Premier League: Fulham v Stoke City match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage

Dimitar Berbatov will hope Fulham get back to winning ways against Stoke (GETTY IMAGES)

The meeting at Craven Cottage this weekend features two teams struggling for form and desperate for a win.

Stoke have failed to win in three matches and lost two in a row the latest of which was a dour performance at home to Norwich where they rarely looked threatening and only managed one shot on target. Mark Hughes will be looking for a significant improvement this weekend and hoping his team can rediscover some of the fight that earned them a draw against Man City earlier in the season.

Their opponents this weekend are Fulham who find themselves in the relegation zone after four losses in five games. Despite having players with proven quality in their squad like Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz Fulham have not won since the opening day of the season.  After lamenting for his health after last weekend’s home loss to Cardiff, Martin Jol will be hoping his talented squad start performing sooner rather than later.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Fulham 1 (Berbatov) Stoke 0, Premier League, February 2013

Stoke 1 (Adam) Fulham 0, Premier League, November 2012

Fulham 2 (Pogrebnyak, Sorensen own goal) Stoke 1 (Shawcross), Premier League, February 2012

STATS…

In matches between Fulham and Stoke the home side has won five of the last six times.

Stoke are currently committing an average of 13.3 fouls per game. Only Aston Villa, Norwich and Southampton are averaging more.

Fulham have not kept a clean sheet at home this season.

No player in either squad has scored more than one goal in the Premier League this season.

ODDS…

Fulham to win: 2.46

Stoke to win: 3.3

Draw: 3.3

TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm