Premier League: Fulham v West Ham match preview

A look ahead to the New Year’s Day fixture at Craven Cottage

Rene Meulensteen will hope for an improved display from his Fulham side (GETTY IMAGES)

When West Ham beat Fulham 3-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, the Hammers would have been hopeful their fortunes would have changed in December.

While they overcame Tottenham at White Hart Lane for the second time this year as they qualified for the semi-final of the League Cup, Sam Allardyce’s side have not won a league game since – losing four and drawing two with the most recent coming on Saturday when West Brom pecked their host’s back after Kevin Nolan had given his side the lead midway through the second half.

For Fulham, the defeat at Upton Park spelled the end for Martin Jol with Rene Meulensteen taking over at the Cottage, and while they have fared better than their opponents in the final month of the year under the Dutchman, they still sit in the relegation zone one place above West Ham in 19th.

Meulensteen will be hoping a response from his side who were unable to build upon their win at Carrow Road on Boxing Day as they were thrashed 6-0 by Hull, a scoreline which put a huge dent in the goal difference of the team who have conceded the most goals (41) so far in the Premier League.

With only one place and point separating the pair at the half way point of the season, this adds spice to the London derby as both sides look to get their seasons back on track.

KICK-OFF: New Year's Day, 3:00pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

West Ham 3 (Diame, C.Cole, J.Cole) Fulham 0, Premier League, November 2013

Fulham 3 (Berbatov, Rodallega, O’Brien OG) West Ham 1 (Nolan), Premier League, January 2013

West Ham 3 (Nolan, Reid, Taylor) Fulham 0, Premier League, September 2012

STATS…

Fulham:

Fulham have concede the highest number of goals in the Premier League so far (41)

The Cottagers have lost nine of their last eleven matches in the Premier League.

West Ham:

West Ham have conceded three goals in each of their last three Premiere League matches.

Despite sitting in 19th, West Ham have the joint highest number of clean sheets along with Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham (8).

ODDS…

Fulham to win: 2.3

West Ham to win: 3.1

Draw: 3.3

TV: Highlights on BBC 1 at 10.50pm