A week can feel like a significant amount of time in the world of football, especially for Tottenham. They recently returned from the international break and achieved an astonishing 4-0 victory against the reigning champions, Manchester City. However, they faced disappointment when they twice relinquished their lead in a UEFA Europa League match against Roma. Despite this setback, manager Ange Postecoglou is eager to move forward swiftly as his team continues their pursuit of a top-four position. Their upcoming opponents, Fulham, have historically been favorable rivals for Tottenham.
Until their defeat at Craven Cottage in March, Tottenham had maintained an unbeaten streak in their last nine league encounters with Fulham since 2013 (winning eight and drawing one). Their record on home turf is even more impressive, with Spurs emerging victorious in 13 out of the last 14 Premier League head-to-head matches. Their only home defeat against Fulham in a league game dates back to 2013. However, Tottenham’s performance in recent London derbies has been inconsistent (winning six, drawing three, and losing seven), so there is no guarantee of their continued dominance in this match.
That is particularly true considering Fulham’s current unbeaten streak in London derbies, which is the joint-longest in their entire history in the top-flight. This suggests that they tend to perform exceptionally well in these matches. Their recent victories against Crystal Palace (2-0) and Brentford (2-1) have extended their undefeated run in Premier League London derbies to seven matches (winning four and drawing three). However, their confidence may have been shaken by the recent 4-1 defeat at home against Wolves.
Fulham has shown their prowess against other top-half teams, winning against Nottingham Forest and putting up a strong fight against Manchester City in a narrow 3-2 loss. In fact, since the beginning of the 2023/24 season, they have managed to defy the odds on the road with four wins and five draws from 19 Premier League away games as underdogs.
One key battle to watch out for is the potential impact of James Maddison. He has been instrumental in extending Tottenham’s lead in multiple games this Premier League season. On the other hand, Fulham’s Serbian midfielder Saša Lukić, who made a successful return from injury in the last round, will have the task of containing Maddison. Additionally, Lukić might be eager to replicate the goal he scored in their previous head-to-head encounter.
Fulham is currently on a hot streak, having found the back of the net in their previous 11 Premier League matches. This impressive run of scoring is tied for the longest streak in the league heading into the upcoming round.
