Fulham return to the comfort of Craven Cottage this weekend, aiming to end a difficult run of form and potentially make club history in the process, as they welcome west London neighbours Chelsea for a highly anticipated derby encounter.
After showing early promise of a surprise push towards European qualification, Fulham’s hopes have dipped following a disappointing stretch of away performances. Their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Monday marked a third successive loss on the road, a run that has halted their momentum in the Premier League. Manager Marco Silva will be hoping that the return to familiar surroundings can revive his side’s form and push them back into the top half of the table.
This weekend’s clash could be historic for Fulham, who have a rare opportunity to complete a league double over Chelsea for the first time. The Cottagers claimed a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture, and though they have only beaten Chelsea twice in their last five league meetings, that record represents a significant improvement after decades of frustration in this fixture. Prior to this recent run, Fulham had beaten the Blues just once in 40 meetings across all competitions.
Chelsea, however, boast an imposing recent away record in this fixture, having won five of their last six visits to Craven Cottage. The Blues will be desperate to extend that dominance as they continue to chase a top-five finish. Despite securing a place in the UEFA Conference League semi-finals with a 4-2 aggregate win over Legia Warsaw on Thursday, their 2-1 second-leg loss left questions lingering over consistency and resilience.
Those concerns are particularly relevant when it comes to Chelsea’s Premier League away form. The goalless draw with Brentford earlier this month means they are now winless in eight league matches on the road. During that run, they have drawn three and lost five, scoring just three goals—the lowest away tally in the Premier League over that period.
Both sides possess match-winners capable of influencing proceedings. Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz has become something of a derby specialist, scoring in three of his last five London derbies in the league, all coming off the bench. Chelsea will look to Jadon Sancho, who found the net last weekend and also has a track record against Fulham, having scored against them for Manchester United two seasons ago.
The match could also promise goals, with Fulham entering the weekend having seen both teams score in 72 percent of their league matches this season—the highest rate in the division. With both sides eager for points for different reasons, an entertaining and closely fought encounter could be on the cards.
Whether Fulham can make history or Chelsea can revive their away fortunes, the west London derby is set to provide another memorable chapter at Craven Cottage this Sunday.
