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Tag: Fulham

  • Mourinho fumes over Tottenham, Fulham postponement

    Mourinho fumes over Tottenham, Fulham postponement

    Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says the way Wednesday’s match against Fulham was called off was “unprofessional”

    The Premier League game was postponed fewer than three hours before the kick-off after Fulham reported a number of positive Covid-19 cases.

    “I don’t want to speak too much about it. I felt unprofessional, but that is the way it was,” said Mourinho.

    “We were preparing ourselves for that match and that is disruptive of what is a week of work.”

    Mourinho posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, showing his players and staff at the club’s training ground waiting for a decision on whether the match would proceed.

    He captioned the video with a comment saying “best league in the world.”

    The match was the third to be postponed because of Covid outbreaks among players and club staff, with Aston Villa v Newcastle and Everton v Manchester City also rolled over to undetermined future dates.

    The Premier League fixture list is under unprecedented pressure after the season got off to a later-than-usual start and with the delayed 2020 European Championship re-scheduled for June.

  • EPL: Gabriel scores on debut as Arsenal beat Fulham

    EPL: Gabriel scores on debut as Arsenal beat Fulham

    Debutants Gabriel and Willian impressed as Arsenal blew away promoted Fulham in the opening game of the Premier League season.

    Former Chelsea winger Willian had a hand in all three goals and Gabriel – a £23m signing from Lille – scored in his first game in English football.

    Arsenal were highly impressive, while Fulham caused themselves too many problems at the back.

    Both sides have played and won at Wembley – twice for the Gunners – in the 48 days since the last Premier League season finished.

    Alexandre Lacazette scored the opener from close range after Willian’s effort was saved.

    Centre-back Gabriel then scored from Willian’s corner with his shoulder. Willian, who also hit a post from a free-kick, picked out Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng with a perfect cross-field ball and the captain curled home Arsenal’s third.

    Fulham created few chances, with last season’s top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic coming on with only 27 minutes to go and forcing Bernd Leno into a save.

  • Super Eagles’ Aina joins Fulham on season-long loan

    Super Eagles’ Aina joins Fulham on season-long loan

    Newly-promoted English Premier League (EPL) clubside Fulham have signed wing-back Ola Aina on a season-long loan from Italian Serie A side Torino.

    Fulham also have an option to make the 23-year-old’s arrival permanent and the Nigeria international said he was happy to return to London where he was born and raised.

    “It feels amazing to be back closer to my family, back in the capital,” Aina told the club’s media channel.

    “There’s a great bunch of lads here. I’m really good friends with Big Hec (Michael Hector) and Josh Onomah.”

    Aina, who came through neighbouring Chelsea’s youth system, spent the last two seasons with Torino, where he played 69 times with his versatility allowing him to play on either flank.

    “I feel very comfortable on either foot. I can fill in wherever needs be,” he added.

    “I’d say I’m pretty quick and I like to attack, but I also like to help the team and do the dirty work as much as I can.”

    Aina’s signing follows the capture of midfielder Harrison Reed, goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, right-back Kenny Tete and midfielder Mario Lemina and left-back Antonee Robinson.

    Winger Anthony Knockaert’s loan move was also made permanent.

    Fulham, who gained promotion to the Premier League after winning the second tier Championship playoffs last season, begin their campaign on Saturday with a visit from fellow London side Arsenal.

  • Liverpool set to sign Premier League's youngest-ever player

    Liverpool are poised to beat Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain to the signature of Fulham’s teenage midfielder Harvey Elliott.

    Elliott became the youngest player to feature in the Premier League when he came on as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers in May, aged just 16 years and 30 days.
    He cannot turn professional until his 17th birthday next April, but it is understood he will reject a scholarship at Craven Cottage and move to the Champions League winners.
    If, as expected, Liverpool win the race to sign Elliott, they will have to negotiate a compensation package with Fulham as the England Under-17 international is regarded as a highly prized prospect.
    Elliott, who also attracted attention from Arsenal and Manchester City, will become the second emerging talent to join Liverpool this summer after 17-year-old Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg moved from PEC Zwolle.
    Liverpool paid an initial £1.3m for Van den Berg, which could rise to a maximum of £4.4m depending on add-ons.
    BBC

  • EPL: Fulham beat Bournemouth for first away win of season

    EPL: Fulham beat Bournemouth for first away win of season

    Aleksandar Mitrovic’s second-half penalty spoiled Eddie Howe’s 500th game as a manager as already relegated Fulham won their first away game of the season at Bournemouth.

    Serbia international Mitrovic won the penalty after being fouled by Cherries substitute Jack Simpson and sent home goalkeeper Artur Boruc the wrong way as he rolled his spot-kick into the bottom-left corner.

    It gave the Cottagers, who won against Everton last weekend, their first back-to-back Premier League victories since April 2014.

    The result leaves Bournemouth in 12th while Fulham remain second bottom of the Premier League.

  • EPL: Fulham beat Everton to end nine-game losing run

    EPL: Fulham beat Everton to end nine-game losing run

    Tom Cairney and Ryan Babel scored as relegated Fulham beat Everton for their first Premier League win since January.

    Cairney stroked home Babel’s pass from just inside the area for his first goal of the season, 30 seconds into the second half.

    Babel then ran on to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s pass to double Fulham’s lead and seal their first victory under caretaker boss Scott Parker.

    Dominic Calvert-Lewin had Everton’s best chance but his clipped effort hit the outside of the post, as the Toffees’ three-game winning run came to an end.

    It was a deserved victory for Fulham, who kept just their third clean sheet of the season and first since December.

    Mitrovic was a constant threat and had the best chance of a quiet first half, but his shot from inside the area hit the top of the bar.

    Everton offered little in reply, with Bernard’s tame first-half effort their only shot on target.

    The defeat means Marco Silva’s side stay ninth and miss the chance to move above Watford and Wolves into seventh.

    BBC

  • EPL: Man City go top again with win over misfiring Fulham

    EPL: Man City go top again with win over misfiring Fulham

    Top-class goals from Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero took Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League in a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

    City’s seventh successive league victory keeps alive their hopes an unprecedented quadruple of League Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies this season.

    A wayward ball from Fulham’s Timothy Fosu-Mensah gifted the visitors the lead in the fifth minute.

    Sergio Aguero intercepted the Dutchman’s pass just outside the area and passed to Silva, who cut across past two defenders and drove his left-footed shot into the corner past the diving Sergio Rico in goal.

    Fulham, playing without top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic after the international break, kept five men in the back line in a bid to keep City’s attack at bay.
    The formation led to one-way traffic and in the end, the Cottagers were unable to register a single shot on target all game.

    Silva turned provider in the 27th minute, pouncing onto a loose ball and passing to Aguero, who sprang forward past three defenders and shot from a tight angle up into the opposite corner.

    It was Aguero’s league-leading 19th goal of the season.

    The win takes City back to the top of the Premier League on 77 points, one ahead of Liverpool who host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

    Fulham remain in 19th place on 17 points, and will now most likely need to win every one of their remaining six matches to have a chance of avoiding relegation.

  • Ranieri gets Roma job, eight days after Fulham sack

    Former Leicester and Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has been appointed Roma manager until the end of the season.

    Ranieri, 67, was sacked by Fulham eight days ago after winning three of his 17 games in charge.

    But the Roma fan – who managed the club between 2009 and 2011 – has been handed a quick return to management, replacing Eusebio di Francesco.

    “I’m delighted to be coming back home,” Ranieri said on Friday. “When Roma call you, it’s impossible to say no.”

    Di Francesco was sacked on Wednesday after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Porto in the Champions League last 16.

    Roma sporting director Monchi also left the club earlier on Friday.

    Ranieri took over at Fulham last November after the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic and beat Southampton 3-2 in his first game, but 11 defeats followed including an FA Cup third-round exit at home to League Two side Oldham.

    He left the Cottagers after just 106 days with the club 19th in the Premier League, 10 points from safety with 10 games left.

  • Fulham sack Ranieri after 16 league games in charge

    Fulham have sacked manager Claudio Ranieri after just 106 days in charge, with Scott Parker taking caretaker charge of the London club, who are 19th in the Premier League.

    The Italian’s last game was Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat by Southampton, which left the Cottagers 10 points from safety with 10 league games remaining.

    Ranieri, 67, took over in November after the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic.

    Ranieri won only three of his 17 games as manager.

    It included a 3-2 victory over Southampton his his first game, but 11 defeats have followed including an FA Cup third-round exit against League Two Oldham.

    Chairman Shahid Khan said in a statement: “Claudio walked into a difficult situation, inheriting a side that gained only one point in its prior eight matches, and he provided an immediate boost by leading our club to nine points in his first eight matches as manager.

    “Though we were unable to maintain that pace thereafter, I am grateful for his effort. Claudio leaves Fulham as our friend and he will undoubtedly experience success again soon.

    “Scott’s immediate assignment is merely to help us stabilise, grow and rediscover ourselves as a football club.

    “If Scott can answer that challenge, and our players respond to the opportunity, perhaps victories will follow in the months ahead.”

    Ranieri led Leicester City to a miraculous Premier League title triumph in 2016, but was dismissed by the Foxes just nine months later and was in charge for a season at French Ligue 1 sides Nantes.

    He took over on a “multi-year” contract at Fulham when the Cottagers were bottom of the table with five points from their opening 12 matches, but failed to oversee an upturn in fortunes.

    Ranieri added: “I am obviously disappointed with the recent results and that we could not build on the good start we made following my appointment. Finally, I would like to thank the club, the players and the fans for the support they have given me during my time at the club.”

  • EPL: Hernandez handball helps West Ham beat Fulham

    Javier Hernandez’s controversial goal with his arm contributed to Fulham’s 18th Premier League defeat of the season as West Ham fought back from behind to win at London Stadium.

    On initial viewing, it looked like Hernandez had headed in from a yard to punish goalkeeper Sergio Rico’s mistake, but a replay from behind the goal clearly showed the Mexican striker converting via his arm.

    Hernandez’s equaliser was followed by Issa Diop’s towering header five minutes before half-time and Michail Antonio nodded in a third late on.

    The visitors had started brightly and got off to the perfect start after just three minutes through Ryan Babel’s close-range finish – the Dutchman making amends for a glaring miss within the opening 30 seconds.

    Looking to get back into the game in the second period, Fulham skipper Tom Cairney had a low shot smothered by goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, their only real chance of note.

    West Ham move up to ninth but Claudio Ranieri’s side stay in 19th place – eight points adrift of safety – missing a crucial opportunity to claw back the deficit on 17th-placed Cardiff who were thrashed 5-1 by Watford.

    BBC