Monday, 18 December
2006
vs
Fulham v Middlesbrough
Ch 23 - 4:00 am - (Live)
Luis Boa Morte (hamstring), Papa Bouba Diop (thigh) and Ian Pearce
(back) are all expected to miss the entire Christmas
programme.
But keeper Antti Niemi and left-back Franck Queudrue hope to
return.
Middlesbrough welcome back Lee Cattermole from suspension but they
will have to cope without Emanuel Pogatetz, who serves a ban.
Abel Xavier stands by to start in the centre of defence with Stuart
Parnaby poised to slot into right-back.
Fulham manager Chris Coleman:
"We can't keep harping on about losing 4-0 at Liverpool because we
can't change that but we can affect Monday night.
"It's a big game because the league is so tight again this
season.
"The teams below us have had good runs but they will hit another
sticky patch and that's when we can capitalise."
Brian McBRIDE is Fulham's leading scorer, with four goals.
Middlesbrough midfielder James Morrison on the
emergence of young players Lee Cattermole, Andrew Taylor, Stuart
Parnaby and himself this season:
"The fans this season have been expecting more from us.
"But I think they realise we are still young and are just learning
the game.
"In two years' time, that is when we are going to be at our peak
and and having learnt the game, and that is when they will expect
really big things from us."
Aiyegbeni YAKUBU is Middlesbrough's top scorer with five goals -
all in the Premiership.
Fulham (from): Niemi, Rosenior, Knight,
Christanval, Queudrue, Volz, Brown, Radzinski, C Jensen, McBride,
John, Helguson, Routledge, Zakuani, Runstrom, Lastuvka,
Batista.
Middlesbrough (from): Schwarzer, Parnaby, Taylor,
Xavier, Woodgate, Boateng, Cattermole, Morrison, Downing, Viduka,
Yakubu, Jones, Arca, Rochemback, Christie, Davies, Johnson.
REFEREE
Mike Dean (Wirral)
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Fulham 1-0 Middlesbrough
7 May 2006 - Ref: Mark Halsey
Fulham scorer: Helguson 84 pen
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
at Fulham only
League: Fulham 13 wins, Middlesbrough 9, Draws 3
Prem: Fulham 4 wins, Middlesbrough 1, Draws 0
