Fulham and Bournemouth have been the class of the Championship this season. The two Championship rivals sit first and second ahead of matchday 21 in the division.
The Cottagers are unbeaten in six straight matches, but they have failed to take advantage of Bournemouth’s recent slip ups. Fulham have drawn back-to-back matches in the league.
Keep pushing! 😤 @HarrisonReed is ready for a Friday night at the Cottage. 👊 #FFC— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 1, 2021
Keep pushing! 😤 @HarrisonReed is ready for a Friday night at the Cottage. 👊 #FFC
Bournemouth are winless in three straight matches in the Championship. After a loss to Derby, Bournemouth have drawn two straight games ahead of this massive six-point clash.
While both teams will want to win the Championship, they will settle for automatic promotion at the end of the season. Queens Park Rangers are currently third in the Championship and seven points off of Bournemouth. Eight points separate QPR and Fulham.
These teams have not played since the 2018-19 Premier League season. The away team won those matches with Bournemouth winning 3-0 at Crave Cottage and Fulham returning the favour at Dean Court 1-0.
Fulham are the form team in the Championship. They took 14 points from the last 18 available. Manager Marco Silva watched his team score 16 goals and concede just two times.
Bournemouth took eight points from their last 18 available. They scored 12 times over the course of those six games but allowed eight goals to opponents.
Cherries manager Scott Parker has a number of personnel issues going into the match on Friday night. Midfielder Jefferson Lerma is suspended, while defender Gary Cahill is a doubt due to a rib injury.
Robert Brady, Ben Pearson, Lloyd Kelly, Jordan Zemura, Junior Stanislas and adam Smith are all doubts due to their various injuries.
Fulham manager Silva has three players on the injury list going into the game. Tom Cairney is a doubt due to an illness. Nathaniel Chalobah is a doubt following a calf injury. Ivan Cavaleiro has a knock but could return in time to play.
Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has scored 15 goals in 20 Championship games. He has scored four goals in Bournemouth’s last four matches. Meanwhile, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic leads the Championship in goals.
Mitrovic has tallied 21 goals in 19 games. He could be the greatest goalscorer to ever play in the Championship. He has scored 11 goals in his last eight matches.
Mitrovic and Solanke could both get on the scoresheet as there will be nothing to separate these sides on Friday. Bournemouth and Fulham should play out a score draw with over 2.5 goals in a Championship thriller.