as free agent."

SpursWeb Opinion
While Tottenham have already bolstered their central defensive options over the past two transfer windows following the arrivals of Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin, they also sold Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier will also depart once his contract ends this summer.

Japhet Tanganga could be another to head out of the door which would certainly leave the backline in Tottenham's first team squad short of cover, unless Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington step up.

With Adarabioyo fulfilling the UEFA homegrown category, he would be a welcome addition, however, it's unlikely that he would want to potentially be fourth choice at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/fabrizio-romano-reveals-rumoured-spurs-target-has-been-offered-long-term-deal-by-current-club/

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Harris 'loving' Exeter loan
Luke Harris says he's 'loving life' on loan at League One Exeter City and is pleased to have finally scored his first professional goal earlier this week.

The talented Welsh midfielder, who has featured for Fulham's first team under Marco Silva before being handed more first team football when he moved to St. James' Park in January, scored the Grecians' second goal in a 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town in an impressive win for Gary Caldwell's side.

Harris told Devon Live afterwards:

"We are buzzing to get the three points really. "It was a good first half performance, sometimes can be harder against ten men, and we did well to get the first goal and then got a few more. We kept the ball, got the crosses in and then goal came. We had to keep going, and got the three points, and that is the most important thing.

The goal has finally come and I am buzzing. I should have scored the first when Jack cut it back but I got the goal. I'd like to think floodgates will open, I will stay confident., and hope they will keep going in. I am loving it here, just love it. The last few games we have played well in all three but haven't got the points. Today we showed what we can do and hopefully go on a run to the end of the season."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/harris-loving-exeter-loan/

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Stansfield and Godo earn England calls
On-loan Fulham forwards Jay Stansfield and Martial Godo have earned England age-group calls in the squads announced this morning.

Stansfield, who has scored 10 goals in 38 games at Birmingham City this season, has been named in Lee Carsley's under-21 squad for the European Championship qualifying games against Azerbaijan and Luxembourg next week. England's under 21s travel to Baku to face Azerbaijan at 12pm on Friday 22 March before facing Luxembourg at Bolton on Tuesday 26 March.

Godo, a hit during his loan spell at Wigan Athletic in League One, has been included in Ben Futcher's Elite League squad for an away double-header against Poland and Czechia. The former Margate winger, who has scored three goals and added four assists in 29 appearances this term for the Latics, has two under-20 caps to his name and could feature in Poland next Friday or against the Czechs on Tuesday 26 March.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/stansfield-and-godo-earn-england-calls/

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Fulham FC Women Return to Craven Cottage

Fulham FC Women are excited to announce their return to Craven Cottage on Sunday 7th April!

In their final home match of the 2023/24 campaign the side return to SW6 to take on current league leaders Dartford in what is set to be a pivotal clash in the race for promotion.

With a highly-dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Arsenal Women Academy last time out, Fulham FC Women will be looking to secure another important victory in front of the Craven Cottage fans. 

Whether you've been a regular attendee at Motspur Park this season or are considering your first experience of women's football, we're inviting all Fulham fans to join us at Craven Cottage and show their support.
HOW TO BUY

Make sure to save the date and secure your seat with tickets available now priced at just £5 for adults and £1 for juniors!

Supporters can purchase online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 1) or in person from the Fulham FC Ticket Office.

SECURE YOUR SEAT

All seats will be allocated in the Johnny Haynes Stand. 2023/24 Fulham FC Women's Season Tickets will be valid for this fixture.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/march/15/fulham-fc-women-return-to-craven-cottage/

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The pros and cons of our striking trio

With a full complement of striking talent available for Spurs, Stephen Sheldrake looks at our options.

Rewind to the start of the campaign. With the closure of the summer transfer window looming, and the usual lack of business taking place, an air of uncertainty clouded Fulham fans minds as the new season began. A certain number nine sets up the match winner for Everton away and suddenly the woes seem like they may just have been short-term concerns.

Moments later, fans were left in disarray as the Saudi Pro League's calls for Mitrovic were finally successful, the window slammed shut, and fans were left bewildered, wondering what the game plan was for this Fulham squad. It seemed after the club fought so hard to keep Marco Silva, the same ambition wasn't re-invested into the squad.

Frustration crept in as inevitably the whites struggled in front of goal. After a poor pre-season Carlos Vinicius could barely break into the team, leading to half appearances with rash moments of aggression to opposition players, causing fans to fear the worst. New signing Raul Jimenez hadn't found the back of the net in two years; his form took a major dip after suffering that head injury against Arsenal. In the 2022/23 campaign Rodrigo Muniz found himself struggling to find match time in the Championship, as he was demoted to the bench in his loan placement at Middlesbrough. Things weren't looking pretty to say the least.

Marco Silva's faith in Raul finally paid off as he bagged his first goal for us against Aston Villa away, and from there he really found his feet. An unfortunate injury laid the path for Muniz while Carlos was sent out on loan to Galatasaray. The club's striking options seemed to be wearing thin. That was until the very last moments of the winter transfer window when a loan deal for Chelsea centre-forward Armando Broja was announced across Sky Sports in the dying embers of the night.

It should have been a walk in the park for a player of his calibre to come into the Fulham front line and make it his own, however Rodrigo Muniz had other ideas and was fired up as he grasped the opportunity to play Premier League football with both hands with goals to match his terrific work rate and hold up play.

Ahead of Tottenham's visit to the Cottage the weekend, Fulham now find themselves with three fully fit strikers. So, who gets the nod? Let's take a look at our options.

Rodrigo Muniz: the man on fire

In an unexpected turn of events, Rodrigo Muniz has established himself as an almost undroppable force leading the Fulham line up top. He always had the relentless work ethic and determination that fans admired, but the hold-up play was never quite on point and the goals never came. His goal and display against Burnley well and truly broke the chain and set the tone; since the outing to Turf Moor he has found the back of the net five times in six outings with an assist to add, earning him the February nomination for Premier League player of the month and adding a rumoured £20m to his transfer market valuation. His English has vastly improved alongside his overall footballing intelligence, the future's looking very bright for the club and the man who truly deserves this success.

Pro: He's the man in form. Consistency could be what Rodrigo needs now to kick on as his power, speed and athleticism could prove vital for the remainder of our campaign – if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.

Con: Keeping Broja out of the team means we have to fork £4m over to our rivals in blue and he hasn't had the chance to prove his worth with a start yet. Raul was in strong form before his recent injury and at the key latter stage of his career. Do both of them deserve to remain sidelined?

Rating: 8/10

Armando Broja: the man we're yet to see

It was shrewd business to bring the Albanian in for the rest of the season. Nevertheless in a world of harsher financial fair play, there's nothing I would enjoy more than to not pay a penny over to Chelsea, even if £4m is a small price to pay for Muniz's coincidental rise in form.

Regardless, with a footballing brain on, Broja has produced some solid hold-up play from his appearances off the bench, never quite threatening the goal in the way we would hope. But it's a tough job scoring as a centre forward and his physical attributes add value to this team, that coupled with the fact he hasn't had the opportunity to start would perhaps raise the point that maybe now is the time to let him have his place in the side to prove his worth. It's a tough game regardless where we are not expecting three points, so perhaps it's worth throwing him in the deep end to see if there is any substance to the potential that is highlighted around this young player – he is only 22 after all.

Pro: A start means an opportunity to prove himself, he would provide strong physical attributes up top, and there's still a chance to not hand any pennies over to Chelsea. He did provide an assist in a solid cameo off the bench at Molineux.

Con: He hasn't set the world alight yet, and without a goal to his name, with his struggles to score in a blue shirt seemingly continuing in the white of Fulham, perhaps changing things up isn't a great idea at this crucial part of the season.

Rating: 6/10

Raul Jimenez: the man who was king – and could be once more

When Raul arrived, I felt there was a real air of excitement around him. Fulham fans knew of his history with Wolves and with an excellent workrate across the entire pitch, good footballing intellect and an eye for goal, this was a risk that seemed to fall into the hands of the perfect manager in Marco Silva. After a shaky start, Raul showed that he is a very skillful player that when switched on can prove to be a threat in front of goal with an air of excitement and flair. Though sometimes he tries a little too hard to pull off certain skills, and some decision-making left a bit to be desired (rewind to Longstaff red card). Overall I trust there is still a feeling of positivity around him and I'm glad he's part of the team. At the age of 33 now, game time will be really key for him, and personally he has proved to me that he is good enough to earn a start in this Fulham team, it's just a question of whether this is the right time.

Pro: A start gives Raul key match time after returning from his recent injury, was in strong form before and provides a lot of experience and good link up play to keep our attacks flowing and threatening.

Con: Having been out of the squad for a few weeks, we need our strikers to hit the ground running and dropping him in the deep end may not be the best choice in this tough fixture. With Rodrigo in fine form it seems hard to prioritise Raul over Muniz, however if his name is announced I'll be ready to see what he's made of in his return to the squad. Probably an appearance off the bench is best.

Rating: 7/10

Who would you like to see start up top? Share your thoughts with us and let's hope this strong striking force can deliver the goods against Spurs this Saturday.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2024-03-15-the-pros-and-cons-of-our-striking-trio/?utm_content=cmp-true

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Fulham Women to host Dartford at Craven Cottage
Fulham FC Women will host Dartford Women at Craven Cottage in their final match of the season, the club have have confirmed this lunchtime.

Fulham Women's second Cottage clash of the season will see the Whites face current London and South East Premier Division leaders Dartford on Sunday 7 April. Steve Jaye's side beat Arsenal's academy on penalties in the Capital Cup last November having played their first fixture back at the club's historic home against AFC Wimbledon last season.

The Whites will be looking to avenge their 2-1 defeat at Dartford earlier this season as they bid to finish the league campaign strongly. Fulham were beaten 1-0 at home by Saltdean United last Sunday – to leave them seven points behind the Darts at the top of the table.

You can book your tickets for the season finale via the club's ticketing site.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/fulham-women-to-host-dartford-at-craven-cottage/

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Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou shares Micky van de Ven and Richarlison injury latest
Spurs head to Fulham on Saturday evening

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Micky van de Ven will miss Tottenham's match against Fulham on Saturday, with Ragu Dragusin to earn his first start in his place.

Van de Ven, 22, was substituted shortly after half-time in Sunday's 4-0 win at Aston Villa with a suspected hamstring injury.

Postecoglou says he will not be available at Craven Cottage, but allayed any fears of a serious injury by revealing his spell on the sidelines will be a short one.

January signing Dragusin, who cost £21.5million from Genoa, will earn a first Spurs start as he deputises for the Dutchman.

Meanwhile, Richarlison has missed the last two weeks with a knee injury but has trained this week and is set to be available for the trip south of the Thames.

"They're the only two", Postecoglou said of Van de Ven and Richarlison.

"Everyone else is the same as last week. Micky: nothing too significant. He'll miss tomorrow, but we're quite confident with the international break that he won't miss much more. I think we took him off at the right time to be honest.

"Richy: he trained today and should be available tomorrow."

The Spurs manager said of Dragusin: "I'll take the suspense out of it. He'll start tomorrow. It's a good opportunity for him. We signed him with a view [that] it was quite clear we were going to be short in that position.

"He's had to be patient for his opportunity, but that's not a surprise. Micky and [Cristian] Romero have been outstanding. I thought he was good when he came on the other day. He's a pretty self-assured guy. I think he can bring something else to us as a team. He's a very, very good defender."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/van-de-ven-richarlison-tottenham-injury-premier-league-2024-b1145625.html

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Tottenham Matchday Preview
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur | Saturday 16th March | 5.30pm | Craven Cottage | #FULTOT

The opposition

    Aside from a drab month towards the end of 2023 that yielded just one point from a possible 15, it's been a successful first season in charge for Ange Postecoglou, with Spurs in a good position to secure Champions League football.
    If the Premier League is allocated five spots, they look practically guaranteed to have a place amongst Europe's elite next season, as they currently sit six points above sixth-placed Manchester United, having played a game less.
    Indeed, last week's highly-anticipated trip to Aston Villa could hardly have gone any better, with a 4-0 win for the North Londoners closing the gap on their fourth-placed opponents to just two points.

Fulham team news

For the first time this season, Marco Silva will have a full squad to choose from, though our Head Coach explained that Raúl Jiménez will need to build up his match fitness before he's in a position to start.

Spurs team news

Micky van de Ven will not make the trip across London after limping off at Villa Park, but Richarlison will return having missed the previous two with a knee injury. Fraser Forster is a long-term absentee, as are former Fulham pair Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon.

Tickets

This match has sold out, but the Ticket Exchange will remain open until 2pm on Saturday.

Weather

While it should remain dry during the game, there is a chance of rain later in the evening. Temperatures will be around the 11 degree mark.

Travel disruption

The M25 will be closed, in both directions, between Junctions 10 & 11. Further details can be found here.

Player insight

Harry Wilson is ready to face an in-form Spurs, and believes that Fulham can be a match for any side on our day.

"We know how good they are," he told FFCtv. "They're off the back of a 4-0 win away at Villa, which not many people do, so we know they'll be in a confident mood, but we also know that when we're at the Cottage and playing well, we're a difficult team to play. And we'll be making sure that we perform well to get the three points."

Coverage

The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, while FFCtv subscribers can listen to live commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid.

Fulham Flutter

Win prizes while supporting the Foundation by playing the Fulham Flutter!

Early bird

Fans can take advantage of our early bird offers until 5pm! Full Early Bird pricing can be viewed here.

Fulham For All

At Fulham Football Club, we believe in the power of unity and respect. We are committed to creating an inclusive matchday environment where every supporter feels valued and safe. Discriminatory chants have no place in football or in our community. We stand together against such behaviour, promoting inclusivity and celebrating the diversity that makes our Club and sport so special. Join us in fostering an atmosphere of respect and camaraderie, as we come together to support our team.

Bag policy

Bags larger than A4 in size will not be permitted entry to the stadium. Please see our bag policy for full details, and information on our left luggage facility.

Form

Fulham: WLWWL

Spurs: DWLWW

Top scorers

Fulham: Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Alex Iwobi, Raúl Jiménez, Rodrigo Muniz (5)

Spurs: Son Heung-Min (14)

Matchday programme

Having started Fulham's last three Premier League matches, Saša Lukić spoke to the matchday programme for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur.

"Winning against Manchester United at Old Trafford is a big achievement and that performance should be the model of how Fulham should play and I hope we will play like that again in future games," commented Saša. "Everyone at the Club – the players, the coaching staff – need to boost us to our maximum level and to make us play as best as we can."

With the Premier League fixture against Tottenham marking our Unite For Access matchday, we spoke to Fulham supporter Barnaby Ambrose and Spurs fan Harry Scarfe around the issues of neurodiversity and accessibility. Elsewhere in the programme, we feature former Whites and Spurs defender John Lacy in 'The Ex-Files.'

Priced at £4, you can pick up a copy of the programme on the day or online.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/march/15/tottenham-matchday-preview/

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Before The Whistle: Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur

I'm lookin' forward to a crackin' game of football, mate.

More than eight months on and the halo still hasn't slipped from everyone's favourite Premier League manager, Ange Postecoglu. He brings his Spurs side to Craven Cottage for the second time this season, hoping to avenge their Carabao Cup exit. However, we've not beat Spurs at home in the league since November 2008, with Simon Davies and Andrew Johnson getting on the scoresheet.

We're looking rather healthy in the squad department. Raul Jimenez is back in contention, but it's doubtful Marco would dislodge our man of the moment, Rodrigo Muniz. If our Brazilian starts ahead of loanee Armando Broja, we'll have to stump up £4m, per the details of our agreement with Chelsea.

Silva opted to keep Lukic and Reed in the centre against Wolves – a noble, if potentially misguided decision. I'd expect Joao Palhinha to settle back into the XI, with Cairney alongside him.

It's looking increasingly likely that Tosin will leave the club in the summer, despite despite Marco revealing in his press conference that the club is still actively trying to keep him. But it's even more apparent that he's the best option alongside Bassey, so it's a problem we'll just face when we come to it.

A win, however unlikely, wouldn't be enough to take us out of 12th – obviously. If we stay here any longer we'll have to start paying a mortgage. But it would take us to 38 points, which would be nice. We can't even slip into 13th, as Bournemouth don't play this weekend thanks to Wolves' involvement in the FA Cup. Pressure well and truly off, then. You Whites.

ℹ️ MATCH DETAILS

Kick-Off: Saturday, 5.30PM
Stadium: Craven Cottage
Competition: Premier League
TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports

🚦 LEAGUE FORM

Fulham: ⬜ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ ❌
Spurs: ✅ ⬜ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅

⚖️ MATCH PROBABILITY

Fulham: 28.3%
Draw: 27.6%
Spurs: 44.1%

🥊 MOST RECENT MATCHES

Oct 23: Spurs 2-0 Fulham
Aug 23: Fulham 1-1 Spurs
Jan 23: Fulham 0-1 Spurs
Sep 22: Spurs 2-1 Fulham



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2024-03-15-before-the-whistle-fulham-v-tottenham-hotspur/

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Fulham prepare new contract offer for star man to ward off AC Milan and Liverpool
Fulham are hoping to convince Tosin Adarabioyo to stay at Craven Cottage with a new contract offer

Fulham are getting ready to offer a big contract to Tosin Adarabioyo, according to reports. They want to keep him away from Liverpool and other top European clubs.

Adarabioyo's current contract ends this summer, and he's been free to chat with foreign clubs since January. Clubs like AC Milan and Marseille are interested, and Liverpool have also been keeping an eye on him.

But Fulham hope a good contract will convince him to stay.

Adarabioyo, who is 26 years old, was thinking about leaving at the end of this season, report Mail Online. But he's been playing well for Marco Silva this season, even though there's uncertainty about his future.

His performances have caught the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate.

Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool's Joe Gomez were picked for England's upcoming friendlies with Brazil and Belgium. But Adarabioyo's stats are just as good as other top English centre-backs, even though he's only played 14 Premier League games this season because of injury.



https://www.football.london/premier-league/fulham-prepare-new-contract-offer-28827731

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Pre-Spurs Press Conference
In Friday's pre-match press conference, Marco Silva was full of praise for Ange Postecoglou and the "brave" football he's got his Tottenham Hotspur side playing.

The Australian has settled quickly in North London, with Spurs looking a fairly safe bet to be playing Champions League football next term.

"A great job from Ange, no doubts about it," Silva said of his counterpart. "Big, big transformation.

"I'm not talking about the club because I'm not there, but the way the team plays. I can tell there is a big, big change in the way they play – the approach and the way they have been brave, the quality as well.

"They started so, so strong. Of course, during the season you can have some ups and downs, but they've been really brave. Difficult to play against, and credit for him.

"And for the players, because it's not just the manager, the players have to understand, and they understood clearly what was the idea, they bought into it for sure, and you can see that on the pitch."

Saturday's late kick-off will mark a third meeting with Spurs this season, with the spoils shared so far – we knocked them out of the League Cup back in August, before they took the points at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a couple of months later.

"It's going to be the third time that we're going to play against them," Silva stated. "We lost away, we went through in the Carabao Cup against them at home.

"If you asked me if I would like to repeat the same performance that we had at Craven Cottage when we played against them in the Carabao Cup, I would love it because we played really well that game.

"We controlled them well, against a brave side and a top quality side. We were really brave as well to play in the way we wanted and to make life really difficult for them. And, of course, it's going to be the same approach tomorrow, knowing that they are a really difficult side to play.

"Any time that you make a mistake, they can punish you with the threat that they have in the attack line, always with [James] Maddison, [Yves] Bissouma and [Pape] Sarr, or [Rodrigo] Bentancur, ready to provide for the attacking players.

"Different setup from the two full-backs, but full-backs that can really make a difference in the attacking line as well. And because of that they can create all these problems for the opposition sides.

"It's up to us to have a good and very strong approach. On the ball, I know that we are going to create problems for them."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/march/15/pre-spurs-press-conference/

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Wilson: 'We're looking up and not down'
Harry Wilson is targeting a strong finish to the Premier League for Fulham – insisting the Whites are looking up the table rather than down despite defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of tomorrow night's televised London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, the Welsh winger revealed that he hasn't given up hope of a late run in the European spots:

"Looking at the table, I think we're in a good position. I feel like we're looking up and not down. With the games left, we need to make sure we're performing well – like we have been in the past few weeks – and see if we can nick a European place. Up to now, it has been a strong season, there's certain games that we look at and feel that we maybe could of got more out of – but I feel like, in the last ten games, we're a good position and look to talk as many points as possible.

We want to win every game we play. At the Cottage, I think we've been good this year. As you said, we've beaten Arsenal and that's no easy feat. Spurs are in a good moment – they beat Villa – but we have shown that we can go toe-to-toe with any team in this league. We also feel that we're on our game, we can definitely get the three points."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/wilson-were-looking-up-and-not-down/

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Silva targets Tottenham repeat
Marco Silva wants Fulham to repeat their League Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season – but knows that the Whites will have to beat at their very best to record a third home Premier League derby success for the first time in the club's history.

The Fulham head coach was full of praise for the job that Ange Postecoglou has done since taking over at Spurs last summer, telling this afternoon's pre-match press conference:

"A great job from Ange, no doubts about it. Big, big transformation. I'm not talking about the club because I'm not there, but the way the team plays. I can tell there is a big, big change in the way they play – the approach and the way they have been brave, the quality as well. They started so, so strong. Of course, during the season you can have some ups and downs, but they've been really brave. Difficult to play against, and credit to him. The players have to understand, and they understood clearly what was the idea, they bought into it for sure, and you can see that on the pitch."

Silva is relishing the chance to go toe-to-toe with Tottenham after their excellent display at Villa Park last Sunday – and wants his charges to replicate the application and desire they showed in beating Postecoglou's men on penalties back in August.

"It's going to be the third time that we're going to play against them. We lost away, we went through in the Carabao Cup against them at home. If you asked me if I would like to repeat the same performance that we had at Craven Cottage when we played against them in the Carabao Cup, I would love it because we played really well that game. We controlled them well, against a brave side and a top quality side. We were really brave as well to play in the way we wanted and to make life really difficult for them.

Of course, it's going to be the same approach tomorrow, knowing that they are a really difficult side to play. Any time that you make a mistake, they can punish you with the threat that they have in the attack line, always with Maddison, Bissouma and Sarr, or Bentancur ready to provide for the attacking players. Different setup from the two full-backs, but full-backs that can really make a difference in the attacking line as well; because of that they can create all these problems for the opposition sides. It's up to us to have a good and very strong approach. On the ball, I know that we are going to create problems for them."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/silva-targets-tottenham-repeat/

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Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur

TEAM NEWS
Fulham welcome back Raul Jimenez, who has resumed training after missing six games with a hamstring injury, meaning they have a fully fit squad.

Joao Palhinha and Willian began on the bench last weekend and could return to the starting line-up.

Tottenham are without defender Micky van de Ven, who sustained a minor hamstring injury against Aston Villa.

His absence could mean January signing Radu Dragusin starts a first Premier League game.

Richarlison is expected to be available despite a knee issue.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

    Fulham have lost 14 of their past 16 Premier League games against Tottenham and are winless in nine top-flight meetings since a 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane on 17 March 2013.
    A win would give Spurs eight consecutive league victories away to a particular opponent for the first time in their history.
    Fulham beat Tottenham on penalties in the second round of the EFL Cup in August following a 1-1 draw in west London.

Fulham

    The Whites are vying for three consecutive top-flight home wins in London derbies for the first time in their history, having beaten West Ham and Arsenal at Craven Cottage in December.
    They have won three of their five Premier League home games this season against teams currently in the top half of the table.
    Fulham have won eight top-flight fixtures at Craven Cottage this term, matching last season's final total.
    Marco Silva is winless in all eight of his Premier League matches as a manager against Tottenham (D3, L5).
    Rodrigo Muniz has been directly involved in six goals in his last six league appearances, scoring five and assisting one.
    Muniz is vying to become the first Fulham player to score in four consecutive Premier League home matches.

Tottenham Hotspur

    Spurs are aiming for back-to-back away wins in the league for the first time since October.
    They have scored at least twice in each of their past six top-flight matches on the road.
    Last month's defeat by Wolves is their only loss in eight league fixtures (W5, D2).
    Tottenham have already matched last season's tally of 23 away points.
    Timo Werner has the chance to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time in his career.
    Son Heung-min has been involved in 22 goals in his last 21 league appearances, scoring 14 and assisting eight.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68519744

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Fulham vs Spurs | Confirmed kit colours
We will be in an unfamiliar kit colour combination on Saturday when we travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham in the Premier League (kick-off 5.30pm UK time).

The hosts will be wearing their usual white shirts with black sleeves, coupled with black shorts and black socks.

Because of that, we'll be using our navy blue away shirts and shorts.

But with Fulham wearing dark-coloured socks, we'll be using white socks instead of the usual navy blue ones associated with our away kit.

We previously wore the same blue-blue-white combination at Brentford and Burnley earlier in the campaign.

Fulham's goalkeeper will wear red on Saturday, with ours in yellow.



https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2024/march/fulham-vs-spurs-confirmed-kit-colours/

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Marco Silva gives Fulham target before Tottenham match after UEFA rule change
Fulham are 12th in the Premier League and seven points off eighth ahead of Saturday's visit of Tottenham

Fulham boss Marco Silva has his sights set on improving the team's finish from last season, but he admits that aiming for a spot in Europe will be tough. With more spots available in the expanded Champions League next season, even finishing fifth in the Premier League could lead to a place in the top European competition.

This would mean that eighth place could potentially secure a spot in the Europa Conference League. However, after a 1-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, Fulham currently sit in 12th place, seven points behind Brighton in eighth.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's game against Tottenham, Silva said: "Europe? Difficult this season.

"Was difficult last season and if it is going to be a target for next season, it is always going to be difficult – not just for Fulham, and that wasn't our target. Our goals were clear from the beginning of the season. Even for the teams who have that target, they budget for that and they prepare the season for that, it is difficult.

"We know when the games start, the budgets don't play and the teams play on the pitch. Of course we want more and we wanted – for example – to have a different result last week, in terms of the position in the table it was a really important game for us.

"Probably the way we played, we deserved the three points and if it was completely different, we are talking about a different position in the table. Every week that we don't get the three points, it is getting more difficult for us to climb the table.

"We want to fight for three points in every game and if we can improve the position from last season, we are going to try 100 per cent. About Europe? We never spoke about it from the beginning of the season."

Fulham enjoyed a victory over Spurs in the Carabao Cup in August before they lost 2-0 on the road in the Premier League in October. Centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo missed both matches due to a groin injury but has established himself as a regular since his return in November.

Adarabioyo's contract ends this summer and Silva expressed his wish to keep the 26 year old. "Yes, I would love to," he said. "We have three players at the end of contract. Him, Bobby (De Cordova-)Reid and Kenny (Tete).

"Kenny has a clause in his contract that we can trigger and do something before. The three players we would like to keep because they are important for us and they are part of the furniture of the football club.

"Tosin is a really important one. Of course we have been trying to renew with him. Let's hope we can have news as soon as possible because clearly I would like to keep him at our football club."

Fulham will have Raul Jimenez available against Spurs after he returned to training following a hamstring injury sustained in January.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/marco-silva-gives-fulham-target-28829977