Fulham

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Fulham beat Bournemouth 3-1 in the last league meeting between the sides in February – only once have they won consecutive league games against the Cherries, doing the double over them in the 1931-32 Third Division South.

Fulham have scored a league-high share 38% of their Premier League goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season (10 out of 26), while Bournemouth rank second for this (10 out of 27).

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Craven Cottage (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva started by speaking about his celebration against Chelsea: "It was emotional of course. To score the winner after the 90th minute is always emotional. When I was running, I got the feeling that if I ran a bit more it was going to be a yellow card - so I stopped in the right moment to not get one."

• He has "no fresh concerns" regarding injuries but everyone will be assessed on Saturday. He added Fulham "don't know yet" if Emile Smith Rowe will be fit and he will be another late decision.

• On his side's season so far: "The progression has been great [with] the way we have responded from the first game. There have been big changes in the squad - the players that have come in have settled really well."

• Silva said he's happy with how the team "have responded to absences in the squad" as "it's not easy to have four or five really important players out."

• He is also pleased Fulham have players who can adjust to different positions.

• A prime example of this is Alex Iwobi: "He's been great. Last season was top and the best [he had been]. This season is going to be much better."

• On Iwobi, Silva added: "[He is] already at a very good level - scoring and assisting. He's already being crucial and decisive for us in different positions - from the left, right and centrally. He's a very versatile player."

• On the game against fellow high fliers Bournemouth: "What a battle it's going to be. [Boss] Andoni Iraola is doing a great job. Games against Bournemouth are always tight. Their frontline is top, top level with the quality and pace they have. They have a really quality side - it's going to be a great challenge - but it's going to be really difficult for them too."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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We asked for your thoughts after Thursday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

David: At the beginning of the season, we would have taken second spot at Christmas without blinking. No need to panic - we have plenty more to come. Not ready for the title but we will be a solid top-four team this year. Fulham played well and probably deserved it.

Hashir: A really disappointing game. Enzo Maresca should've made changes during the second half when Fulham were going for attack after attack. One point out of a possible six against weaker teams only puts us under more pressure in challenging for the top four. Hopefully we can forget those results and move on to the next one.

Fossie: The only bright spot was Cole Palmer's goal. In the second half, Fulham dominated the game. The blame has to lie at the manager's door for this loss. There was plenty of talent on the bench, but only one change occurred. Unfortunately, it is also the case that the goalkeeper is just not up to standard. A miserable afternoon for Chelsea supporters.

Luke: This should not be brushed off. There are ways to lose a football match - this horror show was not one of those ways. I need to see a response from Maresca.

Fulham fans

Bill: A quite magnificent performance. Never gave up, a top-class game from everyone and don't forget Bernd Leno's saves! After 45 years, about time!

Will: Wow, just wow. Another late goal in a London derby. Level on points with Manchester City and all memory of the last game has faded. Only one team in Fulham.

Mario: It's a great feeling when the team you have supported for all your life beats the team from down the road. Our never-say-die attitude showed everyone that we cannot be counted out. Happy Christmas to all at Fulham and all our supporters.

Bob: Absolutely brilliant team effort. Subs did the business again with the full support of the rest of the team. Definitely looking up again this season. We have the bragging rights this time. Well done, lads!

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Former Premier League goalkeeper Joe Hart told Match of the Day that Fulham's tactics paid off in their well-deserved derby victory over Chelsea: "Five defenders on the team-sheet is not something Fulham do a lot. You could have been forgiven for thinking they would come with a defensive mind.

"Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson were in the team to push Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto back. Chelsea did look good in the first half and Fulham were just finding their feet. You can read the stats and see it was two late goals for Fulham, but they were so threatening and constantly on the front foot. That is what I loved about them.

"It was end to end but Fulham fully deserved the win."

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Highlights and analysis from Boxing Day's eight Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Marco Silva's superb work at Fulham has been illustrated by the manner in which they earned fully deserved draws at home to Arsenal and away at Liverpool in recent weeks.

Fulham are a potent combination of quality, energy and relentless ambition and that was all on show here as they were undaunted by going behind to Cole Palmer's superb early strike.

It was no surprise when Harry Wilson equalised, Fulham then preying on Chelsea's growing anxiety to snatch that late winner from Rodrigo Muniz.

Silva raced down the touchline to celebrate with his backroom staff, the Portuguese manager's positive attitude and coaching acumen central to this superb performance.

Fulham keeper Bernd Leno played his part, with crucial saves from Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez either side of the break - as well as keeping Chelsea out in a frantic late goalmouth scramble.

This was no Fulham rearguard action, however.

Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez plunged bravely at the feet of Antonee Robinson as the Fulham left-back looked poised to equalise.

Fulham did not have long to wait for Wilson's equaliser, at the Wales midfielder made the sort of late impact he has perfected this season as exemplified with two goals in the similar late turnaround win against Brentford at Craven Cottage.

Muniz's winner sparked ecstatic scenes among Fulham's players and supporters - and no-one can begrudge them the celebration on this evidence.

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Fulham boss Marco Silva told BBC Sport: "Football is about connections. Connections between fans, players and staff, means something really big. The most important thing is for the fans. It's not about me at all.

"Some of the speeches before the game were about the fans. It's been a long time [not winning at] their neighbours. We deserved it. We controlled more of the game. We didn't give them chances.

"We created big problems for them. Second half we had more bodies in the box and we created more problems.

"It will be one of the best Boxing Days for the fans in the last 50 years.

"In the second half we started to make better decisions. All the good actions of the game give us confidence."

On Cole Palmer's goal: "We should have been better position - the space betwen Andreas and Sasa was too big - better communication. The quality, the way he turns, the way he passed to the goal, he didn't shoot, he's a player of top calibre.

"We improved. From that moment we kept him more quiet."

On Harry Wilson: "Harry started the last game. It's so nice to see him. It's not a coincidence we're the team with the most goals coming from bench. The players know in some moments you can be decisive in 30 minutes. He's a really crucial player for us. He didn't start the season like he wanted but since he had more confidence and more time on the pitch, he can make the difference."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

There are eight matches in the Premier League on Thursday, and we will bring you every moment.

• Manchester City v Everton (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Crystal Palace

• Chelsea v Fulham

• Newcastle v Aston Villa

• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham

• Southampton v West Ham

• Wolves v Manchester United (17:30)

• Liverpool v Leicester (20:00)

Kick-off time 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on Eats Everything, aka DJ and producer Daniel Pearce.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

I am a big fan of Fulham manager Marco Silva, but the Cottagers have a dismal record at Stamford Bridge - they have not won there since 1979 - and there won't be any 'Silva Bells' ringing in celebration this time either.

Chelsea will be disappointed not to have beaten Everton on Sunday, but I don't see them failing to fire again here. They are back on home turf, and they should be back to winning ways.

Eats Everything's prediction: 2-1

I'd normally just go with Chelsea here because they have been doing well but Fulham have really impressed me - Silva is another manager who has been given time to build a very handy team.

Chelsea always seem to score though - their goalless draw with Everton on Sunday was the first time they had failed to score in the league since the opening weekend - so I am going to play it safe and back them to edge it.

Read the full predictions and have your say

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For me, wherever I played, I'd always see where the first game was, where the last game was, and where we were at Christmas.

There is such a big difference between being at home on Boxing Day versus being away because, depending on what your manager is like, if you've got an away game there is a chance you're training on Christmas Day.

Some of the toughest times I had was when we had away games on Boxing Day and we had to come in to train at four or five on Christmas. That's when everything is just starting at home and everyone is really enjoying themselves and you have to leave.

If you lose you are sat in the hotel having walked away from friends and family all for no points. It's not the best feeling and as a consequence you bring home some of that disappointment with you.

But, in reality, you just know it is the busiest time of the year. The floodlights are always on for the games, the conditions get that little bit tougher, you've got games it feels like every three or four days.

I think it's an exciting part of the season because you can gain real, significant momentum but ultimately it comes down to are you winning games.

I think the Christmas period itself can be tough if you have got family but in reality it always feels nicer when you get that win on Boxing Day. The atmosphere in the stadiums is a little bit different, the atmosphere among the players is a bit different.

You're very thankful to get the chance to do what you do, but if you end up losing on Boxing Day or around that spell it is rubbish because it almost feels like it was a waste of time with all the efforts you put in.

But, I get it. The fans love it, there is a lot of clamour around it. You lose track of days just like everyone else does after Christmas and before New Year but it is great to play in front of those types of crowds and it just does feel different playing during that week or two.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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It is testament to the year that we have had under Marco Silva that it is hard to pick a single moment out.

But, when it came down to it, I couldn't look past Harry Wilson's injury-time double against Brentford in November.

It has always been tricky to define who our purest, undiluted rivals are. Chelsea are the closest geographically but, up until this century, they were typically much higher up the football pyramid, and their feeling of superiority and indifference continues even now.

Then there is QPR and Brentford. We have enjoyed many tussles with the former during the past two decades, but it is with the latter that we have battled regularly throughout the lean days of the 1980s and 90s - and so they are our biggest foes in many of our fans' eyes, myself included.

And, crucially, the Bees edge us in head-to-heads, creating even more needle.

So when it looked like we were set to fall to another defeat, as 90 minutes approached and then passed, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

The jubilation in the Hammersmith End for Wilson's first goal, a deft flick, was uninhibited - generations arm in arm, strangers embracing.

And the scenes for his winning header - our latest-ever Premier League goal - were the type typically associated with those heady European nights under Roy Hodgson years ago.

This year has been all about progress for Fulham - improving the squad, developing our stadium and moving up the table.

But, when it comes down to it, nothing in football gets the blood pumping more than a last-minute goal or two - and good old fashioned bragging rights.

Here's to more of the same in 2025.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Premier League game against Chelsea (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva said it was "still too early to be sure on players" for the game as they are "still assessing" them: "The games come thick and fast. Less time to recover between games. We will take a decision for Boxing Day's match."

• On Emile Smith Rowe's availability: "He got a big knock on his ankle so let's see and we will make a decision."

• He also confirmed that Sander Berge took a big knock on his ankle and a decision will be made on his availability on Christmas Day, while Sasa Lukic is probably going to be ready.

• On Josh King: "It was a good performance for him [last match]. It was a surprise for some people that he was so composed, but it wasn't a surprise for us. I took the decision [to start him] because I saw that he is ready."

• Silva continued: "He is a really good boy who is focused on his goals and the team's."

• On facing Chelsea: "They are very, very good. It is quite clear there. A football club that has spent money in such a short period of time, the quality was there. For young players, it's not easy to find a club with so many young players performing. They are very good and very confident to play in that system. They have been dominant in most of their games. It's another big challenge for us."

Follow all of Tuesday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Fulham and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans

Gabriel: A very strange game. We have to be more clinical if we are to have any chance of competing for a European football place. However, it was fantastic to see Josh King make his debut and, considering our growing and concerning injury list, we just have to move on.

Ben: It wasn't awful, but it was ultimately two points dropped. They were stubborn and we didn't have the final ball to produce the goal we needed. Adama's aside, there was no clear chance for us.

Robert: We weren't hungry enough. We didn't put the Saints' defence under enough pressure when they had the ball. Iwobi was wasteful. The manager was too slow to bring his substitutes on. Two points dropped against the worst team in the league. So frustrating.

Southampton fans

Richard: A definite improvement. Hard work, well-organised, but still toothless in attack. Any recovery must be based on a tighter defence, which seems to be recognised. Thank heavens for the lack of short passing in our own area. A few green shoots!

David: Better from Saints. We seemed a bit more confident going forward and we look prepared to ditch Russ-ball 'pass it out from the back' when needed. We would have lost this game, but for Ramsdale, with two fine stops.

Mike: This was not the usual defensive-error-strewn Saints performance, so we should be grateful for that at least. But where on earth is a goal going to come from and why is Adam Armstrong starting games when he can't buy a goal in the Premier League? I'm hoping the new manager is going to shake things up and select players who were left out in the cold under Russell Martin. Sulemana, Onuachu and Bella-Kotchap should get some game time.

Noah: That is one of the best games Southampton have had this season. I thought we were brilliant playing it out from the back and we were fantastic down the wing. I'm just waiting to see what we will be like when Ivan Juric trains the team, and to see our performance against West Ham on Boxing Day.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to Sunday's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Everton 0-0 Chelsea

• Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth

• Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist at Craven Cottage

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Fulham came into this game in great form, with a win and three draws from a tough run of fixtures that included matches against Tottenham, Brighton, Arsenal and Liverpool.

That had let to talk the club could make a real push for Europe this season. With that in mind, as manager Marco Silva was quick to admit, this was a glorious chance for a victory that slipped by against bottom-of-the-league Southampton, who had an interim manager in charge.

Fulham were by far the better team and only a couple of inspired saves from away goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale - to deny Alex Iwobi and Harry Wilson - kept it goalless.

Southampton offered so little in attack, so much so their fans started chanting 'we had a shot' when Adam Armstrong's 56th-minute effort was comfortably saved by Bernd Leno.

Silva's introduction of Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore in the 62nd minute looked to have swung the game in Fulham's favour. Traore instantly set up Wilson's chance and then should have been the match-winner himself with three minutes left on the clock, only to drag an angled effort wide of the post.

Next up for Fulham is a tasty west London derby against rivals Chelsea on 26 December.