Premier League: Fulham Can Get the Foxes on the Run

Fulham vs Leicester City

Premier League football returns to Craven Cottage on Saturday when Fulham vs Leicester City is the entertainment on offer on (hopefully) a sunny day on the banks of the River Thames.

It’s the most picturesque stadium in English football, but I suspect Steve Cooper’s Leicester City will have precious little time to enjoy the view as Marco Silva’s Fulham are determined to grab their first win of the season.

The Cottagers opened up with 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Friday night as they fell to a late Joshua Zirkzee goal, while the Foxes earned an impressive point in a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Talking Points

Fulham’s happy transfer window

The Cottagers were a little unlucky to lose their opener at Manchester United, falling to a late goal after coping pretty well with anything the Red Devils could throw at them, while striker Rodrigo Muniz came close to scoring with a spectacular effort and winger Adama Traore was a constant threat.

Silva suffered the blow of losing dominant midfielder Joao Palhinha to Bayer Munich in a £47 million deal early in the transfer window, but he has since strengthened his squad and is a busy man again this week.

Attacking midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe arrived from Arsenal in a £34 million switch, while winger Ryan Sessegnon returned to the club in a popular move with the fans, and now Fulham are set to complete a double swoop to strengthen in midfield and defence.

Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge is nearing a move from relegated Burnley at a fee rising to £25 million, and he is a like-for-like replacement for Palhinha. Berge can play in a quarterback role, spraying passed around, and he makes driving runs into opposition territory using his strength and superb control to hold off challenges.

This deal is expected to complete, possibly on Wednesday, and another signing is getting nearer.

According to the Premier League 2024 news, Fulham are reported to have reached an agreement to sign Crystal Palace defender Joachim Anderson, though why the Eagles are happy to sell is something of a mystery.

The Dane is one of the best ball playing centre-backs in the Premier League, and he would certainly fit nicely into Fulham’s playing side.

Silva is looking for a replacement for the departed Tim Ream, and he is hopeful of getting this deal through quickly, though it will be a race against time to have either Berge or Anderson ready for the visit of Leicester.            

 

Same old Vardy, always scoring

The arch poacher Jamie Vardy was Leicester’s hero on Monday night when he stole in to head the equaliser totally against the run of play.

After Pedro Porro had given Spurs a lead, it was pretty much one-way traffic, with the visitors having over 70-per cent possession and 15 shots to seven, with seven to three on target.

But they failed to take their chances, and Vardy did what Vardy does. He scored a goal and then wound up the visiting fans, visibly pointing out that he had won a Premier League title, something the Whites have never done, and they probably won’t this year.

Vardy hadn’t featured in pre-season since picking up an injury against Villarreal, but he looked supremely fit at the age of 37 and played 79 minutes before being substituted. His goal was his 103^rd in the Premier League since turning 30, more than any other player in the competition’s history. 

He’s a legend in the East Midlands, but Vardy can’t carry the Foxes through on their own. It will be a long old season for Cooper, and the Premier League 2024 betting odds back a home win on Saturday.

There may be a role for new signing Oliver Skipp in midfield, but the Foxes’ squad is not deep and winter could bite.   

 

History

The Cottagers have bossed the head-to-heads with seven wins to three.

The last time the two teams met in the 2022/23 season, Fulham did the league double with a 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium and a 5-3 victory at the Cottage in May.   

 

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 3.66 to win or 3.25 to draw, the Foxes cannot be ruled out of this clash, and Leicester fans might be tempted by the Double Chance: Win or Draw at odds of 2.01.

But I think Fulham have much more strength in their squad and, for a correct scoreline, 2-0 to Fulham at odds of 8.68 is a long shot alternative, and I suspect that will be pretty near the mark.

Of course, Vardy may well nick a goal, so that would make it 2-1 at a price of 7.33.

   

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