Fulham v Derby

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Fulham v Derby

Craven Cottage
Saturday, 20 October
Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day. Featured game on Score and Final Score.



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Team news to follow later.









BIG-MATCH FACTS
This is the 50th competitive meeting of Fulham and Derby, and a bottom three struggle in the Premier League.

The Cottagers are on the longest current winless run in the highest league of seven games; they are anxious to avoid the 100th defeat in their Premier League history, two days before the 48th birthday of manager Lawrie Sanchez.

The Rams have gained all five of their points from home matches, and are desperate to stem the flow of five successive league defeats on the road with no goals scored and 17 conceded.

Derby are hunting their first ever Premier League goal against Fulham.


CLUB FORM
FULHAM


Club stats
Fixtures
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 11th
Lowest could fall: 20th

1. Not won in six in all competitions; drawn four and lost two since defeating Shrewsbury 0-1 at the New Meadow in the second round of the Carling Cup on 28 September.

2. Pressing for a first win in eight Premier League matches, having picked up just four points from the last available 21.

3. Completed 59 Premier League games since a win by more than a single goal (6-1, home to West Brom on 11 February 2006). That is the longest current such run by any club in this league.

4. Still the strongest first half team in the Premier League.

5. Squandered an unrivalled 13 Premier League points from winning positions this term.

6. Gained six fewer points at this same stage than Chris Coleman's side 12 months ago.

7. On the longest current winless home run in the highest league of four games; drawn two and lost two at the Cottage since their only league victory of the season (home or away), 2-1 over Bolton on 15 August.

8. Kept just one clean sheet in 13 home Premier League outings; the 1-0 win over Liverpool on 5 May.

9. The 0-2 loss to Portsmouth last time out was the first time they had failed to score in a league game at Craven Cottage since New Years Day.

10. Crucial matches away to Sunderland and home to Reading follow this game, before a trip to Liverpool on 10 November.

DERBY COUNTY


Fixtures
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 17th
Lowest could fall: 20th

1. Picked up one point from three games since their only Premier League maximum and clean sheet of the season; 1-0, home to Newcastle on 17 September.

2. On the longest run in the Premier League of eight matches, since scoring more than a single goal in a game; the 2-2 opening day draw, home to Portsmouth on 11 August.

3. Scored the fewest goals in the Premier League this season; five, at one every 162 minutes (two hours 42 minutes) on average.

4. Let in the most Premier League goals so far this term; 22 at one every 37 minutes on average. Of the 22, five have been in the first 15 minutes of matches, and five in the last quarter-hour.

5. Failed to score in an unequalled total of five Premier League matches.

6. One of eight clubs still searching for a first away win in the Premier League this season.

7. Lost their last seven away league games (Premier League and Championship).

8. Marvin Robinson scored their last away goal in the Premier League. He equalised in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland on 11 May 2002.

9. Not won an away match in the Premier League since defeating Bolton 1-3 on 16 March 2002.


KEY PLAYER NOTES
FULHAM


Clint DEMPSEY and David HEALY are Fulham's joint top scorers with three goals each; only DEMPSEY'S are all Premier League goals.

If he plays:-

Antti NIEMI will be making his 150th English league appearance (Southampton and Fulham).

DERBY COUNTY


Own the shortest goal scorers list in the Premier League; just three players.

Matthew OAKLEY and Kenny MILLER are Derby's joint top scorers with two each of the Rams' five Premier League goals.

If selected:-

Dean LEACOCK will be making his 50th appearance in Rams' colours.


HEAD TO HEAD
Fulham have lost only one of nine home league meetings with Derby since 1952.

Derby travel in search of their first maximum on Fulham turf in 38 years, since a 0-1 triumph on 2 April 1969.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Fulham 13 wins, Derby 17, Draws 14
Prem: Fulham 1 win, Derby 0, Draws 1

at Fulham only
League (inc PL): Fulham 10 wins, Derby 4, Draws 8
Prem: Fulham 0 wins, Derby 0, Draws 1


REFEREE
Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire)

Premier League referees' table
Phil Dowd's 2007-08 Premier League card count

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Fulham 0-0 Derby

Fulham's Seol Ki-Hyeon after a first-half miss against Derby
Antti Niemi's heroics earned a point for 10-man Fulham as Derby dominated the home side at Craven Cottage.
Fulham's Paul Konchesky was sent off in first-half injury time for elbowing Craig Fagan, but Lawrie Sanchez's side somehow survived for a draw.

Niemi denied Kenny Miller and Giles Barnes twice apiece and even saved well from his own defender Aaron Hughes.

Miller was off target in injury time, while Craig Dempsey forced two saves from Derby keeper Stephen Bywater.

606: DEBATE
It's a poor result again by the Rams

mesrine


In a game of dubious quality, Fulham keeper Niemi stood between Derby and the crucial breakthrough that would have given them their first away win of the season.

Fulham look a poor side, despite the money spent by boss Lawrie Sanchez, and it needed Niemi to be at his best to keep Derby at bay.

He did well to save from Miller then produced a fine reaction save to stop a header from his own defender Hughes in the 33rd minute as he dived to divert Stephen Pearson's cross.

Derby were forced into a change two minutes before half-time when Barnes came on to replace the limping Claude Davis.

But Fulham suffered a bigger blow in first-half injury time when Koncheskey was sent off for raising his hands to Fagan as they tussled on the flank.

Dempsey was one of the few Fulham threats, having a shot saved, then seeing a header turned over by Derby keeper Bywater.

But Niemi was still the star of the show, saving Barnes' header with his feet and then blocking a drive at the near post.

He rescued Fulham again with 14 minutes to go as Miller raced clear, diving low to turn away his shot as he looked poised to score.

Fulham were attempting to make the most of their good fortune, and Diomansy Kamara tested Bywater after a mazy run.

How Derby had failed to claim the three points was a mystery, and even in injury time Miller finally beat Niemi but the ball rolled agonisingly wide.



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Fulham: Niemi, Baird, Stefanovic, Hughes, Konchesky, Bouazza, Davis (Davies 69), Murphy, Ki-Hyeon (Bocanegra 46), Kamara (Healy 87), Dempsey.
Subs Not Used: Warner, Smertin.

Sent Off: Konchesky (45).

Derby: Bywater, Mears, Moore, Davis (Barnes 43), McEveley (Griffin 71), Pearson, Oakley, Leacock (Howard 78), Lewis, Fagan, Miller.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Earnshaw.

Booked: Leacock, Fagan.

Att: 22,576

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).