MY ACCOUNT
– Leeds have lost the second half in three of their last four games
– Fulham scored twice without reply after HT against Everton last Saturday
– Fulham have won the second half in both previous meetings with Leeds this season
– Recommended bet: Fulham win the second half
Fulham go in search of their third win against Leeds this season when the two sides face off at Craven Cottage in Saturday’s lunchtime Premier League fixture.
Marco Silva’s men halted a five-game losing run with a 3-1 road victory against Everton last weekend to keep their faint hopes of European qualification alive.
Leeds suffered another heavy defeat at the hands of Liverpool on Monday to create some unwanted history as it was the first time they have conceded five goals or more in consecutive home games.
The Whites’ form is deserting them at the worst possible time and they sit two points above the relegation zone and in possession of the top flight’s worst defensive record with 60 goals scored against them in 31 games.
Team news
Silva will be denied the chance of fielding an unchanged team because Dan James, who scored his first Premier League goal since November at Goodison Park, is ineligible to face his parent club.
Carlos Vinicius is expected to deputise again for the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic up front.
Willian looks set to keep Manor Solomon out of the team on the right with Harry Wilson again the choice on the left ahead of recalled full-back Kenny Tete.
Tosin Adarabioyo looks set to continue alongside Tim Ream in central defence after reclaiming a starting berth in recent weeks.
Layvin Kurzawa and Neeskens Kebano remain out.
As for Leeds, boss Javi Gracia is expected to make some changes following his side’s two recent capitulations.
Max Wober looks likely to be drafted into the defence, pushing Pascal Struijk either to left-back or out of the team altogether.
Willy Gnonto could return to the team too, although not in place of Luis Sinisterra on the left-hand side.
Tyler Adams and Stuart Dallas are unlikely to recover from their respective injuries in time for the trip to Craven Cottage while Patrick Bamford will be assessed later in the week.
The stats
Leeds have lost all five of their league games in London this season, conceding 16 goals across those capital clashes.
The Whites have the highest ratio of games in which both teams have scored in the Premier League (61%) with 19 of their 31 games featuring goals at both ends.
And no team comes close to matching Leeds’ top-flight best mark of 11 games (35%) in which both teams have scored before half-time with the top-flight average being just under 20%.
The Elland Road outfit have also conceded a league-leading 37 goals after half-time with Fulham having shipped just 21 times after the break.
Prediction
Fulham found their feet again last weekend after an awful run of results that seem to have stemmed from their emotionally-charged FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Old Trafford.
They will again miss Mitrovic, but Silva found a way to coax three goals out of his side without the Serbian in the line-up for the first time since January 2022.
Leeds will have to be a much-improved force to stay with the resurgent Cottagers.
Although that may be possible with Wober settling presence in Gracia’s defence, the Austrian is not 100% match fit and will be hard pushed to maintain his levels throughout 90 minutes on his return.
The Whites have been weak in the second halves of matches lately and could eventually slip to a fourth away league defeat in five when Fulham find fifth gear after the break.
Back Fulham to win the second half at 31/20 with LiveScore Bet.
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