Fulham

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

After 45 minutes, the only thing missing for Fulham was a goal.

They have been comfortably the better side in the first half at Molineux, limiting Wolves to just a solitary shot while creating a number of good chances themselves.

That they were not ahead given the quality of the chances Harry Wilson and Tosin Adarabioyo had will have frustrated Marco Silva but they had another 45 minutes find the breakthrough - and against a Wolves side shorn of their best player.

It is all of these things that will make Fulham's display in the first 20 minutes or so after the break even more disappointing for Silva, the fans and the players themselves.

The game was there for the taking but they gave their hosts encouragement and by the time they were able to regain their composure, they were 2-0 down.

Wolves upped their intensity after half-time but Fulham played into their hands with some sloppy build-up play.

"We have to be clinical and ruthless at this level, we weren’t and we were punished by those mistakes," Silva said.

Having missed the chance to make it three straight wins and leapfrog Wolves in the table, Fulham will look to bounce back next weekend at home to Tottenham.

Wolves gave their hopes of playing European football next season a boost as they beat Fulham to move up to eighth in the Premier League.

Rayan Ait-Nouri opened the scoring early in the second half, converting from Toti Gomes' pull back after Fulham failed to deal adequately with a free-kick from deep.

There was more than a hint of good fortune about the second as Nelson Semedo's shot took a big deflection off Tom Cairney to leave Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno helpless.

Alex Iwobi pulled one back deep into stoppage time with a clever, improvised finish but there was barely time for the game to restart as Wolves held on.

The win for Gary O'Neil's side was all the more impressive given they lost both Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Pedro Neto to injury in the first half.

Meanwhile, Fulham were left to rue missed opportunities having dominated the first half with Harry Wilson firing wide with only the goalkeeper to beat and Tosin Adarabioyo thumping a shot against the bar when left unmarked eight yards out.

Wolves were a changed side after the break, quickly putting Marco Silva's side under pressure with an aggressive high press, led by the impressive Mario Lemina.

They were able to ease off slightly after going two ahead and although they managed to keep the visitors quiet for the most part, Jose Sa was forced to make a smart save to deny Joao Palhinha before Max Kilman headed Rodrigo Muniz's follow-up effort off the line.

Former Wolves winger Adama Traore also had a fierce shot repelled by Sa as Fulham's poor record at Molineux continues.

Iwobi's goal was their first in five visits to the ground and you have to go back to March 1985 for their last win at Wolves, a run of 18 games in league and cup.

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There are five games being played in the Premier League on Saturday and we will bring you every moment.

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

For this weekend's games, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool, and Better Joy's Bria Keely, who is a Manchester City fan.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I didn't expect Wolves to get walloped the way they did at Newcastle last time out, the same way I didn't think Fulham would beat Brighton so convincingly.

I really like what Fulham are doing at the moment, though. They are playing some nice football and, up front, Rodrigo Muniz is in excellent form.

Wolves are definitely without Matheus Cunha through injury so the level of their attacking threat depends on whether Pedro Neto is fit after he came off with a hamstring problem against the Magpies.

Either way, this is another very difficult game to call. I don't want to go for a draw but I do feel like it's the most likely outcome.

Dave's prediction: 1-1

Bria's prediction: 1-1

Read the rest of their predictions here

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Fulham's Premier League game at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Speaking about Fulham's positive run of results: "We are getting more consistent. That's really important and really difficult at the level we're playing. The past few weeks have been very good in terms of results and performances."

• Wolves "have been strong", despite a 3-0 loss to Tottenham last weekend, and Silva said his side are looking forward to what will be "a very good challenge for us", adding: "After back-to-back wins, we want more."

• Silva said he is wary of the attacking threat of Gary O'Neil's side: "They are a team in any moment who can punish you."

• On Raul Jimenez's availability: "Raul has been involved in training. It's probably too early for him to be involved [on Saturday]. Next week he will be back involved [and] fully fit."

• On Tosin Adarabioyo "He's doing well, he had a tough start at the beginning of the the season due to a small surgery."

• Praising 22-year-old Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz's recent goalscoring form of five goals in his past five games, Silva said: "He's showing the same potential I saw when I signed him from Brazil." However, he urged patience and support for Muniz, who has stepped up and shown "quality."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Image source, Getty Images

Midfielder Tom Cairney says Fulham will head to Molineux "full of confidence" when they take on Wolves on Saturday.

Marco Silva's side have won their past two Premier League games against Manchester United and Brighton.

They also won the reverse fixture with Wolves 3-2 at Craven Cottage in November, with Willian netting the second of his two penalties on the night in second-half stoppage-time.

"It will be difficult," said Cairney on the Footballers' Football Podcast.

"I've been very impressed by Wolves, Gary O'Neil has done a very good job.

"If we win, we go level on points with them and it takes us to 38 points, which will be an incredible return. If you win three Premier League games in a row, it's incredible. We're going there full of confidence but it's a tough game."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Reuters

On the latest episode of the Footballer's Football Podcast, Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney and West Ham forward Michail Antonio were asked if clubs are within their rights to highlight alleged gamesmanship by opposition players on their social media accounts.

Last week, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Fulham should apologise for a video they posted on social media that appeared to mock United captain Bruno Fernandes.

The video showed Fernandes go down and clutch his leg before swiftly getting up again during United's 2-1 loss to Fulham at Old Trafford, and was captioned: "So glad he's OK."

Cairney was initially reluctant to answer, before saying: "I'm trying to put it on me - would I care if another team came for me if I did something in a game?"

Antonio said: "On a serious level, banter is banter, football is banter, it is what it is. People need to accept that there's always banter. I put stuff up constantly about people because football's banter and everyone likes a joke.

"If you can't take a joke, you can't be in football because you walk through the door and your team-mates absolutely rip you to smithereens."

Cairney then added: "I think I'm more surprised at the Manchester United manager bringing it up really. Obviously the game's been played, we won and stuff, and I feel like that was more surprising for me, the fact they're bothered about whatever a social media person at Fulham has done.

"Bruno Fernandes is a top player with remarkable numbers and he has amazing traits to be Manchester United captain.

"I've seen many players in the past lose the ball, go down, be injured, the team wins it back and they jump up."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's game between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham in the Premier League.

• Wolves have not lost in their seven Premier League home games against Fulham (W5 D2), the most they have played a side at Molineux without ever losing in the competition. They are unbeaten in 14 home league games against Fulham overall (W10 D4) since a 4-0 reverse in April 1985.

• After their 3-2 win at Craven Cottage in November, Fulham could complete their first ever league double over Wolves, in what is the 44th league campaign in which the two clubs have met.

• Wolves have only failed to score in one of their past 20 Premier League home games, a 2-0 defeat by Brentford last month.

• Fulham have won both of their past two Premier League games, most recently winning more consecutively between December and January last season (four). Both of these wins have come against sides in the top half of the table and the Cottagers most recently won three consecutive Premier League games against sides starting the day in the division's top 10 from October-December 2009 under Roy Hodgson.

• Wolves have scored 40 goals in their 27 Premier League games this season, their most in a single campaign since 2019-20 (51), with their average of 1.5 per game their highest in a Premier League season.

• Having not scored in any of his first 10 Premier League appearances, Rodrigo Muniz has since netted five in his past five league games for Fulham. His five goals are the most by a player aged 22 or younger in a Premier League season for the club since Collins John in 2005-06 (11).

Pat Nevin
Former Everton and Chelsea winger

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United were less than impressed last week by Fulham's meme suggesting Bruno Fernandes was not as badly hurt as he initially suggested. The midfielder did appear to make a Lazarus-level recovery when the referee ignored his writhing.

Now I am slightly conflicted here. As a former professional player, the idea of some smarty pants taking the mick out of players on a club's official social media feed feels unacceptable.

If it was another player, manager or ex-player pundit who has been there and done that who was having a go at Bruno, then I would be perfectly happy to let them vent their spleen.

I am conflicted here because I see Fulham's side in that particular incident. Let's be honest, there is a reason why Bruno gets booed by various fanbases around the country: it is the fact that they think he is a serial offender in the gamesmanship and 'rolling around pretending to be slain' stakes.

But, if every club lets their social media department go on the offensive, expect mayhem.

Maybe that’s the direction of travel - if so I am happy I am no longer a player!

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra newsletter