Fulham vs AFC Bournemouth Predictions

• Fulham have lost three of their last four Premier League games.
• Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games (Won 2, Drawn 3).
• Bournemouth have not lost at Fulham since 1992, winning four and drawing three of their last seven visits.
• Philip Billing has scored three goals in his last four Bournemouth appearances.

Uneasy feel about Fulham as favourites

Fulham look like uneasy favourites for Saturday’s clash with fellow promoted side Bournemouth at Craven Cottage. Back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and West Ham have dropped the EFL champions down to ninth, one point and one place behind the team they pipped to the Championship title by two points last term.

The sense of unease in West London is caused by injuries with one, in particular, overshadowing the rest. Aleksandar Mitrovic was one of the Premier League’s most effective centre forwards for the first two months of the campaign, but the injury he sustained on international duty threatens to derail Fulham’s season.

The usually sanguine Marco Silva was apoplectic on the sidelines after two contentious handball decisions cost his side in last week’s 3-1 loss to West Ham at London Stadium, perhaps revealing a side of himself the Fulham faithful have not seen in his successful stint so far.

Mitrovic’s World Cup dream could be hurting Fulham cause

Mitrovic did not play last Sunday, but Silva did not rule him out in his Friday press conference, which could suggest the manager was trying to persuade the Serbian to play through the pain barrier. His absence clearly undermines Fulham’s chances, but it may be sensible for him to be cautious ahead of the World Cup.

After averaging around 1.4 xG per game before Mitrovic’s injury, Fulham have posted xG figures of 0.54 and 0.65 in their last two games – the striker having appeared for only 37 minutes of the 4-1 home defeat to Newcastle after returning from international duty.

The return of Antonee Robinson on Sunday was a welcome one for Silva but the right-back position is a problem still while Kenny Tete remains out with Bobby De Cordova-Reid shoehorned into an unfamiliar role and Kevin Mbabu seemingly not trusted to start.

O’Neil has sorted Cherries’ defensive issues out

Bournemouth have no such defensive problems any more after interim boss Gary O’Neil whipped them into shape after the 9-0 horror defeat at Anfield. Two clean sheets have followed in his five games in charge while the Cherries have tended to come on strong on his watch, outscoring their opponents 6-1 in the second halves.

There’s a feel-good factor at the club after their recent takeover and the new owners are in no rush to appoint anyone else. It may even work in their favour to delay anointing O’Neil as permanent manager for a while longer as the Cherries squad seem highly motivated to earn him the job.

They came from behind to beat a talented but brittle Leicester City last Saturday and are unlikely to be out of this game if they fall behind. Fulham have led six times this season and fallen to defeat twice while only Spurs and Southampton have won more points than Bournemouth’s six after falling behind.

Philip still has top Billing

Finally, it would be silly not to recommend Philip Billing as an anytime scorer in this spot after the Danish midfielder’s goal glut continued against Leicester. Now playing further forward this season, he has hit three goals in his last four appearances – the last two being from around or just outside the six-yard box.

Bournemouth draw no bet will be the main selection for Saturday’s game, with a 2-1 away victory forming the correct score prediction. Billing can be backed to score anytime at 11/2.