Race for the top two is hotting up
FULHAM remain on course to keep their ‘Yo-yo club’ tag – despite a major stumble in recent games.
The Cottagers top the Championship table by two points from Bournemouth going into the Christmas fixtures.
But despite also being top scorers in the division, former Everton and Watford manager Marco Silva has seen his team fail to win in the last five games.
The head coach prefers “one defeat in 12” – including a glut of goals in October and early November – with the rejuvenated Aleksandar Mitrovic the league’s top scorer on 22.
And if the preseason title favourites, whose game with BIRMINGHAM today has been called off, do make it up again this season it will be the fifth campaign in a row they have moved between the Premier League and the second tier.
Valerien Ismael has asked his WEST BROM players to understand why DERBY, who they face tomorrow, are picking up points against the Championship promotion-chasers – and not to fall into the same trap.
He said: “Forget the table – Derby are strong opponents.
“They have had great recent results and they have nothing to lose.
“They expect to drop into League
One, they are playing completely free of any pressure and they’re fighting to survive.”
Third-placed BLACKBURN, at HULL today, are building up a full head of steam in their unlikely promotion push.
The Lancashire outfit have enjoyed five straight wins and boss Tony Mowbray said: “We lost our main goalscorer in Adam Armstrong, we lost our creative force in Harvey Elliott – so it was looking like it could be a difficult season ahead.
“But the team have stuck together and the performance levels from them have been really strong.”