Fulham face a Premier League trip to Sunderland on Sunday looking to bounce back from an opening day defeat. The match at the Stadium of Light kicks off at 2pm BST and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.
Marco Silva's side currently sit 16th in the Premier League table with zero points from two games, having scored twice and conceded four. They are six points behind early leaders Manchester City. The Cottagers lost 3-2 to Chelsea last weekend but have a strong recent record against this weekend's opponents.
Fulham's squad is in relatively good health heading north. Club captain Tom Cairney is the only senior player definitely out, as he recovers from minor knee surgery. He is expected back in full training after the September international break. Defender Joachim Andersen is fully cleared to play after serving a suspension and will anchor the backline, likely alongside Calvin Bassey in front of goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The main concern is young defender Luc De Fougerolles, who picked up a knock in the Carabao Cup. He will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability. Silva otherwise has a full complement to choose from as he looks to secure a first win of the season.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has more significant selection problems. Winger Simon Adingra is ruled out for around six weeks with an ankle injury. Forward Dayann Methalie is also unavailable due to a one-match suspension. There is better news in defence, where Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete have recovered from pre-season fitness concerns and are pushing for starts. New signing Jules Ahoka is fully registered and could feature on the bench.
The Black Cats lost their opening match 2-1 to Ipswich Town, but had a positive pre-season with victories over French sides Stade Rennais and RC Lens. They will be desperate to get points on the board in front of their home crowd.
Fulham will draw confidence from their recent dominance in this fixture. They won both Premier League encounters against Sunderland last season. That historical edge could be important for a team seeking to build momentum early in the campaign. Silva is likely to field a strong side featuring the experience of Bernd Leno in goal and the industry of Alex Iwobi and Sander Berge in midfield.
Predicted lineups suggest a Fulham side of Leno, Castagne, Bassey, Andersen, Robinson, Iwobi, Berge, Bobb, King, Palacios, and Garcia. Sunderland may line up with Roefs, Meunier, Ballard, Alderete, Mandava, Sadiki, Xhaka, Hume, Le Fee, Angulo, and Brobbey.
This match is the second of a busy early-season period. Immediately after the trip to the Stadium of Light, Fulham's attention turns to their next fixture. They host Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage on Saturday, September 5th. Palace currently sit 18th in the table, making it another significant opportunity for points. Fans can track the team's progress throughout the season on our standings and fixtures pages.
Securing a positive result on Sunday would provide a vital platform before that London derby and help move the team up from their current lowly league position.
