🆚 Southampton
🏟 Craven Cottage
🏆 Premier League
🗓 Sunday 22nd December
⏰ 2pm (GMT)
#️⃣ FULSOU
The opposition
Southampton returned to the Premier League at the first time of asking last season, with Russell Martin leading them to a fourth place finish, before dispatching West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United in the Play-Offs. But Martin’s possession-based game struggled to yield results in the top flight, and he was relieved of his duties following Sunday’s 5-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, with the club sitting bottom of the table on five points – nine clear of safety.
Under-21s coach Simon Rusk has stepped up to the top job on an interim basis, and there were encouraging signs in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup Quarter-Final defeat by Liverpool. 2-0 down at the break, they reduced the deficit through a fine Cameron Archer goal, and could perhaps feel hard done by not to have taken the tie to a penalty shoot-out.
Team News
🤍 The return of Tom Cairney from suspension is a timely one, as Andreas Pereira picked up his fifth booking of the season at Anfield. Kenny Tete's serious injury that day means he joins Harrison Reed and Reiss Nelson in the treatment room, but Calvin Bassey is available after serving his one game ban. Joachim Andersen has also made a welcome return to training.
😇 Southampton hope to have a couple of key players back available on Sunday, following the returns to training of both Aaron Ramsdale and Kyle Walker-Peters. They will still be without Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart and Will Smallbone, though, while Jack Stephens is suspended.
Tickets
Tickets are still available to buy.
Kits
Southampton will be in their pink change kit on Sunday.
Coverage
FFCtv subscribers can listen to commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid, while the game will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK, and on Peacock in the United States.
Weather
⛅ Rain is unlikely on Sunday, and temperatures will be around the seven degree mark.
Fulham Flutter
The Fulham Flutter allows fans from across the UK to go into the running to win some unique Fulham prizes at every home Premier League fixture. Fans can purchase a season ticket to be automatically entered into every home draw or buy tickets on a match-by-match basis, with the winner of our top prize announced on the big screen at half-time of the match.
Drinks offers
Fans can enjoy £3 pints of beer, cider, Guinness & pale ale, as well as canned wine in all four stands, and £2 soft drinks, until 1pm. This offer will also be available to all supporters in the Riverside Stand post-match, from 15 minutes after the final whistle.
Forever Fulham
1975 FA Cup Final starter John Fraser will be the latest Forever Fulham recipient at half-time.
Matchday programme
Antonee Robinson takes centre-stage in the official matchday programme.
The in-form defender reflects on his superb display at Anfield last weekend and discusses why he thought his Fulham career might be over upon Marco Silva’s arrival.
Elsewhere in the publication, Sander Berge answers some very random questions, while John Fraser looks back on his stint in SW6 ahead of receiving the Forever Fulham award.
Meanwhile, Paul Moody recalls his spells at Southampton and Fulham, Silva and Tom Cairney supply their regular notes, and Women’s star Madi Parsonson is the subject of our Getting To Know feature.
Packed with a wealth of content, the 104-page programme will be on sale around the ground on Sunday priced £4, or you can pick up a copy online.
