- Fulham U21 are unbeaten at home in Premier League 2 with three wins and five draws in eight outings.
- Fulham U21 have scored 19 goals in eight home games in Premier League 2.
Pride of London come to face the Reds
Fulham U21 (35 points from 17 games, 3rd) are unbeaten at home in Premier League 2 with Hayden Mullins instilling a flexible, patient, possession-based system that relies on width, numerical dominance in midfield, and overlapping full-backs to sustain attacks.
They are coming off a 4-3 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion Academy, and maintain their unbeaten home record ahead of Nottingham Forest U21’s visit, who have lost four consecutive games and won two of their last three visits to Craven Cottage.
Fulham U21 have won three and lost two of their last five, bouncing back from a 3-0 defeat away to Newcastle United Academy with a 4-3 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion Academy, two games which typify Mullins’ ability to set up and manipulate the ball with his talent-laden squad.
Forest need a counter-attacking masterclass to spring a surprise
Warren Joyce has a similar level of talent to play with, but the Reds are 22nd in the table with just 17 points from 17 matches and have had a much tougher campaign to date. They will set up in a compact 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 and defend deep, looking to spring into life when the hosts commit players forward, counter-attacking with numbers over the flanks or through the centre.
Forest have conceded just ten goals in their nine away games in Premier League 2, an average of just 1.11 per match, but they face a Fulham attack which can come at them in waves. The Cottagers’ midfield three and wide players are dynamic, capable of creating overloads and driving the ball forward, which should suit their home goalscoring record of 19 in eight matches.
Hosts to run riot in this one
A 4-3 win for Fulham U21 seems unlikely, but the hosts are heavy odds-on favourites at 73/100, with Nottingham Forest U21 277/100 outsiders. We’re going for the favourites to pile on the misery of the visitors and take the win, while the Over 2.5 goals market is also favoured at 1/2.
Despite Forest’s record against Fulham U21, who they beat in two of their last three trips in Premier League 2, the recent form of the sides suggests the home side should run out winners. The Cottagers have shown they can score for fun, while Forest have been poor of late. We’re backing Fulham to show their superiority in all departments.
