Aiming to make it back-to-back Premier League wins, European hopefuls Fulham travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.
The Cottagers ended their two-game losing run with a stoppage-time victory over already-relegated Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium last weekend. It was their seventh away win of the league season, one that reignited their objective of European qualification.
The win at Southampton should have lifted the spirits of Marco Silva’s side, and they will travel to the Midlands to face Villa, who lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final last time out.
Fulham Team News
Rodrigo Muniz (muscle) and Reiss Nelson (thigh) remain sidelined, but Fulham boss Marco Silva has confirmed that Antonee Robinson is available for selection after missing the win at Southampton with a minor knee injury.
Predicted Fulham lineup vs Aston Villa (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Bernd Leno picks himself in goal, having served admirably for Fulham since swapping Arsenal in 2022. He has played every single Premier League game this season and should make his 35th appearance on Saturday.
Defence
Silva could revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation after using a 4-3-3 at Southampton.
Joachim Andersen will continue his strong partnership with Calvin Bassey in central defence in the Fulham lineup. The duo has to be on their toes to keep Watkins at bay at Villa Park.
Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson should occupy the full-back spots for the visitors, trying to stretch Villa with their speed, dynamism and overlapping runs. The entire Fulham backline have to work in tandem to keep a clean sheet against a talented Villa forward line.
Midfield
Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge should hold the fort in midfield for Fulham. They will try to disrupt Villa’s passing lanes and rhythm while providing a base for the creative players to flourish in the final third.
Emile Smith Rowe should act as a glue between midfield and attack in the Fulham lineup, offering creativity and guile to the side. With his link-up play and smart movement, the Englishman can cause problems for the Villa backline. His entry into the side would likely see Andreas Pereira drop to the bench.
Attack
Alex Iwobi has been Fulham’s best player this season. The Nigerian international is expected to start on the left flank, with Harry Wilson operating from the other wing in the Fulham lineup. They will be responsible for pinning back Villa’s full-backs and providing service in the box for striker Raul Jimenez.
The likes of Adama Traore, Willian and Pereira could be introduced in the second half as per the situation of the game.
