Andoni Iraola is stuffed with admiration for the job Marco Silva is doing at Fulham, forward of their conflict with Bournemouth on Monday.
The Cottagers head to the Vitality Stadium sitting fairly within the race for Europe.
Certainly, ought to outcomes go their manner on Sunday, Fulham could solely be six factors off the highest 5, which might now be sufficient to ensure Champions League qualification.
Albeit realistically, Fulham usually tend to be competing for a spot within the Europa League or Convention League. They’re on 48 factors, the identical as Brighton and three greater than Bournemouth.
Monday’s encounter, then, may very well be decisive, however Iraola is anticipating a stern problem.
“I like plenty of these gamers and so they carry out persistently very effectively,” Iraola stated of Fulham, as reported by the Every day Echo.
“I feel they’ve some gamers that additionally with expertise, gamers that they’ve signed, [Joachim] Andersen, [Alex] Iwobi, each quantity nines are in a very nice spot.
“They’ve tailored rather well and they’re giving a excessive stage.
“However you possibly can say the identical about our gamers, additionally the identical. I feel it’s two groups that we’ve been combating.
“I feel additionally they got here up collectively to the league. So I feel it has been like a battle for the final seasons, fairly shut and it’s all the time a problem.”
Fulham boosted their European hopes by beating Premier League leaders Liverpool final week, and for Marco Silva, the strain of competing for European qualification is a privilege.
“We set the goal in the beginning of the season for us to reach within the closing levels combating for one thing essential,” he instructed Sky Sports activities.
“It’s not additional strain or extra strain for us. It’s a privilege to have the sort of factor. It’s what I need.
“It’s the strain that I placed on myself, my workers, my gamers and now if we’ve got the possibility to battle [for it], we’ve got to embrace it.”
Raúl in opposition to the Cherries. pic.twitter.com/53n8INS6BA
— Fulham Soccer Membership (@FulhamFC) April 12, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Evanilson
Evanilson has scored 9 Premier League objectives this season, probably the most by a participant of their debut marketing campaign with Bournemouth within the competitors. The one Brazilians to attain 10+ of their first Premier League seasons are Robinho (14 in 2008-09), Roberto Firmino (10 in 2015-16) and Matheus Pereira (11 in 2020-21).
Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz
Muniz has scored in every of Fulham’s final three league video games.
The one Brazilian to attain in 4 successive Premier League appearances is Richarlison, who has achieved the feat twice (March 2021 for Everton and February 2024 for Tottenham).
MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN
The Cherries are winless of their final six top-flight matches, however they’ve received their final two residence league video games in opposition to Fulham, final profitable three in a row in opposition to them between 1928 and 1931.
Fulham have saved only one clear sheet of their final 12 league video games in opposition to Bournemouth (1-0 in April 2019), although they’ve solely failed to attain in certainly one of their final eight in opposition to the Cherries (0-3 in December 2023), so anticipate objectives.
Bournemouth have misplaced every of their final 4 residence league video games; of their Soccer League/Premier League historical past, solely in October 1996 and April 2005 have they ever suffered 5 successive residence defeats, each as a third-tier membership.
Fulham have alternated between profitable (4) and dropping (three) in every of their final seven Premier League video games, beating Liverpool 3-2 final day trip. Solely in September (v Newcastle and Nottingham Forest), November (v Brentford & Crystal Palace), and February (v Newcastle and Forest) have the Cottagers received back-to-back league video games this season.
Silva’s workforce have scored at the least twice in 17 Premier League matches this season, together with 10 of their final 14. Solely in 2003-04 have they scored 2+ objectives in additional completely different video games in a marketing campaign within the competitors (19).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 45.4%
Fulham – 29.5%
Draw – 25.1%
