An interesting FA Cup tie takes place in West London this weekend as Fulham lock horns with Southampton for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Fulham are having a strong season as they enter this game in 10th place in the Premier League with 40 points from 29 games. The Cottagers will fancy their chances of a deep run in this competition, and with a home tie against Championship opposition facing them this weekend, they have an excellent chance of reaching the last eight.
Marco Silva's men come into this game in decent form with three wins from their last five games in all competitions. Fulham have faced Championship opposition in each of the last two rounds of the FA Cup, beating Middlesbrough by three goals to one before recording a 2-1 win away at Stoke City.
Seven of Fulham's last eight games have seen over 2.5 goals scored, while BTTS has occurred in six of those, so we could be in for an entertaining tie. Fulham are the clear favourites for the win, but the game should be a competitive one.
Southampton, meanwhile, currently sit 7th in the Championship with 53 points from 35 games. After a poor start to the season, the Saints have found their feet in England's second tier and are now surging towards a playoff place. Their form is extremely strong, with the team unbeaten in nine games, winning seven of those.
The Saints are yet to face Premier League opposition in this season's FA Cup, beating Doncaster Rovers 3-2 before sinking fellow Championship side Leicester by two goals to one in the previous two rounds.
Given the disparity in quality between the two teams, combined with home advantage, the Premier League side should get the job done in what will hopefully be a memorable spectacle.
Fulham 2-1 Southampton
