It promises to be the biggest match to date in the Championship this season, with both teams looking to re-establish their best form following some recent slip ups.
The rest of the division will no doubt be watching on with interest ahead of a busy Saturday of action, with 10 games set to take place, before playoff chasing Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City round of the weekend with a Sunday afternoon meeting at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
Cherries Sticky Patch to Continue at the Cottage
There is no doubting Fulham and Bournemouth have been the most consistent sides in the Championship so far this season, with the Cottagers sitting a point clear of the Cherries at the top of the standings, while they also boast the best home record in the second tier.
No team has picked up more Championship points across the last nine matches than Fulham, who had been on a run of seven-successive victories before recent draws against Derby County and Preston North End threatened to derail their progress.
Last time out!
No mistake from Mitro.
#TBT pic.twitter.com/cEYjsYOnSF
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 2, 2021
However, that mini-dip can be put down to a sickness bug that had swept through the camp, affecting players such as 21-goal top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, but with that now seemingly a thing of the past, a Fulham win on Friday looks the value option at 20/23.
Bournemouth do boast the best away record in the Championship, but after going the first 15 games of the season unbeaten, they have now won just once in five, a disappointing run that is likely to be extended at Craven Cottage.
Forest to Sweep Aside Struggling Posh
Nottingham Forest’s early-season struggles are now seemingly a thing of the past under Steve Cooper, who has lost just one of his 12 matches at the helm.
That is a record that Forest should extend on Saturday when struggling Peterborough United visit the City Ground, as no team has picked up fewer points on the road this season than Posh’s total of 3, while they are also the lowest away scorers, drawing a blank in five of their last six games away from the Weston Homes Stadium.
Given Forest have kept back-to-back home clean sheets, it is difficult to see Peterborough improving on their dismal away record this weekend, with a home win to nil at 9/5 appearing the most likely outcome.
In-form QPR to Maintain Playoff Push
No team has collected more Championship points across the last six matches than a Queens Park Rangers side that will be looking to make it four victories on the spin and consolidate third place in the division when they play host to Stoke on Sunday.
Rangers have only lost once on home soil all season, while they are always a threat in the final third, netting in each of their last 31 Championship matches, a run that dates back to March.
Stoke sit just a place and two points off the playoff positions, but they will head into this one following successive defeats against Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers.
The Potters have also failed to win any of their last six meetings with QPR (W3, D3), with Mark Warburton’s side looking the value option to take the three points this weekend.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
