Brighton & Hove Albion
Fulham FC
Fulham FC
Relegation scrap sees Fulham attempt to close the gap on fellow strugglers Brighton
Brighton to win 2-1
Having gone 10 matches without winning a match, Brighton finally managed to put three points on the board as they out-fought Leeds in a close match in their previous league game.
The south-coast side also came through their fourth round FA Cup match at the weekend, winning back-to-back matches for only the second time this season.
They have now opened up a seven point buffer between themselves and their opponents Fulham, a gap which could either give them a new sense of confidence or lull them into a sense of false security.
Fulham have played well for little reward recently, losing just two out of seven, but winning none of them. Eventually, their key players will need to start hitting form if they are to start closing the gap on the teams above, but they do have a game in hand with which to do so.
Form Guide (all comps): DWLWW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Two cup wins and one in the league will boost confidence
Outplayed Leeds in their last fixture
Reasons to be fearful:
Face Spurs, Liverpool, Leicester and Villa in the coming weeks
Several continued absences leave gaps in their side
Should Brighton win this fixture, they will open up a nine-point gap between themselves and the dreaded dotted line, something which should provide a huge incentive for them here.
They enter the game in positive form, having seen off Leeds impressively in their last league game before securing their passage to the next round of the FA Cup last weekend.
The Seagulls have proved difficult to beat for much of the season, drawing far more often than losing – their eight defeats is the joint-lowest in the bottom half of the league. Scoring goals haven’t been a problem either, with only Leeds and Arsenal scoring more in the bottom half.
They will have to make do without Danny Welbeck and Tariq Lamptey who remain injured, though Maupay, White and Trossard should return to the side after a rest in the cup.
Star Man – Neal Maupay
Brighton’s top scorer netted the winner against Leeds, had a 60 minute rest at the weekend and will be fit and firing here.
Form Guide (all comps): WDLLL
Reasons to be cheerful:
Performed well against Manchester United last week
Loftus-Cheek, Areola and Tete were all rested in the cup
Reasons to be fearful:
Face a gap of nine points to safety if they lose here
Seven games without a win in the league shows scale of the challenge
A week ago, Fulham were just two points adrift of safety after a run of decent form where they had suffered just a single defeat from their last six matches.
That defeat against Manchester United however, despite their battling performance, has left them five points behind their opponents this weekend, though they do still have that game in hand to come.
Should they lose here, they’ll be at least nine points adrift of Newcastle, who play a day earlier against Leeds. Even with half the season to go, that’s a gap which would take some closing.
There have been positives lately. Lookman is starting to look like a real talent up front, while Parker has inspired decent performances out of the likes of Loftus-Cheek and Cavaleiro recently.
Star Man – Ademola Lookman
Took his goal brilliantly against Manchester United last week and constantly looked a threat throughout.
Will be a close battle with neither wanting to lose
Brighton should edge possession
Settled by a single goal margin
Both sides have a greater incentive to win rather than draw here, so should come out fighting from the start.
For Brighton, three points would put a sizeable buffer between them and danger, while Fulham have the chance to close to gap to two points with a game still in hand.
Brighton have the better form coming into this one, and their quality through the middle of the pitch could settle this for them.
Brighton to win 2-1
