Match Pack: Saints vs Fulham
Saints are back at St Mary's on Saturday as Fulham head to the south coast in the Premier League. Get clued up ahead of the weekend with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Saints vs Fulham
Premier League
St Mary's Stadium
Saturday 26th April, 3pm BST
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Tony Harrington
Assistants: Scott Ledger, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Sam Allison
VAR: Paul Howard
Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Saints are back at home after collecting a deserved draw at West Ham last weekend, with Lesley Ugochukwu's first goal for the club cancelling out Jarrod Bowen's opener.
Interim manager Simon Rusk will now look to build on last weekend's result on home soil, while Fulham are looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats.
TEAM NEWS
There are no fresh injury concerns for Saints, with Albert Grønbæk and Charlie Taylor the only absentees as they both continue on the road to recovery.
THE MANAGERS
Simon Rusk: “We know the challenge we face. We need to be spot on with our performance to get something out of the game. I got a taste of the game we’re going into in December and it’s one we’re looking forward to for sure.”
Marco Silva: "Their future, about playing in the Championship, is already clear for them. The game can be different, but analysing their last two games, the approach is more or less the same, very similar. Compact block, five-at-the-back, but let’s see how the game starts and what their approach is going to be, but I’m 100 per cent sure our approach will not change.”
TOP SCORERS
Saints
Goals:
Cameron Archer 5
Onuachu, Dibling 4
Fernandes, Aribo, Harwood-Bellis 3
Assists:
Mateus Fernandes 5
Tyler Dibling, Kamaldeen 3
Walker-Peters, Ugochukwu, Lallana, Taylor 2
Fulham
Goals:
Raúl Jiménez 12
Rodrigo Muniz 11
Alex Iwobi 9
Assists:
Antonee Robinson 10
Adama Traoré, Andreas Pereira 7
Alex Iwobi 5
ONES TO WATCH
Lesley Ugochukwu: The Chelsea loanee scored his first Premier League goal in dramatic style last weekend, following a string of impressive performances.
No Saints player won more duels than Ugochukwu against the Hammers and Saints will want another all-action display from the 21-year-old.
Alex Iwobi: The Nigerian has two goals and an assist in his last three games, with 14 goal contributions in all competitions this season.
With Fulham pushing to qualify for Europe, Iwobi's effectiveness in the final third could prove to be the difference at St Mary's.
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 80
Saints: 30
Draws: 26
Fulham: 24
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
December 2024: Fulham 0-0 Saints
May 2023: Saints 0-2 Fulham
December 2022: Fulham 2-1 Saints (Ward-Prowse)
May 2021: Saints 3-1 Fulham (Adams, Tella, Walcott)
December 2020: Fulham 0-0 Saints
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