Fulham vs Chelsea

Fulham: League form: WWLLL

Under the guidance of experienced Dutchman Martin Jol, Fulham find themselves comfortably in mid table as we near the end of the season. It is a position that most fans would have taken at the start of the campaign. The form of the likes of Clint Dempsey and Pavel Pogrebnyak, brought in as a replacement for departed striker Bobby Zamora, has ensured that the London side have managed to stay well clear of the relegation zone. Last game they picked up an impressive 3 – 0 victory at in-form Bolton Wanderers to make it back to back victories after a run of three consecutive defeats.

Chelsea: League form: WWDLW

Chelsea head into this clash knowing that it is an absolute must win if they want to stay in the race for a Champions League spot. A last minute goal handed them a 2 – 1 win over relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic in what was otherwise a very poor performance helped only by a series of shocking referee decisions. They have however been picking up lots of wins under interim manager Roberto di Matteo and, despite a congested fixture list due to involvement in cup competitions, they head into this game full of confidence.

Match Prediction: Draw (3.20 at William Hill)

Fulham have already come close to beating Chelsea twice this season and with a track record of doing well against the big teams, it will be an interesting encounter on monday. Having said that, Fulham have only managed to beat the Blues once in their last thirty – one clashes. The Cottages are in good form though, particularly flying winger Damien Duff and American striker Clint Dempsey, who has scored an impressive fifteen league goals this campaign. Chelsea have a lot of old players so it will be intriguing to see how they cope with the fixture congestion that lies ahead. They have come out and said that getting a Champions League spot is the priority for this season so to say Monday’s game is a must-win is an understatement.

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