Fulham v Sunderland

Craven Cottage is the venue for the May 6th match between Fulham and Sunderland. Kick-off is at 14:00 GMT.

Teams News

Fulham

A midweek tussle against Anfield helped Fulham bounce back from their sorry loss to Everton at Goodison Park. Things were different this time around at Merseyside however as Fulham forced an ineffectual Liverpool side to concede an early own-goal. The win, although not as convincing as Fulham fans would have wanted it to be, secures a place in the top-ten for the Cottagers albeit only momentarily.

Minus the loss to Everton last weekend, Fulham’s 1-0 win against Liverpool confirms their stability at the back. With only two clean sheets since late March this year, the Cottagers have been successful in stifling the opponent. As a matter of fact, the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea have only scored a goal each when facing Martin Jol’s team. Against a Sunderland squad, this defensive trend can be very useful — especially as the Black Cats aren’t as prolific as they would want to be in front of the goal lately — and Fulham fans will count on this once more.

Sunderland

Sunderland is digging themselves a grave as of late, but they will be fortunate that the grave they are digging cant too deep to reach the realm of relegation. At 11th spot, Sunderland are poised to finish in the top 10 – in fact they would probably be in contention for the top four if not for their recent blip. The Black Cats after all, has not won a game since March 27.

A month’s worth of toil only produced five points for Martin O’Neill’s team, as the likes of Nicklas Bendtner has gone cold against opposition defenses. Bendtner, the team’s top scorer, has a knack of scoring here and there. His inconsistency in front of goal is certainly a concern, and one that can should be worked out in the next two weeks if the big Dane wants to end the season on a high.

Fulham v Sunderland Betting Preview

In the mid-table bunch of teams, Fulham and Sunderland are difficult to separate. In terms of form however, Fulham is on top of the rankings while Sunderland are near the bottom. Current form however does not reflect the head-to-head history of these two sides. Like the standings, Fulham and Sunderland are almost even. A notable pattern is ever-present too when these two teams collide – three in their last six games ended in a scoreless stalemate.

Betting Tip

Verdict: A narrow Fulham win at 1-0 is imminent.

Tip: Both teams like to engage each other in scoreless draws, so a correct score of 0-0 at 10/1 is a tempting punt. For goalscorers, look to Stephane Sessegnon to score anytime at 13/5. James McLean to score anytime at 15/4 is an equally good wager.

Punts for Fulham goalscorers are not that rewarding. So unless you’re willing to risk, stay with Sessegnon and McLean. If you wish to cash in on any Fulham player however, go for Moussa Dembele to score anytime at 15/8.

All odds are from Bet365.com (£200 FREE BET!).