Fulham vs Bournemouth – News and Probable Lineups

Fulham and Bournemouth will face off at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon, both teams coming off contrasting 3-0 results in gameweek 35 as they chase European qualification.

In their previous match, Fulham suffered a heavy defeat to Arsenal, while Bournemouth took advantage of Crystal Palace’s fatigue to secure a 3-0 win against the Eagles.

Match overview

Fulham’s robust win over Aston Villa, coupled with Arsenal’s demanding away fixture against Atletico Madrid, set the stage for a competitive London derby at the Emirates last week, although the opening half was far from exciting.

Fulham was struck by a virus sweeping through the training camp prior to the match, leading them to concede two goals by Viktor Gyokeres flanking a strike from Bukayo Saka, marking one of their heaviest defeats this Premier League season.

A goalless second half provided little solace for Marco Silva, who is facing uncertainty regarding his contract during a critical period at Craven Cottage; this could potentially be his second-to-last home game in charge this weekend.

Despite their struggles, Silva’s side remains only three points behind the top seven in the Premier League, and they can rely on a commendable home record, having won 10 out of their 17 league games at Craven Cottage this season.

Only Arsenal (14), Manchester United, Manchester City (12), and Aston Villa (11) have achieved more Premier League home victories than Fulham in 2025-26, and they have managed to keep the scoreline even on only two occasions at home – against Arsenal and West Ham United.

With Fulham vying for their 15th Premier League win of the season, Bournemouth aims to continue their impressive 15-match unbeaten streak – the longest currently in the league.

The parting Andoni Iraola has guided his team to seven wins and eight draws during this remarkable sequence, with the latest victory coming against Palace, where Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan scored following an own goal from Jefferson Lerma.

While Arsenal benefitted from Fulham’s efforts to manage their illness issues, Bournemouth capitalized on Palace’s lack of energy—according to Oliver Glasner—to keep their Champions League aspirations alive; the sixth-placed Cherries are six points behind the top five.

Iraola’s forwards are hitting their stride at a crucial moment, having only scored once in four matches from February 21 to March 14, but have found the net at least twice in all of their last five fixtures.

The South Coast outfit also achieved a decisive 3-1 victory over Fulham at home in October and are looking to complete the Premier League double over the Cottagers for the first time; last year’s encounter at Craven Cottage ended in a 2-2 draw.

Team News

For Fulham, key midfielder Sander Berge was notably absent due to illness during the Arsenal match, but he is likely to return in place of Harrison Reed this weekend.

Emile Smith Rowe is expected to be fit following cramping issues at the Emirates, whereas Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Alex Iwobi (thigh), and Kevin (toe) remain sidelined.

Raul Jimenez’s disappointing outing against Arsenal led to four consecutive Premier League matches without a goal for him, but he has a solid record against Bournemouth, scoring five times in six league starts against them.

Bournemouth’s injury situation remains unchanged, with Julio Soler (thigh), Lewis Cook (thigh), and Justin Kluivert (knee) still out, while they have no fresh concerns following their win over Palace.

Kroupi’s penalty last time around marked his 12th goal of the Premier League season, tying him with Robbie Keane from the 1999-00 season for the most goals by a teenager in their debut campaign.

Only four players have scored more Premier League goals in a single season before turning 20 – Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen (twice), Romelu Lukaku, and Nicolas Anelka – and Kroupi is expected to continue alongside Evanilson in an unchanged lineup.

Fulham probable starting XI:

Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, King, Chukwueze; Jimenez

Bournemouth probable starting XI:

Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Adams, Scott; Ryan, Croupee, Tavernier; Evanilson

Provided Fulham remains virus-free this week, fans can expect a revitalized Cottagers on their home ground, where Silva’s men have typically prevailed against their opponents this season.

While victory may still be elusive for the inconsistent hosts, with Bournemouth becoming experts in drawing matches this season—having achieved a league-high 16 draws—a drawn match is a likely scenario.