Fulham vs West Brom Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News
It's the battle of the Premier League basement boys on Monday as 17th-placed West Brom travel to second-from-bottom Fulham in an early season six-pointer.
Fulham have been in dire shape this season, with Scott Parker's future at the club under increased scrutiny after a series of limp defeats and truly catastrophic defensive displays which have left the Cottagers with just one point from their first six games.
West Brom haven't exactly been much of an improvement on that, with Slaven Bilic's men just about scrapping their way to a huge away point at Brighton, and the only team with a defence as porous as theirs in the league is, well...Fulham.
Here's 90min's preview of what could be one of the messiest games of the Premier League season so far...
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? Monday 2 November
What Time Is Kick Off? 17:30 (GMT)
Where Is it Being Played? Craven Cottage
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Box Office (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee? Simon Hooper
Team News
Fulham have a few absences to contend with ahead of Monday's clash, with Kenny Tete (calf) sidelined for the considerable future. For three players, this match may come a week or two too soon, with Joachim Andersen (ankle) in training but unlikely to start, and Terence Kongolo (foot) and Neeskens Kebano (knock) making good progress in recovering from their respective knocks.
Aboubakar Kamara will also sit this one out for the Cottagers, serving the first game of a three match suspension after he picked up a straight red card in his side's 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace.
The Baggies have less of an injury list to contend with, but Hal Robson-Kanu will miss out with a broken arm, while Sam Field is also recovering from a knee injury.
Dara O'Shea will be available for selection after recovering from a knee injury of his own, while Kamil Grosicki will be able to play after a move to Nottingham Forest was not ratified.
Predicted Lineups
Fulham: Areola; Aina, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Cairney, Reid, Anguissa; Loftus-Cheek, Mitrovic, Lookman.
West Brom: Johnstone; Furlong, Ajayi, O'Shea, Townsend; Gallagher, Livermore, Krovinovic; Pereira, Grant, Diangana.
Recent Form
Both teams haven't exactly had a lot to shout about recently, but in relative terms West Brom can perhaps do a fraction more yelling, having lost just one of their last four. The only problem with that? The other three games were draws, including a capitulation from 3-0 up at half time against Chelsea.
Fulham have been pretty dire - the results alone (six games, one draw, five losses) have been bad enough, but unlike fellow strugglers Burnley and Sheffield United, their performances haven't suggested any sort of turnaround, and they've played just one 'top six' side.
Here's a closer look at how both sides have got on in their last few matches...
Fulham
Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace (24/10)
Sheffield United 1-1 Fulham (18/10)
Wolves 1-0 Fulham (4/10)
Brentford 3-0 Fulham (1/10)
Fulham 0-3 Aston Villa (28/9)
West Brom
Brighton 1-1 West Brom (26/10)
West Brom 0-0 Burnley (19/10)
Southampton 2-0 West Brom (4/10)
West Brom 3-3 Chelsea (26/9)
West Brom 2-2 Brentford (22/9)
Prediction
This game might feel a bit like two bald men fighting over a comb, but it's clear so far that while West Brom have some nous that enables them to punch above their weight (even if that punching only amounts to three points), there is no evidence that the same applies to Fulham.
The organisation and underlying structure which lets West Brom pose a solid (if very unspectacular) challenge for the majority of teams is altogether lacking among the Cottagers, who seem to panic every time a half-decent cross pops into their box.
Expect another disappointing loss for Parker's side and a result that will see the young manager under even greater pressure.
Prediction: Fulham 0-2 West Brom