U21 Preview: Fulham vs Saints

THE MATCH
Fulham vs Saints
Premier League 2
Motspur Park
Friday 1st September, 3pm
For ticket details see below

Saints will be hoping to bounce straight back to winning ways after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Liverpool last week.

The game against last season's Division One runners-up was tighter than the scoreline suggested in parts, but goals from Lewis Koumas and James Norris sealed the result either side of an unfortunate own goal.

Saints sit in 18th in the table, two points outside of the playoff qualification spots, after their first three games with one win and two defeats.

Saints suffered a tough defeat against Liverpool last week. (Photo: Chris Moorhouse)

Fulham have had an unbeaten start to the season so far with three wins out of three in the first month of the 2023/24 campaign.

They are one of four teams who are still yet to suffer defeat, with Tottenham and Reading the only two other sides that have also won all their games so far.

Hayden Mullins's side kicked off with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Wolves on the opening day thanks to a 96th-minute winner from Martial Godo, and followed that up with a 2-1 win over Manchester City and a 5-2 triumph over Crystal Palace.

Godo is their top scorer after an impressive individual start of five goals in the three league games played so far.

PREVIOUS MEETING

The last time the two sides met was in January of the 2021/22 season when Saints ran out 2-1 winners against Fulham, who went on to win promotion from the league as champions.

The game was goalless heading into the final 20 minutes at Snows Stadium, but Dom Ballard and Kazeem Olaigbe's strikes sealed three points either side of an equaliser from Jean-Pierre Tiehi.

TICKET/STREAMING INFORMATION

Match tickets are available on the gate at Motspur Park and are priced as follows:

- Adults - £3
- Concessions - £1

Alternatively, fans can watch the action on Fulham's website and app from 2:45pm. Supporters will need to purchase an FFCtv pass to stream the game.

PLAYERS PREVIEW

Reflecting after Saints' defeat against Liverpool last week, summer signing Zach Awe spoke on how he's settled into life on the south coast and what improvements are needed to return to winning ways.

"It's been a bit tough for me as I started my pre-season a lot later than everyone else but we'll develop into it, it's about connections and how we play together. I've played this style [of football] before but slightly different so it's still a learning period for me."

"We'll develop as a group, it feels like there's still a period of us learning to play with eachother. Next week we'll be better for sure, we'll go to the training ground and work on what we need to work on to be better."