Craven Cottage was a place full of nightmares for
Middlesbrough and Aitor Karanka last season.
In the penultimate game of the campaign and with promotion on
the line, the Boro boss sent goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopulos up for a corner
with the game level at 3-3. With a quick counter attack the hosts scored and
all but ended Boro’s hopes of gaining automatic promotion, Boro fans all know what
happened next.
This season’s clash provides a similar scenario with Karanka’s
side once again competing at the top of the table, while Fulham are engrossed in
mid-table with little to play for.
In his pre-match press conference, Karanka praised The
Cottagers’ manager Slavisa Jokanovic, who guided Watford to promotion last
season.
‘They (Fulham) have improved a lot over the past month and a
half’ said Karanka, who is expecting another tough game in Southwest London.
The Spainaird also expressed the importance of Boro’s
victory over Cardiff at the Riverside on Tuesday, after the side had gone five
games without a win.
Team News
Karanka confirmed that Daniel Ayala is, once again, likely to
miss out through injury after missing the last few games.
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| Boro's Ben Gibson (Picture from www.premierleague.com) |
Ben Gibson is available again after serving a suspension,
however Adam Clayton will have to serve his second of a two game ban following
his 10th booking of the season at Leeds.
Fulham will be without defender Fernando Amorebieta, who was
on loan at Boro in the first half of the season, due to suspension.
They will still be without goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli ,
striker Cauley Woodrow and midfielder Lasse Christensen who are all still
recovering from injuries.
The Opposition
Karanka may think Fulham have improved under Jokanovic, but
they have only won three games since his appointment in December.
They are ten points clear of the drop zone and will probably
have little to play for the rest of the campaign. They drew at Leeds on
Tuesday night, and before that they hammered Charlton 3-0 at home.
Scoring goals hasn’t been an issue, and despite their dwindling
position of 18th in the league they are the joint top scorers in the
division alongside Burnley on 51 goals.
Inevitably they have had trouble at the other end where they
have leaked 54 goals this campaign, only Rotherham, Bolton and Charlton have
conceded more.
One To Watch
Ross Mccormack
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| Fulham's Ross Mccormack (Picture from static.standard.co.uk) |
Mccormack is the man who has been linked with Boro transfer
window after transfer window for the last few years.
In the end Karanka signed another prolific striker in the
younger, and potentially better valued, Jordan Rhodes; however Mccormack is still
a serious threat at this level.
The 29-year-old has bagged 16 goals this campaign, only
Andre Gray of Burnley has more.
Mccormack also scored a hat-trick in this
fixture last season so the Boro defence will have to follow his every move.
Last Time Out
Middlesbrough 0
Fulham 0
A disappointing game earlier in the season ironically
finished goalless, between two of the top scorers in the division at the time.
In the end both sides cancelled each other out, however the
visitors had a late chance to win it when
Mccormack, who else, went through on goal but
fired wide.Team I Would Play
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| (Picture from Gazette Boro) |
With Ayala still out I would give Dael Fry another chance after impressing against Cardiff.
Emilio has been great at right back for most of the season but Richie De Laet has shown he is Premier League quality and at this stage of the season you have to play your strongest team.
Some people may leave Downing out after some below par displays, but in a tricky game away from home I think his experience will be valuable.
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