FULHAM FACE TOUGH RUN-IN AS SEASON RESTARTS
COTTAGERS RETURN TO ACTION WITH A TRICKY LIST OF FIXTURES REMAINING
FULHAM have the toughest run-in to the end of the season of any side in the top six, on paper at least.
The Championship will be returning on Saturday, the EFL has announced.
It means that Fulham will get a chance to make it back into the Premier League – but it will not be easy.
The Cottagers have, on paper, the toughest run-in out of all the clubs in the top six.
Fulham’s nine remaining opponents have an average league position of 9.4.
That’s higher up the league than Preston (12.1), West Brom (12.4), Nottingham Forest (12.6), Brentford (13.3), and Leeds (14.6).
Bristol City, just outside the top six, also have an easier run-in than Fulham, with their opponents having an average league position of 12.6.
Fulham are also at a disadvantage having to play four games against the top seven – away matches against Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and West Brom, as well as a home fixture against Brentford.
The other promotion hopefuls are not quite so unlucky:
Each team’s fixtures against top seven sides are:
Brentford – West Brom (h), Preston (h), Fulham (a);
Bristol City – Fulham (a), Nottingham Forest (a);
Fulham – Leeds (a), Nottingham Forest (a), West Brom (a), Brentford (h);
Leeds – Fulham (h); Nottingham Forest – Bristol City (h), Fulham (h), Preston (a);
Preston – Nottingham Forest (h), Brentford (a), Bristol City (a);
West Brom – Brentford (a), Fulham (h).
Derby County have the toughest set of fixtures, with their remaining opponents having an average league position of 7.2.
They are followed by Sheffield Wednesday (9.3), Fulham (9.4), Barnsley (11.2) and Cardiff (also 11.2).
The average league position of opponents of other Championship clubs is, for Sheffield Wednesday (9.3), Charlton Athletic (11.8), Blackburn Rovers (12), Swansea City (12), Huddersfield Town (12.1), Preston North End (12.1), Stoke City (12.2), Birmingham City (12.4), West Bromwich Albion (12.4), Bristol City (12.6), Nottingham Forest (12.6), Middlesbrough (12.8), Luton Town (13.1), Brentford (13.3) Hull City (14), Leeds United (14.6), Wigan Athletic (14.7), Queens Park Rangers (15.1), Reading (15.1), Millwall (16.7).
Meanwhile, Brentford beat Arsenal 3-2 in a friendly at the Emirates a week ago. Joe Willock opened the scoring for Arsenal and Alexandre Lacazette added a second for the Premier League side moments after a Tariqe Fosu goal had levelled it up for The Bees.
However, Brentford battled back. Halil Dervisoglu equalised and Shandon Baptiste scored the winner in the dying moments for a morale-boosting workout.