As the Premier League season steadily progresses towards its climax, every match takes on added significance for teams jockeying for position in the table. This Saturday's clash between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham projects to be an interesting encounter, as both sides continue to defy preseason expectations and stake their claim for a respectable finish in the top flight.
Wolves, currently occupying the 10th spot in the league with 38 points, find themselves in a promising position under the astute guidance of manager Gary O'Neil. Surpassing many pundits' preseason predictions, they stand just four points behind West Ham United in 7th, keeping alive hopes of securing a berth in the Europa Conference League. Despite a recent setback, a resounding 3-0 defeat away at Newcastle United, Wolves have displayed resilience throughout the campaign and are one of the most well-coached sides in the league.
Their response to Saturday's setback will be keenly observed, as considering they faced a hard-fought battle against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup 5th round, which they ran out 1-0 victors, just three days prior to the defeat at St. James' Park it feels only fair to cut Gary O'Neil's side some slack for their heavy defeat.
The absence of influential forward Matheus Cunha, who has arguably been Wolves' player of the season, due to injury has been felt keenly, yet Wolves have shown they are more than a one-man team, even if his absence has highlighted his importance to their attacking prowess.
Fulham, meanwhile, have also surpassed expectations this season, currently sitting 12th in the league with 35 points. Manager Marco Silva has worked wonders with a squad that underwent minimal reinforcement in the summer transfer window following the departure of their top scorer, Aleksandar Mitrović. Despite this, Silva has orchestrated a commendable campaign, with Fulham eyeing a top-half finish. Their recent form has been particularly impressive, winning three of their last five matches, including a convincing 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and a notable 2-1 triumph over Manchester United. Rodrigo Muniz's emergence as a goal-scoring threat has been a significant boon for Fulham, with the Brazilian striker notching five goals in his last five outings - for context, Muniz had scored only six times in forty-five appearances for Fulham so the hope is now he'll kick on and start to really fulfil his potential. His newfound form provides a source of optimism for Fulham supporters as they look ahead to the business end of the season.
The previous encounter between these two sides ended in a thrilling 3-2 victory for Fulham just over three months ago, a result that will undoubtedly buoy their confidence heading into this fixture. However, Wolves will be eager to avenge that defeat and reassert their dominance on home turf.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our previews, tips and offers for this weekend’s action.