After the loss last Saturday, in the last minute, to Cardiff City, Martin Jol knows that he just has to get a result in this fixture otherwise the axe could well fall. But what makes the fixture so intriguing is that Stoke, having parted company with Tony Pulis last summer, are now managed by Mark Hughes, somebody us Fulham supporters are only too well aware of.
Vital Quotes:
To follow!
Fulham Team News:
Martin Jol will be without the influential Scott Parker who picked up a calf injury last weekend very early on in the match against Cardiff.
Also missing is Aaron Hughes who picked up an injury in training. Fighting to be included though is Ashkan Dejagah who is hoping to be pronounced fit for this clash.
Player to watch: Bryan Ruiz
Came off the bench last weekend to score against Cardiff, looked sharp and could play a significant part in this encounter.
Stoke City Team News:
Mark Hughes, so we`re led to believe, has an almost completely fit squad to choose from with only Jonathan Walters rated as a doubt, with a groin strain. Matthew Etherington missed out last weekend after suffering whiplash in a car accident but has recovered sufficiently to be considered for a starting place.
Player to watch: Kenwyne Jones
The striker seems reborn since Hughes replaced Pulis and could pose a considerable threat leading the Stoke line.
Match Facts & Stats
Fulham go into this fixture not having won any of their last 7 Premier League games at Craven Cottage. Also, in the last 18 home Premier League matches, Fulham have only kept the 1 clean sheet.
As far as matches go against Stoke City, in the last two seasons the home side has won on every occasion.
Ref Watch:
The referee for this encounter is R. East who will be ably assisted by R. Ganfield and A. Holmes with the fourth official duties being fulfilled by M. Dean
Match Prediction:
The days when Craven Cottage was something of a fortress are long gone, in fact it seems to me that, nowadays, points are plundered on a regular basis which makes predicting Fulham fixtures so damn hard. In days gone by Stoke at the Cottage would have been called as a tight game but a game that we should win, but I`m not so sure these days. I`m hoping for a Fulham win but it wouldn`t surprise me if Mark Hughes walks across the Cottage turf, after 90 minutes, with a smile on his face, it`s shaping up to be that kind of season isn`t it!
Next Fixtures:
Our next Premier League match is away to Crystal Palace on Monday 21st October.
