Drawing the curtain on Premier League gameweek 10 with a mouthwatering West London derby, Fulham and Brentford scrap it out at Craven Cottage on Monday night.
Only one point and one place separates the two near neighbours in the mid-table pack after nine matches of the 2024-25 campaign, while they are also the only two sides in the division with a goal difference of zero at this fledgling stage.
Match preview
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Following a fair few last-minute surprises in the 3pm kickoffs last Saturday, Fulham sought to avoid suffering the same fate as the likes of Aston Villa, Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion when Marco Silva returned to his old stomping ground.
The erstwhile Everton head coach would seemingly have the last laugh against the Toffees thanks to a fine finish from another former Goodison Park flame in Alex Iwobi, but with no fewer than 94 minutes in the top left-hand corner, Beto made himself a Merseyside hero.
The only miniscule positive that Fulham can take from last weekend's 1-1 heartache, that point was the first that the Cottagers had achieved in three Premier League games; they had previously succumbed to Aston Villa and Manchester City's superiority in October.
Lying 12th in the standings after Saturday's fixtures, a return to home comforts may or may not be welcomed by the Craven Cottage faithful, whose side have scored in all four top-flight home games this season but have also gone without a Premier League clean sheet on familiar turf since March.
Clashes with fellow capital sides have been something of a speciality for Fulham in recent times, though, as they are unbeaten in each of their last five Premier League London derbies and have only lost one of their last eight top-flight games against close rivals from the city.
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Momentarily linked with the vacant Manchester United role in between Erik ten Hag's sacking and Ruben Amorim's appointment, much-adored Brentford boss Thomas Frank was quick to reiterate his commitment to the Bees, who continue to show a commitment to entertainment at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Indeed, Brentford and Ipswich submitted their application for the 2024-25 Premier League Game of the Season last weekend, where the Bees trailed 2-0, led 3-2 and had ostensibly let two points slip from their grasp in the 86th minute when Liam Delap made it a six-goal spectacular.
However, the travelling Tractor Boys did not bank on Bryan Mbeumo's injury-time cross evading all bodies in a crowded penalty area, as well as goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, to seal an astonishing 4-3 triumph for the men in red and white, whose two top-flight home games in October produced an incredible 15 goals.
Frank's 11th-placed troops were only able to scrape past Sheffield Wednesday on penalties in the last 16 of the EFL Cup, though, and they have lost all four Premier League away games in 2024-25, but no team has had a more difficult start on the road.
Brentford have already had to travel to Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in 2024-25 and should welcome a jaunt to Craven Cottage, where they crushed Fulham 3-0 in the 2023-24 campaign before a low-key goalless draw at the Gtech in May.
Team News
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With 11 minutes of normal time remaining at Goodison Park, Fulham playmaker Andreas Pereira was withdrawn due to a knock, but he was not name-checked by Silva in his pre-game press conference and should therefore be fine for Monday's game.
Before gameweek nine kicked off, Pereira's 26 chances created was the second-most in the entire league this season behind Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, but not a single one of the Brazilian's key passes has led to a goal.
Silva can also recall Joachim Andersen to the backline following his suspension, while Timothy Castagne (thigh) is on track to be fit, but Sasa Lukic will not be back from a shoulder problem before the international break.
Meanwhile, Brentford boss Frank had good news to share on Kristoffer Ajer in his pre-game press conference, revealing that the defender has trained following a foot injury and has a strong chance of being fit for the derby.
The Bees will remain without Aaron Hickey (thigh), Gustavo Nunes (back), Igor Thiago (knee), Josh Dasilva (knee) and Rico Henry (knee) for a little while longer, though - the latter is nearing a comeback, but Frank is understandably taking a highly cautious approach with him.
The Brentford boss promised to go strong in midweek and delivered - Mbeumo played the full 90 while Mark Flekken kept his place in goal - and the former should now reprise his strike partnership with Yoane Wissa, who boasts nine goals from his last 10 Premier League starts.
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Pereira; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Damsgaard, Janelt, Norgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Lewis-Potter
We say: Fulham 2-2 Brentford
Brentford may be one of the worst-performing Premier League teams on the road statistically speaking, but Fulham will be the first non-Big Six side that the free-scoring Bees face away from home in 2024-25, and their hosts are not adept at keeping the back door shut.
However, even if Frank's men can edge ahead, they have already let 11 points slip from winning positions this season, and a Cottagers team who thrive in London derbies should do enough for a point in a capital classic.
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Ben Knapton
