Played
December 29, 2012 3:00 PM GMT
Craven Cottage — London
Referee: A. Marriner
Attendance: 25700
December 29, 2012 3:00 PM GMT
Craven Cottage — London
Referee: A. Marriner
Attendance: 25700
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| Fulham | 2.15 | 29.00 | 2.20 | 0.00 | 501.00 | 2.20 | 30.00 | 70.00 | 2.21 |
| Draw | 3.30 | 5.50 | 3.30 | 0.00 | 21.00 | 3.40 | 6.50 | 5.60 | 3.37 |
| Swansea City | 3.40 | 1.18 | 3.30 | 0.00 | 1.02 | 3.30 | 1.07 | 1.16 | 3.25 |
Fulham - Swansea Preview: Cottagers seeking only their second win in 12 games
Martin Jol's men have endured a miserable couple of months, but are boosted by the return from injury of Bryan Ruiz and the absence of Michu from the opposition line-up
By Al Hain-Cole
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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Fulham
 Schwarzer Riether, Hangeland, Senderos, Riise Dejagah, Sidwell, Baird, Kacaniklic Ruiz Berbatov |
SWANSEA
 Vorm Tiendalli, Chico Flores, Williams, Davies Dyer, Britton, Ki, Routledge Pablo Hernandez Shechter |
Phillipe Senderos was preferred to Aaron Hughes alongside Brede Hangeland in the 1-1 draw against Southampton on Boxing Day, and he may keep his place in the side against Swansea.
Bryan Ruiz made his comeback from the hamstring injury that kept him out for over a month as a half-time substitute in that game, and could now return to the starting line-up.
Leading scorer Michu is a serious doubt for the visitors, after suffering an ankle injury in the 0-0 draw against Reading, and may be replaced up front by Itay Shechter.
Pablo Hernandez (thigh) is in contention after spending a month on the sidelines, but this match may come too soon for Angel Rangel (calf).
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Fulham have only won one of their last 11 Premier League matches.
- Swansea have now gone four games without a win. The visitors are 10/1 to win 1-0 with bet365.
- The Swans did the double over Martin Jol's men last season without conceding a goal, and the 3-0 win at Craven Cottage was the Londoners' second heaviest home defeat of the season (behind only Manchester United's 5-0 thrashing).
- Michu may miss his first Premier League match for Swansea on Saturday - without his goals Swansea would be in 16th rather than ninth place.
- Dimitar Berbatov's (pictured, right) goals, on the other hand, have only won the Cottagers three points this season.
- Eight of Fulham's 29 goals this season have been scored by substitutes, the highest proportion in the Premier League
- Swansea have scored 93 per cent of their goals this season from open play, the highest amount in the top-flight.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Fulham 1-2 Swansea City
- 13.52 %
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Fulham 1-1 Swansea City
- 10.71 %
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Fulham 2-1 Swansea City
- 10.2 %
| Premier League (EPL) | 29 Dec 2012 | Fulham 1 - Swansea City 2 |
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| Premier League (EPL) | 17 Mar 2012 | Fulham 0 - Swansea City 3 |
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| Premier League (EPL) | 10 Dec 2011 | Swansea City 2 - Fulham 0 |
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| FA Cup (FA) | 24 Feb 2009 | Fulham 2 - Swansea City 1 |
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| FA Cup (FA) | 14 Feb 2009 | Swansea City 1 - Fulham 1 |
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Fulham
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| 12 May 2013 | Fulham 1 - Liverpool 3 | EPL |
| 4 May 2013 | Fulham 2 - Reading 4 | EPL |
| 27 Apr 2013 | Everton 1 - Fulham 0 | EPL |
| 20 Apr 2013 | Fulham 0 - Arsenal FC 1 | EPL |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Fulham 0 - Chelsea FC 3 | EPL |
Swansea City
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| 12 May 2013 | Manchester United 2 - Swansea City 1 | EPL |
| 7 May 2013 | Wigan Athletic 2 - Swansea City 3 | EPL |
| 4 May 2013 | Swansea City 0 - Manchester City 0 | EPL |
| 28 Apr 2013 | Chelsea FC 2 - Swansea City 0 | EPL |
| 20 Apr 2013 | Swansea City 0 - Southampton 0 | EPL |
| Returns: | Fulham £5010.00 |
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Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 | |
| Returns: | Draw £210.00 |
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Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 | |
| Returns: | Swansea City £33.00 |
|
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets |
| - | David Stockdale | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Brede Hangeland | Defender |
| 28 | Matthew Briggs | Defender |
| 18 | Aaron Hughes | Defender |
| 20 | Sascha Riether | Midfielder |
| 4 | Steve Sidwell | Midfielder |
| 26 | Giorgos Karagounis | Midfielder |
| 21 | Kerim Frei | Midfielder |
| 21 | Ashkan Dejagah | Striker |
| 9 | Dimitar Berbatov | Striker |
| 11 | Bryan Ruiz | Striker |
| 38 | Neil Etheridge | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Stephen Kelly | Defender |
| 7 | John Arne Riise | Defender |
| 14 | Philippe Senderos | Defender |
| 6 | Chris Baird | Defender |
| 11 | Kieran Richardson | Midfielder |
| 20 | Hugo Rodallega | Striker |
| 25 | Gerhard Tremmel | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Ashley Williams | Defender |
| 16 | Garry Monk | Defender |
| 21 | Dwight Tiendalli | Defender |
| 22 | Ángel Rangel | Defender |
| 11 | Pablo Hernández | Midfielder |
| 12 | Nathan Dyer | Midfielder |
| 15 | Wayne Routledge | Midfielder |
| 20 | Jonathan De Guzmán | Midfielder |
| 26 | Kemy Agustien | Midfielder |
| 10 | Danny Graham | Striker |
| 1 | Michel Vorm | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Kyle Bartley | Midfielder |
| 33 | Ben Davies | Defender |
| 7 | Leon Britton | Midfielder |
| 24 | Sung-Yong Ki | Midfielder |
| 17 | Itay Shechter | Striker |
| 19 | Luke Moore | Striker |
| Bryan Ruiz | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 11 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
It is no coincidence that Fulham's downturn in fortunes over the last month has coincided with the absence of the Costa Rican schemer pulling the strings from the centre of midfield. Ruiz had just started to come into his own before succumbing to a hamstring injury, and his ability to glide around the pitch and pick out a telling pass is vital in filling the void left by the departed Mousa Dembele at the heart of the Cottagers' line-up.
| Wayne Routledge | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 15 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
With main marksman Michu likely to be missing through injury, Michael Laudrup will be looking for other players to step up and take on some of the goal-scoring burden for his side. Routledge is one player who has demonstrated an eye for goal this season, as the former Fulham man is his side's second top-scorer with four goals to his name - nine fewer than Michu. The winger has already hit the back of the net more often than in any of his previous Premier League seasons, and he will need to bring his shooting boots to Craven Cottage if the visitors are to unsettle a shaky Fulham defence.
Swansea have shown themselves to be resilient opponents over their last few away games, but will surely miss Michu's cutting edge up front. The return of Ruiz should provide a huge boost to Martin Jol's side, whose leaky defence means that they may have to settle for a share of the spoils for the second consecutive home game.
Results
Times In GMT
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Robin van Persie Striker Manchester United |
25 | 3 |
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Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
23 | 0 |
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Gareth Bale Midfielder Tottenham |
20 | 0 |
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C. Benteke Striker Aston Villa |
19 | 3 |
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Michu Midfielder Swansea City |
19 | 0 |
