Fulham FC VAVEL

Fulham vs Leeds United Preview: Cottagers look to make it 18 unbeaten

Fulham will look to keep an incredible run going when they welcome Leeds United to Craven Cottage on Tuesday night.

Fulham vs Leeds United Preview: Cottagers look to make it 18 unbeaten
matthew-wojciow
By Matthew Wojciow

Fulham will hope to keep their incredible run going when they take on a Leeds United who are in very indifferent form with just one win in their last five matches, that came in their last game against Bolton Wanderers.

The last match between the two ended in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road all the way back in August. 

Fulham need to keep the pressure on Cardiff

The Cottagers currently sit in third place in the Championship table and are seven points behind second placed Cardiff City. The Bluebirds do have a game in hand over Fulham though so the gap could be up to 10 quickly.

Aleksandar Mitrovic will need to be on top form against Leeds and for the rest of the season to have any chance of catching Cardiff. The Serbian international has bagged seven goals in just 10 games since his loan move from Newcastle in January. 

Boss Slaviša Jokanović  had this to say post Norwich City on the run-in.

"All the clubs want an happy end, we are not at the end, we are going to fight to go up, but for which position and what is going to happen I don't know.

I am only interested in preparing the game in front of us, this is under my control. Other things are not."

Paul Heckingbottom under Pressure?

Leeds have only won two games since Christmas and find themselves in 12th position in the table. United did win their last game against Bolton but apart from that their only win under Heckingbottom came against Fulham's West London neighbours Brentford back at the end of February.

The impending departure of Mick McCarthy from Ipswich Town, has turned the spotlight onto Heckingbottom who has only won two of his games since taking charge of United and given the ruthlessness of those at the top at Leeds who knows if he will still be in charge at Elland Road come August time.

Heckinbottom said; "We're playing against teams now who are all fighting for things, points for different reasons.

We can use that to our advantage and our motivation, we can go and upset teams, we can demoralise teams, give teams heartache."

Team news

Wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon could feature for Fulham after being left on the bench at Norwich on Friday. Abobukar Kamara and Oliver Norwood are also options for Jokanović who has admitted his side are looking tired.

Leeds welcome back Samuel Saiz after the Spaniard recovered from a hamstring. There are no injury concerns for Leeds.

Predicted line-ups 

Fulham (4-3-3): Bettinelli, Fredericks, Ream, Odoi, Targett, Cairney, McDonald, Johansen, Piazon, Mitrovic, Sessegnon.

Leeds United (4-4-2): Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Jansson, Pennington, Berardi, Alioski, Viera, O'Kane, Hernández, Ekuban, Saiz.