2 Fulham vs 1 Leicester City
Fulham take on newly promoted Leicester City in MD 2's fixture.
Fulham will look to secure their first points of the Premier League season as they host newly promoted Leicester City at Craven Cottage, setting the stage for an intriguing clash on Saturday afternoon.
Fulham
Fulham failed to get off to a winning start as Joshua Zirkzee scored late in the game, condemning them to a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford in last weekend’s opener.
Marco Silva will be hoping his side can quickly bounce back when they welcome newly promoted Leicester to Craven Cottage on Saturday in their first home game of the season.
Fulham won both meetings the last time they faced the visitors in 2022–23. However, the Cottagers have not won their opening home fixture in any of their last five Premier League campaigns, with a record of 0 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses.
The hosts have moved to strengthen the squad since the loss to Manchester United, completing the signing of midfielder Sander Berge from Burnley for £25 million on a five-year deal. Speaking to FFCtv, Berge said, "It feels fantastic. It’s been a little bit back and forth the last few weeks, but I’m finally sitting here in the shirt in this beautiful stadium, knowing that my future is here, which feels great."
Silva will be counting on the new addition as he looks to pick up his first set of points this season. A 4-2-3-1 formation with Rodrigo Muniz in attack is expected.
Leicester City
Leicester City made their return to the Premier League on Monday night against Tottenham at home, where they earned a point in a 1-1 draw. The Foxes went behind just before the half-hour mark when Pedro Porro [29'] headed home from close range. However, Jamie Vardy [57'] scored his 137th Premier League goal to secure a point for Steve Cooper's men.
Looking to build on their point against Spurs on Match Day 1, Leicester aims to capitalize on their strong away form from last season. No side in the top four tiers of English football won more away league games than the Foxes did last season with 14 victories. However, the visitors have won just two of their last 15 Premier League away games against London sides, with a record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses; they conceded at least twice in each of their 10 defeats in that run.
'Marco has been there a few years now and has built a good team. They’ve added players recently. We need to be ready. They’re a well-coached team,' Cooper said ahead of the trip to Fulham. A 4-2-3-1 formation with Vardy in attack for Saturday’s clash against the Cottagers is anticipated.
Meanwhile, the Foxes could be without three key players, including Jakub Stolarczyk, Conor Coady, and Patson Daka.
Team form
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Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.