Fulham vs Chelsea: 3 Key Battles That Might Affect The Outcome

Fulham will look to test Chelsea in the London derby come Sunday when they host the Blues at Craven Cottage.

In their last 10 games in the Premier League, Fulham have managed to pick up just four points, and are still facing relegation.

Chelsea have not been that successful either as Maurizio Sarri has had a difficult few weeks, but the win against Tottenham in midweek will give the team some much-needed confidence.

Both clubs are full of some strong personalities, and that’s exactly what this match is going to come down to.

Aleksandar Mitrovic vs Antonio Rudiger

Mitrovic has given Fulham hope with his ability to score goals this season, and his battle against Antonio Rudiger will be an interesting one to watch.

Rudiger’s strength has come into full display this season, and with each passing game, he appears to only get better. While there have been instances where Chelsea’s defence has collapsed, Rudiger has managed to hold his own.

The German will not find it easy against Mitrovic as there aren’t many defenders that can overpower the Serbian, but if the German can assert his dominance, Chelsea are likely to coast to a win.

Cesar Azpilicueta vs Andre Schürrle

The key problems of Chelsea this season has been in their defence. Time and time again their defence has collapsed, creating doubts if Sarri-ball is all about getting goals. That’s where the team needs leaders, and Cesar Azpilicueta is definitely one who needs to step up.

Former Chelsea attacker Andre Schürrle has shown glimpses of what he can do, but not consistently enough.

The Fulham fans will hope the German World Cup winner is in the mood today and test Azpilicueta who doesn’t have the pace to keep up with Schürrle. 

Schürrle has managed 2.5 shots a game on an average, and it’s his ability to cut in as an inverted winger that might cause Azpilicueta problems.

Maxime Le Marchand vs Eden Hazard

Hazard has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season and played an astounding 2080 minutes, with 2.6 shots per game. The Belgian has been the Man of the Match on 9 different occasions, and he will be looking to put up yet another good performance for his side against Fulham.

With 2.2 tackles and 2.1 interruptions per match, Maxime Le Marchand has had a productive season on paper, but since Fulham have failed to perform as a unit, the goals have crept in.

While hardly the most successful player, if there is even one player with a hope of stopping Hazard, it is him.

Stats via Whoscored