Fulham vs Aston Villa LIVE: Result and reaction from Premier League fixture today

Follow all the latest from Craven Cottage

Aston Villa celebrate their third goal (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Fulham are taking on Aston Villa this evening at Craven Cottage as Scott Parker’s newly promoted side search for their first points of the season.

Fulham struggled against Arsenal on the opening day but were much improved against Leeds, eventually going down 4-3. But they will need to tighten up defensively, having already shipped seven goals and looking highly susceptible at the back, something which proved their undoing in the Premier League two years ago.

Villa got off to the perfect start beating Sheffield United and will be eager to continue that momentum in what could well be a battle between two relegation fighters come the end of the season. Follow all the action below:

Line-ups

• Fulham: Areola; Tete, Hector, Odoi, Bryan; Ream, Anguissa; Cairney, Cavaleiro, Cordova-Reid; Mitrovic
• Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Hourihane; Trezeguet, Watkins, Grealish
• Match kicks off 5.45pm BST

[28 September 2020 19:30 · Callum Rice-Coates]

TEAM NEWS

The big news from Anfiield is the absence of Thiago, who has already made a big impression in one 45-minute cameo against Chelsea. Jurgen Klopp does have Joe Gomez back, though, so he returns in defence and Fabinho moves back into midfield.

For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta makes four changes, with David Luiz, Kieran Tierney, Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all brought into the starting XI.

[28 September 2020 19:26 · Callum Rice-Coates]

79 min

Cordova-Reid is off, and on comes Kebano. Fulham are just looking for some form of consolation now.

[28 September 2020 19:25 · Callum Rice-Coates]

TEAM NEWS

[28 September 2020 19:23 · Callum Rice-Coates]

76 min

Villa academy product Jacob Ramsey is handed his Premier League debut, on in place of goal scorer Hourihane.

[28 September 2020 19:20 · Callum Rice-Coates]

72 min

Mitrovic, who’s toiled admirably all night, gets his head on another cross but guides his effort narrowly wide.

[28 September 2020 19:19 · Callum Rice-Coates]

71 min

Grealish gets in behind the Fulham defence and looks to add to the hosts’ misery. Mings’ prodded finish from a free kick earlier in the half has put Villa in complete control, though Fulham did have a goal ruled out by VAR.

[28 September 2020 18:54 · Callum Rice-Coates]

More technical issues... apologies. The game has gone pretty much as expected since Villa's two early goals. Fulham are striving for a way back into the contest but look bereft of any real quality. They're struggling to deal with the visitors' threat on the counter-attack, too. Watkins has had a couple of decent chances, but it remains 0-2. So far so good for Villa, and another miserable evening in the Premier League for Fulham.

[28 September 2020 18:09 · Callum Rice-Coates]

22 min

Mitrovic is causing some problems up front, battling with Villa’s centre-backs and winning a couple of headers in the box. Martinez hasn’t been tested yet, though.

[28 September 2020 18:07 · Callum Rice-Coates]

After some technical issues, we’re back now. Villa have raced into an early lead at Craven Cottage. Jack Grealish got the first, played through by McGinn and finishing coolly from a tight angle just four minutes in. He created the second about ten minutes later, driving into the box and playing a ball into the middle, where Hourihane slotted home. Fulham’s defensive vulnerabilities have been starkly exposed again so far.

[28 September 2020 17:41 · Callum Rice-Coates]

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith speaks to Sky Sports: “It's only one win against Sheffield United's ten men, but it's a good start. We're happy with the start we've had. It's really just topped off from last season and the momentum from that.”