Town visit Fulham on Sunday afternoon for their first game of 2025 aiming to build on Monday’s excellent 2-0 home victory over Chelsea (Sky Sports ME, KO 2pm).

The Blues go into the weekend having climbed to 18th in the Premier League table, one place and one point behind Wolves in the last spot outside the relegation zone.

Since the win against Chelsea, manager Kieran McKenna has been working on balancing riding high and building confidence from that game and sharpening minds ahead of the visit to Craven Cottage.

“We've had a good few days, so that helps, because it was an emotional night, there's no doubt about it,” McKenna said. “I think the sleeping hours in the squad were a lot lower than normal.

“So it took a little bit of extra recovery and the physical effort of going to the Emirates and then putting what we did into the Chelsea game in a three-day block, having had a day less to prepare for the game than Chelsea but more than a day in terms of the kick-off times, was a big challenge. 

“They put a lot into the game. The group has recovered well, but we know the next challenge is the important one and Fulham away is a big one. 

“We've given the game our full respect. We've tried to prepare it as well as we can. With the physical element, the training had to be quite light, but we're trying to be as well-organised as we can be and make sure that we go there with a good plan.

“Our energy is going to have to be at the top, top level again and see if we can produce another good performance.”

Fulham are currently eighth in the Premier League having taken 29 points from their 19 games up to now.

They are unbeaten in five, but have won only one of those matches, their 2-1 victory at Chelsea on Boxing Day. On Monday they drew 2-2 at home to AFC Bournemouth. Prior to the win against Chelsea, they had drawn at home to Arsenal, 1-1, at Liverpool 2-2, and against Southampton at Craven Cottage, 0-0.

Their only defeat in their last 13 was a surprise 4-1 home loss to Wolves in November. Overall at Craven Cottage, the Whites have won four, drawn four and lost two, with Aston Villa the other side to have beaten them on home turf, 3-1 in October.

McKenna says manager Marco Silva has done an excellent job since taking over in July 2021, leading them to promotion back to the Premier League in his first season in charge and then from there establishing the Whites in the division.

“I don't think it's necessarily one thing, which is probably a compliment to what he's done. They've done a lot of things well,” McKenna said when asked what has most impressed him about Silva’s management.

“They've built the squad well from when they were in the Premier League the first time around and then they had one season where they got relegated to the Championship but kept a good bit of the group together. 

“And some of that group that came back up to the Premier League is still together now, which I think always puts you in a good spot. They've added to the squad well in each transfer window and added good players each window as it's gone along.

“And Marco's doing an excellent job in terms of coaching the team. They're very, very well organised, well structured with and without the ball. Very good on set plays. They've got a clear plan and a clear organisation in every phase of the game and in every game against each opponent. 

“So, a really well-rounded, well-organised side who are understandably having an excellent season and a great challenge for us to go against.”

Earlier in the campaign the teams drew 1-1 at Portman Road with McKenna pleased with his team's display that day.

“I think we played well in the first game, to be fair,” he recalled. “It was our first point of the season. I think we played well in most aspects of the game and I think we would certainly take the balance and the flow of the game to be the same again. Now, away from home, we know that is different and it's going to be hard, and it's a new game.

“Fulham have been quite adaptable over the last few games in terms of their system and their personnel as well, so we'll prepare as well as we can for the bits that we think we'll face.

“We'll focus on ourselves and try to back up what we've done well over the last few games and the things that we need to improve, and we're going to have to go and deliver a really well-rounded performance.

“We're going to have to again be very good without the ball, very well organised, find really good energy, find the balance of being aggressive when we can be, but also defending with good compactness and resilience. 

“And we're going to have to impose ourselves on the ball at times and find the balance of trying to attack and cause them problems, but also give ourselves time to spend time in possession in the game. 

“They're a very good team on set plays and they've got a big team, and they've been playing a big team the last few games with the centre-halves they've had in the team as well, so set plays are going to be a big challenge. 

“Like all the other games, for us to compete in this league, we need to be excellent across all phases to be in the game and to compete in the game. This is going to be the same going into this one and then if we do that, it's about trying to find a way to turn a tight game in your favour. And hopefully, we can do that on Sunday.”

The Team

McKenna probably won’t stray too far from the team which secured the best result of the season against Chelsea on Monday.

The Blues boss has confirmed that Christian Walton will start in goal, while Dara O’Shea, Luke Woolfenden, Jacob Greaves and Leif Davis will continue in their roles.

The Blues boss may look at swapping Wes Burns for Ben Johnson on the right, with Harry Clarke another option, but may well stick with the Wales international.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy is again likely to be joined by Jens Cajuste with Kalvin Phillips set to play a part from the bench.

Omari Hutchinson and Nathan Broadhead will probably keep their places behind central striker Liam Delap with the Welshman, who was at Everton under Whites boss Silva, taking his Town starts to 50.

Conor Chaplin is unavailable having picked up a knee problem, which is expected to keep him out for a couple of weeks.

The Opposition

Fulham boss Silva is anticipating a tough match, not just as it comes in the wake of the Blues’ victory over Chelsea.

“It’ll be a really difficult game, I don’t have doubts about that,” the Portuguese said in his pre-match press conference.

“Not just because they won against Chelsea, but they have been showing the quality to win games. They have good organisation, are well-managed and have very good players.

“What they did last summer showed their ambition as a club. They have some young players in certain areas of the pitch who can punish you at any time. They are really aggressive on and off the ball and they are always trying to match any team in this league.

“Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap are both top players. I know that they are different, playing in different positions, but they have been doing so well. Delap was on loan at Hull last season, but he has adapted so quickly to the quality and demands of this league.

“They are difficult players to control, they work hard both on and off the ball and have the right mentality to be strong in all parts of the game. As a team, they are a good side and they’ve been showing that.

“We went there on the third game of the season and we drew the game, but if we play at our best level then we can win.”

Silva has no new injuries, while Harrison Reed is getting closer to a return after a knee injury but isn’t ready for this weekend.

Midfielder Sander Berge remains sidelined with an ankle injury and right-back Kenny Tete is still out with a knee problem.

On-loan Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, a Town target on deadline day in the summer, is also currently missing due to a hamstring issue.

Midfielder Emile Smith Rowe returned to action as a last-minute sub against Bournemouth on Monday having missed the previous two games.

Recent History

Historically, the Blues have been victorious on nine occasions in games between the teams (six in the league), Fulham on 14 (11) and with nine (seven) games ending in draws.

Town are without a win in eight against Fulham in all competitions - two in the Carabao Cup - two draws sandwiching six successive defeats.

Their most recent victory over the Whites was at Craven Cottage in December 2015 when goals from Freddie Sears - after 16 seconds - and Brett Pitman saw Town to a 2-1 win, their fourth victory on the bounce against Fulham and the penultimate match in a 13-game run without a defeat against the Cottagers stretching back to the famous 10-1 loss on Boxing Day 1963.

In August at Portman Road, Town claimed their first Premier League point in 22 years as they drew 1-1 with the Cottagers.

Delap’s first Town goal gave the Blues the lead on 15 but Fulham levelled through Adama Traore in the 32nd minute with the Blues the better side in the second half but without finding a winning goal.

The teams last met at Craven Cottage in the Championship in January 2018 when four goals in seven minutes after Town defender Jordan Spence had been red-carded saw Fulham come from behind to beat Mick McCarthy’s Town 4-1.

Joe Garner gave the Blues the lead a minute before the break but the match turned on Spence’s dismissal for an off-the-ball barge on Aboubakar Kamara in the 54th minute with Ryan Sessegnon equalising on 69, Kamara securing the lead on 72 and then the pair each scoring again on 74 and 76.

Familiar Faces

Blues first-team coach Sone Aluko was with Fulham between 2016 and 2017, making 53 starts and one sub appearance, scoring nine times.

Central defender Cameron Burgess joined the Fulham academy in 2011 and went on to make his senior debut for the Whites on the opening day of the 2014/15 season against Town at Portman Road in a game the Blues won 2-1.

Assistant boss Martyn Pert spent six months working as a conditioning coach with Fulham in 2009.

Head of analysis Charlie Turnbull was with the Whites until he moved to Portman Road in December 2021. Turnbull was U23s assistant coach and analyst with the Cottagers having joined them from Spurs in 2016 and having progressed through from working with the U13s and U14s.

Former Town midfielder Brian Talbot is the assistant director of football operations at Craven Cottage, where he briefly played late on in his career.

Officials

Sunday’s referee is Darren Bond, his assistants Scott Ledger and Matthew Wilkes, and the fourth official Andy Madley. The VAR official is Paul Tierney and his assistant Dan Cook.

Lancashire-based Bond, who was the fourth official for Monday’s victory over Chelsea, last refereed Town in January 2022 as the Blues were beaten 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in League One, cautioning only one home player.

Prior to that, Bond was in the middle for the 2-1 home victory over Burton in December 2020 in which he yellow-carded Mark McGuinness, Kayden Jackson, Armando Dobra and four visiting players.

He was in charge of the 1-1 draw at Bristol City in March 2019 in which he cautioned Andre Dozzell, Gwion Edwards, Idris El Mizouni and one home player, as well as the 2-2 draw at Reading in November 2018 in which he booked Spence, Luke Chambers and one Royal.

Two months prior to that, he refereed the 1-1 home draw with Brentford in which he yellow-carded Jonas Knudsen and two Bees.

He was also the man in the middle for the 4-2 home victory over Nottingham Forest in December 2017, in which he cautioned Callum Connolly, Martyn Waghorn and two visiting players, and the 2-1 defeat at Birmingham in December 2016 in which he yellow-carded Chambers and Christophe Berra.

Bond had taken control of the 2-2 home draw with Rotherham a couple of months earlier in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout and was also the 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough in April of the same year in which he cautioned Luke Hyam and former Blues skipper Grant Leadbitter.

He officiated in the 1-0 win at Huddersfield three months prior to that in which he yellow-carded Chambers, Brett Pitman and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as well as one home player.

Bond also refereed the dramatic last-gasp 1-0 victory at Charlton in November 2014 in which he showed no cards.

Two months before that he took control of the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday when he booked only two home players, while his only other match involving the Blues was the 2-2 draw at Barnsley in February of the same year in which he again waved no cards.

Photo: TWTD

MK1 added 07:50 - Jan 4 Tough game this one. Would be happyish with a draw just to keep the points ticking over.
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bobble added 10:54 - Jan 4 Apart from west ham we have done alright against london clubs,,2_1 to town
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Linkboy13 added 13:06 - Jan 4 Love Craven cottage good friendly atmosphere and the best hot dog's (food) ive ever had unfortunately couldn't get a ticket. Fancy a 1 1 draw if we show the right commitment unlike we did at West Ham.
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Dissboyitfc added 18:00 - Jan 4 Great ground lovely surroundings, up there with the worst catering stupidly expensive and lack of choice, poor in that respect! I would take a draw but a win could see us close the gap as results were kind to us! Come on you blues!!
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Bazza8564 added 09:37 - Jan 5 Not sure Broadhead would be in my starting XI, personally i think he carries much more threat from the bench and Sammy should start and I agree maybe Johnson for Burns possibly simply because it's an away game and defensive qualities are going to be more important for the first 3/4 of the game. We will see. But with Everton, Southampton and Leicester losing, Wolves facing a tough one Monday and Palace only picking up a point, it's a real opportunity to go and have a real go......

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planetblue_2011 added 09:41 - Jan 5 Fancy our chances if we play anything like we did against Chelsea. Fulham are a good side they are up in the top half of the table for a reason. We have to be on our guard today. Take a point before the game but think we could sneak a 2-1 win. COYB’s
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martin587 added 09:44 - Jan 5 Looking forward to this game very much and visiting the ground once again.As a boy and living in Southend my father regularly took me to watch Fulham when Bobby Robson Jimmy Hill and co played for them.Those we’re the good old days.Hopefully it will be a good tight game and we come away with at least a point.
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Edmundo added 11:19 - Jan 5 Conditions will play a part. Wet and slippery. 0-0 with lots of cards I reckon.
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Linkboy13 added 11:20 - Jan 5 I think if Johnson had good defensive qualities he would be in the team that's the problem he hasn't.
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dirtydingusmagee added 12:31 - Jan 5 Tough match anything from it will be hard earned hope we give it 100%,as others have said earlier results went our way but only if we take advantage COYB
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