The Hatters travel to Craven Cottage this weekend where they will face a Fulham side that have had a mixed start to the new campaign. The two sides most recent meeting was in 2021, where Luton suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat.
Fulham
What we can conclude from Fulham’s opening four games, is that their playstyle and approach suits away games much better than home fixtures, proven not only by the performances but also the results, with the 1-0 win over Everton and the 2-2 draw versus Arsenal springing to mind. However, the Cottagers have only played once at home which was a 3-0 defeat to Brentford.
Last time out, Fulham faced Manchester City and lost 5-1. Although the result was poor, Marco Silva will have been able to take plenty of positives from the game, especially their ability to create chances from set pieces, which is how Tim Ream scored. Fulham were also able to only concede seven shots which is quite impressive at the Etihad but Bernd Leno will be disappointed to have conceded every shot he faced on target.
Fulham’s biggest problem is their lack of a clinical goal scorer, as they lost Aleksandar Mitrovic to Al Hilal. His transfer has left a massive void in the attack, which is currently being filled by Raul Jiminez, but I’m not entirely convinced he is the answer to the Cottagers attacking issues.
Luton Town
Luton’s first ever season in the English top flight has been an overwhelming experience so far and they have lost all three of their games. Rob Edward’s side have been caught out defensively so far and have struggled in attack, having said that they have faced Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham who should all be beating Luton. This weekend’s game against Fulham is their first real opportunity to showcase what they can do.
Last time out, they played West Ham at home and suffered a 2-1 defeat, yet they were in the game throughout and they made it an uncomfortable experience for the Irons. Luton had a higher XG than West Ham which clearly highlighted the fact that they can create chances and they looked particularly threatening from set pieces.
Ross Barkley impressed in that game, making four key passes. His relationship with Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo will be vital this season and Rob Edwards will hope that they can successfully combine this weekend.
Verdict?
Fulham and Luton have struggled in front of goal so far this campaign and I predict that set pieces will be a huge part of both teams game plan. It should be a scrappy game with a lot of the play coming down the wings. This will be a tight encounter that neither side will want to lose. I think Luton may get something out of this game.
The final prediction Fulham 1-1 Luton Town
