This Championship match should be a really fun affair between two high-scoring teams as play-off hopefuls Fulham host Brentford.
Fulham have been in fantastic form of late having recorded four straight victories, allowing them to take advantage of Leeds United’s slip-up and push themselves into the top six with a three-point cushion.
The Cottagers have really had their shooting boots on this campaign and they are the division’s top scorers with 82 goals in 44 matches. Additionally, they have found the back of the net in each of their last 15 league games and an incredible 13 in their last four – an average of 3.25 goals per game. However, as you would expect with a team who fly forward, they are quite open at the back and their overall defensive record of 55 against is the second-worst in the top seven. Furthermore, their only clean sheet in their last 12 came against Rotherham United, the league’s lowest scorers.
Home form has improved recently for Slavisa Jokanovic’s men with two back-to-back victories following a run of three without a win. As with all Fulham matches throughout the season, goals are easy to find at Craven Cottage with the home side scoring in each of their last 17 games in the league and in 91% of home matches overall. However, their openness at the back is still present in West London with no clean sheet in their last ten in all competitions and no clean sheet in 82% of their overall home league games.
Despite the fact that Brentford have nothing to play for in these closing matches, they have still been on a great run with no losses in their last three and five wins in their last seven.
Dean Smith’s side, like Fulham, have been among the goals in recent times, scoring in each of their last eight matches. Additionally, they have the fourth-best offensive record in the division with 73 goals in just 44 matches. Again though, like Fulham, Smith’s men have been leaky at the back over the course of the season with 61 conceded. Having said that, there have been signs of improvement in recent matches with three clean sheets in their last six.
After a run of four without loss on the road, including three wins, the Bees have picked up just one point from a possible six in their last two away games. Unsurprisingly, goals have been flowing at both ends of the field in Brentford’s away matches with them having scored in each of their last ten away from Griffin Park but also conceding in each of their last 11 on the road. Furthermore, they have scored in 82% of their away matches this campaign.
Fulham are the favourites here but, given the unpredictable nature of the Championship and the number of goals that are scored at both ends of the pitch in these two side’s matches, the result is not an easy one to predict here. One thing that should be a given though is goals. The stats are there for all to see and ‘Over 3.5 Goals’, which has won in 59% of Fulham’s home matches this season, is worth backing at 11/10.
More Championship tips can be found here.