Match Preview
Fulham vrs Southampton
Premier League Match Day 15 2021 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 26th December 2020 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Darren England (Barnsley)
Live on Sky Sports
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Fulham will be aiming to stretch their unbeaten run in the Premier League to four matches when they welcome Southampton to Craven Cottage for Boxing Day's encounter.
The hosts played out a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United last time out, whereas Southampton suffered a narrow defeat to Manchester City on the South Coast.
A controversially-awarded Callum Wilson penalty prevented Fulham taking all three points at Newcastle United last Saturday, with the Magpies striker converting from 12 yards after Matt Ritchie's own goal opened the scoring just before half time.
While Fulham were cruelly prevented from picking up just their second away win of the campaign, Scott Parker's men have now gone their last three games unbeaten following draws with Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion, but the Cottagers are still winless in December.
Boxing Day's visit of Southampton represents Fulham's best chance to get another three points on the board before the end of the year, with the Cottagers facing a trip to Tottenham Hotspur next Wednesday, but a clash with the Saints will not be an easy ride either.
Should Parker's men manage to take the spoils against Southampton - which would be just their third league win of the campaign - Fulham will temporarily lift themselves out of the relegation zone into 16th before Brighton and Burnley take to the pitch on Sunday.
Furthermore, West Bromwich Albion - who are three points behind - would need a nine-goal swing and results to go in their favour to leapfrog Fulham this weekend, and Parker's men have certainly been looking more solid in recent weeks.
Attempting to get one over Manchester City was a step too far for Ralph Hasenhuttl's effervescent Southampton, who succumbed to an early Raheem Sterling winner at St Mary's in gameweek 14.
The Saints would have undoubtedly felt frustrated to only take one point from their clash with a 10-man Arsenal last week as well, but the fact that Southampton are going toe-to-toe with clubs of that calibre speaks volumes about their impressive start to the season.
Hasenhuttl's men have lost some ground on the European-chasing pack with that defeat to City, but Southampton are still just two points off third-placed Manchester United - who do have a game in hand - and a win would see the Saints at least overtake Tottenham Hotspur before their clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
The visitors go into this game in terrific form on the road, with Southampton stringing together a six-game unbeaten run away from home in the league since September's defeat to Crystal Palace - no mean feat considering that Hasenhuttl's men have travelled to Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wolves already this season.
In addition, Southampton have come out on top in five of their last six clashes with Fulham in all competitions, although the Cottagers did win this fixture 3-2 back in the 2018-19 Premier League season.
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Fulham have lost just one of the seven Premier League meetings with Southampton at Craven Cottage, winning four and drawing twice.
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Southampton have won three of the past four league encounters, keeping a clean sheet in each victory.
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Saints have claimed just three victories in 30 away league games against Fulham, drawing 11 matches and losing 16.
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Fulham are on a run of three successive league draws, as many as in their previous 34 top-flight games.
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Their solitary home win in the past seven matches came against fellow promoted side West Bromwich Albion.
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They are unbeaten when taking the lead this season, winning two and drawing three of five matches.
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Fulham's last Premier League victory on Boxing Day was a 2-1 win at Norwich in 2013, with current boss Scott Parker scoring their winner.
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The Cottagers have conceded a league-high seven goals in the opening 15 minutes of games.
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They have had five penalties awarded against them in the top flight this season, a joint high.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic is without a goal in 10 Premier League appearances. It's his longest goalless run in English league football.
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Southampton have won just two of their past six league fixtures, also drawing and losing twice.
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They can equal a club record by avoiding defeat in a seventh consecutive top-flight away fixture.
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Ralph Hasenhuttl's side have claimed 29 Premier League away points in 2020, a record only Manchester United can better.
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Southampton failed to score for just the second time in 14 league games last weekend.
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Saints have won their past nine league matches against newly-promoted opposition.
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Southampton have won six of their past eight Boxing Day fixtures, drawing and losing once.
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Their last eight Premier League goals have all been scored by different players.