Fulham vs Southampton – Match Preview
With the last of the international breaks now behind us it means our focus shifts back to the Premier League and the hectic winter schedule that is soon to follow. This Saturday sees a hugely important clash take place at Craven Cottage as Fulham play host to Southampton.
The hiatus saw our first managerial sacking of the season as Fulham owner Shahid Khan showed former manager Slavisa Jokanovic the exit door and it was something that caught many people unaware.
The timing of Jokanovic’s departure was only half of the surprise though, as no sooner had he been told his no services were no longer were required then his replacement at Fulham had already been named.
Stepping into the managerial firing line is Italian Claudio Ranieri. The former Leicester manager worked a miracle at the King Power Stadium back in 2016 after leading the Foxes to the Premier League title, now though he has his work cut out of a different kind.
That work will be to get the Cottagers out of the bottom three after a run of results which sees them rock bottom going into this weekend’s proceedings, while Saturday could arguably not present a bigger clash as they play host to fellow strugglers Southampton.
Mark Hughes is feeling his managerial pressures as of late as the Saints have not really kicked on this season after performing the great escape last time around. Southampton have struggled for goals during this campaign and its fair to say that their recent on pitch offerings have been rather lacklustre.
We may only be approaching the middle third of this season, but this Saturday’s clash on the River Thames already has all the hallmarks of a relegation ‘six-pointer’. A win for Fulham would see the change in managerial personnel as one that would certainly have been justified in the short term.
While defeat for Southampton would only add to the woes that Mark Hughes is facing as of late, should the result go against the Hampshire outfit then perhaps the club’s owners will have to make the decision whether to roll the dice or not and look to get a new man in at St Mary’s.
With the long winter evenings now upon us, we are getting to that point of the campaign where chairmen start to get nervous. That impending feeling of doom that comes with the prospect of relegation is one that always overrides any loyalty.
You only have to look at the way Fulham parted company with the man who earned them promotion last season for evidence of that and with that in mind, it is fair to say that there is a lot riding on this weekend.
Claudio Ranieri’s first task is to sort out a defence which is the worst in the Premier League this season, thankfully against a goalshy Southampton they probably have the best opposition in which to rectify that issue.
Fulham undoubtedly have a goal threat, it is just their defence that has let them down all too much in these opening few months. If their new man in charge can work his magic quickly, then there is no reason why they cannot pick up all three points on Saturday.
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