Tea and toast and FPL transfers done. Now, I’m now sat on the sofa writing this post watching Sky Sports News, contemplating lunch and looking forward to three matches. This is what someone was thinking when they were thinking about Saturday.
And yes, there will be a bottle of red or two and I’ll probably fall asleep on the sofa. But this is a post about us and we needed a match post because the mess with the new England manager shouldn’t be in a match post.
And if anyone thought today wasn’t going to be tough, you should know that if Fulham beat us, they’ll go above us and Fulham are only three points above Manchester United. So what I’m trying to say is if results don’t go the way we want this weekend, we could be only three points above Manchester United by the end the day. That would be sobering.
And that is why it’s an important game. But it’s not about the teams below us, it’s because we need to keep in touch with the top four. And that’s the more important reason. Not winning today wouldn’t be nice.
On the other hand, winning today would keep the dream alive and it would put us on the right footing for Tuesday. I believe. It’s not like it used to be.
Back in an hour.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
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Fulham have lost five of the past six Premier League meetings, with the exception being a 3-0 home victory in 2022.
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Aston Villa could earn consecutive away league wins against Fulham for the first time but have won just six of their 35 league visits to Craven Cottage (D11, L18).
Fulham
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Fulham are looking to remain unbeaten in four consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since a run of six in 2012.
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The Cottagers are the only team in the division yet to score from a set-piece this season.
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Marco Silva has lost four of his five league matches against Aston Villa.
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Raul Jimenez has nine goals in his past 11 Premier League starts, including six in his last six at Craven Cottage.
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Emile Smith Rowe made his competitive debut for Arsenal under Unai Emery, scoring three goals in nine appearances under the Spaniard.
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Andreas Pereira’s 64 passes into the opposition penalty area this season is the most by any player in the Premier League.
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Pereira has also created 16 chances from set plays, more than anyone else in the league.
Aston Villa
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A Villa win would give them their best start to a Premier League campaign after eight games since 1998-99.
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Villa could remain unbeaten in their opening four away league matches for the first time since 2006-07.
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They could keep consecutive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since December 2023, when they won 1-0 against both Manchester City and Arsenal.
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Their only defeat in 12 visits to London since Unai Emery’s appointment was a 5-0 loss to Crystal Palace on the final day of last season (W8, D3).
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Emery has won all five of his league meetings with Fulham by an aggregate score of 15-4.
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Jhon Duran averages a goal every 46 minutes in the Premier League this season, the best ratio of any player to feature for at least 90 minutes.
