Fulham vs West Ham predictions: Cottagers to edge London rivals

Tom McGarry

Spotlight

Marco Silva's Fulham did the double over West Ham last season

- Fulham won last season's corresponding fixture 5-0
- West Ham have lost six of their last nine Premier League away games
- Recommended bet: Fulham to win

Fulham welcome London rivals West Ham to Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Saturday, with both teams aiming to secure their second top-flight victories of the campaign.

After losing narrowly to Manchester United in their league opener, Fulham have taken four points from games against two of the newly promoted clubs, Leicester and Ipswich.

That has left the Cottagers 12th in the standings heading into this game, a point and place better off than the Hammers, who have lost at home to Aston Villa and Manchester City either side of a victory on the road at Crystal Palace.

Team news

Fulham appear to have no injury concerns heading into this match, but summer signing Sander Berge will hope to earn his first league start since arriving from Burnley, while the likes of Harry Wilson and Harrison Reed will also be eyeing recalls.

West Ham are sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who was forced off with a back issue against Manchester City. Lukasz Fabianski will expect to deputise if the France international cannot prove his fitness.

Forward Niclas Fullkrug is also a doubt with the knock he picked up over the international break, while full-back Aaron Cresswell remains sidelined with a hamstring issue.

Carlos Soler, a recent arrival on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, could be handed his debut, although he will likely start on the bench.

The latest Fulham vs West Ham odds are available on LiveScore Bet

The stats

Fulham did the double over West Ham last season, claiming an emphatic 5-0 victory at Craven Cottage in December before following up with a 2-0 success at the London Stadium in April.

Marco Silva's side have been difficult to beat on home soil of late, as Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Newcastle are the only teams to have won at Craven Cottage since the turn of the year.

West Ham have lost six of their last nine Premier League away games, conceding at least two goals in all of those defeats, although Julen Lopetegui has won his only road fixture since taking charge in the summer – last month's 2-0 success at Crystal Palace.

Prior to losing both matches last season, West Ham were unbeaten in six meetings with Fulham, winning five of those games.

Julen Lopetegui was named West Ham's new manager over the summer

Prediction

This should be a closely-fought London derby, but Fulham will fancy their chances of claiming all three points after doing the double over West Ham last season.

While they may not be able to match the 5-0 thrashing they handed out to the Hammers last December, Fulham have proven over an extended period of time that they are a hard nut to crack on home soil.

No team from outside last season's top seven have beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage since the turn of the year and West Ham's away record of six defeats in their last nine road fixtures in the Premier League will not instil confidence in the visitors.

The Irons did beat Crystal Palace in their last away fixture, but they are still finding their feet under Lopetegui and may endure a frustrating and ultimately fruitless afternoon in west London.

Back Fulham to win at 7/5 with LiveScore Bet