Team
news and stats ahead of Chelsea vs Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday
(kick-off 5.30pm).
Team news
Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic has failed to beat his hamstring injury in
time to feature in Saturday's Premier League clash with Fulham.
The Croatia midfielder has suffered a minor setback, and could now be a
doubt for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against his
former club Real Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger will also miss the Fulham clash with a minor knock.
Fulham manager Scott Parker has no new injury concerns to contend with as
his side head to Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking for their first victory
at Chelsea since 1979.
Captain Tom Cairney has been stepping up his recovery from a long-term knee
injury which has kept him sidelined since December, and Parker is hopeful
the midfielder will be able to play some role before the end of the season,
although Saturday's clash will come too soon.
Terence Kongolo remains sidelined for the remainder of the season, in what
has been the latest in a long list of injuries.
Jones Knows prediction...
Thomas Tuchel won't admit it, but there could be some wandering eyes from
Chelsea here. Of course, their top-four challenge is an important task but a
chance to reach a Champions League final is within touching distance. You
get the feeling Tuchel will be daydreaming about the Real Madrid game during
this fixture, which looks sure to be a slow burner.
Despite their huge points difference in the Premier League, these two teams
are actually quite similar in terms of style.
It's all about controlling the flow of the game while being defensively
sound and quick in transition. Fulham have been affording more chances to
their opposition recently but over a longer viewpoint, they are actually a
tough team to break down, especially in the first half of games. Scott
Parker's team have only conceded four first-half goals in their last 15
matches and have gone in at the break 0-0 in nine of their last 12 fixtures.
The only team to concede fewer than them in that period of the match is
Tuchel's Chelsea.
A 0-0 at the break looks a runner with Chelsea likely to edge ahead as
Fulham open up after the break.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-0
Opta stats
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 18 home games against Fulham in all
competitions (W10 D8) since a 0-2 second tier defeat in October 1979.
Fulham have won just one of their 29 Premier League matches against Chelsea
(D10 L18), winning 1-0 in March 2006 at Craven Cottage.
Of the 374 top-flight fixtures to have been played at least 50 times, Fulham
have the lowest win rate against an opponent, managing just three wins in
their 51 such meetings with Chelsea (six per cent).
Fulham are winless in their last 23 Premier League London derby matches (D5
L18) since beating West Ham 2-1 in January 2014. However, the Cottagers have
avoided defeat in their last three such fixtures on the road, drawing at
Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Arsenal this term.
In Premier League London derbies this season, Chelsea have won the most
games (six), the most points (19), scored the most goals (15), and conceded
the fewest (four). 75 per cent of their four goals conceded were against
Arsenal, with the Gunners the only side to beat them in a derby match this
term.
Chelsea have lost just one of their 14 Premier League games under Thomas
Tuchel (W8 D5), having lost five of their last eight under Frank Lampard
this season (W2 D1). However, the Blues have won just 43 per cent of their
seven home league games under the German so far (W3 D3 L1).
Away from home, Fulham have dropped more points from winning positions than
any other side in the Premier League this season (13). The Cottagers have
opened the scoring in six of their last seven away league games (the other
finishing 0-0), but have gone on to win just two of those six matches (D3
L1).
64 per cent of Fulham's Premier League goals this season have come away from
home (16/25). Only Manchester City in 2006-07 (65.5 per cent) have scored a
higher share of their goals on the road in a single Premier League campaign
(19/29).
No player has scored more Premier League goals for Chelsea this season than
Timo Werner (six). His winning goal against West Ham last time out was his
first in eight league games, while he's only scored in consecutive league
games for the Blues once (in November).
Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy has kept 15 clean sheets in his 27 Premier
League games this season, with only Ederson keeping more (17). Of all
keepers to have started at least 25 games in Premier League history, Mendy
is the only one to keep a clean sheet in more than half of them (56 per
cent).
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