Fulham vs Wolves – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Matheus Cunha heads visitors level after Alex Iwobi had given Cottagers the lead… with Gary O’Neil’s side looking to climb into top 10
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Wolves travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham where a win could see them into the top-half of the Premier League table.
HT: Fulham 1-1 Wolves
Honours even so far in this one after an entertaining first 45. Fulham took an early lead after some crisp play on their left flank presented the ball to Iwobi to tap in from close range.
Marco Silva’s side could, and maybe should, have doubled their advantage but they were pegged back when Bellegarde’s brilliance created Cunha’s equaliser.
Gary O’Neil will feel his side could also have grabbed a second but biuth managers would be pleased by elements of their side’s first half performance.
It promises to be an interesting second period!
Three minutes added on
We’re into injury time at the end of the first half at Craven Cottage.
Lucky Leno
Fulham’s latest build-up nearly cost them as Leno had his pocket picked by Lemina. Luckly for the Fulham keeper, the Wolves midfielder gained possession at an angle too tight to strike and then couldn’t find his teammate with his pass back.
It’s a tough game to call
Only a few minutes of the first half left to go in what has been an evenly-match tussle. Fulham have had the lion’s share of possession with 62 per cent.
They’ve also had six shots to Wolves’ two but it’s the vistors who look especially dangerous.
Can either side get ahead before the break?
Wolves respond
If not for Castagne the hosts would be behind. Wolves worked the ball down the left after Fulham had dealt with their corner kick before Toti fired a low cross into the six-yard box.
Cunha stood ready to tap in his second but the former Leicester defender managed to get his foot in the way and clear.
Chance for Willian
More good work from Iwobi, who floated a ball toward the far post that found Willian but the Brazilian wasn’t able to perfectly trap the ball and hurried his finish.
Sa came out well to close the angle but that was a chance for the hosts.
Gomez gets his name in the book
The Wolves midfielder gets the second yellow of the game for a late tackle on Willian.
Tame effort from Iwobi
Buoyed by his first league goal for Fulham, Iwobi fired off a shot on his left foot from range but it trickled out for a goal kick.
After a little wobble following their concession, Fulham have grown into the game in the last few minutes but Wolves remain a threat.
Their attackers look sharp and you wouldn’t put it past them to grab another before the interval.
Let off for the Cottagers
Harrison Reed got away with giving the ball away just outside his box. Wolves worked it nicely, playing between Cunha and Hwang before the South Korean found Doherty on the left.
Unfortunately for the visitors, the wing-back chose not to shoot on his weaker left foot when he really should have tested Leno in the Fulham goal. The hosts were able to scramble his cross away.
Brilliance from Bellegarde
Robinson got turned inside and out by the wonderful wing play of Bellegarde. The away side play through Fulham’s high press before Semedo layed the ball off to the 25-year-old on the right.
He bamboozled Robinson with a couple of devestating body feints before delivering a perfect cross to Cunha who waited unguarded at the far post.
A top quality equaliser for O’Neil’s side.
GOAL! Fulham 1-1 Wolves (Cunha)
Wolves forced into early change
Ait-Nouri hasn’t been able to recover from his earlier knock. He comes off for Doherty.
That’s the first yellow
Ream gets himself into the referee’s book after Hwang escaped him in the centre of the park.
OFF THE BAR!
Wolves make their first foray into Fulham territory and are almost rewarded for it. Lemina picked up the ball in midfield and played a perfect pass into Hwang.
The forward showed great pace to escape the sole Fulham defender before unleashing a strike which beat Leno, beat crucially didn’t beat the post.
Lucky escape for the hosts. It shows Wolves carry a very real goal threat.
Ait-Nouri in some discomfort
The wing-back went over on his ankle as he chased down the ball. The Wolves man is still off the pitch receiving treatment as play has resumed.
Fulham close to doubling their lead
Wolves are struggling to deal with the onslought at the moment. Iwobi was involved again, this time feeding a dangerous cross into the box that Sa managed to clear behind for a corner.
From the set-piece, Cairney fired in a shot which the Portuguese stopper managed to get his body behind. These are important moments for Gary O’Neil’s side.
A well worked opener
Some neat play on the left flank leads to the opener for the hosts. Willian picked up the ball and fed Robinson who overlapped with devestating effect.
The full back then had the prescence of mind to find Iwobi in teh centre, who finished well to give Fulham the lead.
GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Wolves (Iwobi)
Reed lucky to escape a booking
The Fulham midfielder was late sliding in on Cunha just as Wolves were starting to progress the ball through the Fulham midfield.
The referee took kindly to him on this occassion.
His team-mate Robinson also got a reprive from Michael Salisbury after he crunched into Bellegarde.
You’d expect the next late tackle to yield the game’s first caution.
Immediate chance for the hosts
Fulham have flown out of the traps and could have taken the lead in under a minute when Jimenez air kicked a low cross.
Bassey had drilled his delivery into the middle but the former Wolves star couldn’t get his foot to the cross which would surely have beaten Sa if it was on target.
And we’re off…
Fulham get the action underway at Craven Cottage.
Players are out on the pitch
Who will prevail in this one? The players are out onto the pitch with action only moments away.
Not long left until kick-off
The action will get undeway in just seven minutes. Make sure you stay tuned for all the updates from the clash at Craven Cottage.
Fulham get ready for the contest
Will experience prove key to success?
Data courtesy of Opta shows that Fulham’s starting XI has the oldest average age in the Premier League this season at 30 years and 36 days. That is also the oldest average age of any league side in nearly a decade.
Not since Hull City trotted out a side 30 years and 193 days old in April 2014 have a squad taken to the field with a higher average age.
A big night for Jimenez
The Mexican is looking to become just the fourth player to score against Wolves after playing for them in the Premier League, after Andrew Surman in December 2011, Keith Andrews in February 2012 and Diogo Jota in March 2021.
Goal scoring has been an issue for Fulham since the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic in the summer, with the side scoring just 10 goals in the league. The joint-worst with bottom-placed Burnley.
Jimenez opened his account for Fulham in their 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa before the international break. The home side will need him to maintain his goalscoring form tonight.
O’Neil believes ‘adaptability’ is key to his team’s success
The Wolves boss gave his views ahead of the clash with Fulham.
Silva recognises Fulham’s need to pick up points
‘Tonight is important for us to get back to winning.’ He told Sky Sports. ‘I understand the table, that is the reality, with points we can go much higher on the table as well.
‘The main thing is we make improvements from the last few games. We want to react and be active from the first moment of the game.
‘We’re facing a team who is in a good moment, but we want to react from the last few defeats and of course take points as well.’
TOM COLLOMOSSE: Gary O’Neil could be a contender for manager of the year if his side continue their current form
O’Neil had been hired only five days before Wolves’ opening game at Manchester United with a backdrop of pessimism and cost-cutting, with captain Ruben Neves sold as the club sought to meet Financial Fair Play limits.
Wolves team news
It’s one change for Gary O’Neil, who hands Santiago Bueno a Premier League debut in place of the suspended Dawson.
Nelson Semedo starts ahead of Matt Doherty at right wing-back.
Fulham team news
Silva has brought in Tom Cairney and Harrison Reed as he reshapes his midfield without Paulinha.
Bobby Decordova-Reid makes way, meaning that Alex Iwobi could be deployed in a more advamced role.
As things stand…
Both sets of supporters would take their current positions at the end of the season as they both sit comfortably in mid table.
Comfortable might be too strong a word for Fulham, who are only a few places above the relegation zone. However, with Sheffield United in 17th on just five points and showing few signs of improvement, Marco Silva is probably a little more relaxed than he ordinarily would be coming into a game on their run of form.
Fulham vs Wolves Head-to-Head
Wolves are unbeaten in their six Premeir League meetings against Fulham since they were both promoted from the Championship together in 2018.
The Cottagers have won just one of their last 14 games against today’s opponents, drawing four and losing nine.
Both games last season ended in a stalemate, with Wolves leaving Craven Cottage with a 1-1 draw last term courtesy of a Pablo Sarabia first half strike.
Only seven goals have been scored in the last six meetings between the pair.
Raul Jimenez is looking to become the fourth player to score against Wolves after previously representing them in the Premier League.
Fulham eye Chelsea striker Armando Broja in a bid to address their offensive woes
The Craven Cottage club are in the market for a forward after losing Aleksandar Mitrovic to Al-Hilal in August.
They are admirers of Serhou Guirassy at Stuttgart but know they face plenty of competition for the in-form 27-year old so are assessing a number of options with Jonas Wind of Wolfsburg also on their radar.
Dawson will be a big miss for Wolves
Gary O’Neil won’t feel too sorry for his opposite number as he is dealing with his own absences. Craig Dawson, who has been a rock at the back, will be missing after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in their win against Tottenham before the international break.
While talisman Pedro Neto remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. O’Neil provided an update on the Portuguese winger in midweek, saying there is ‘no exact time frame’ for his return but the 23-year-old is ‘probably ahead’ of where the club expected him to be at this stage of his recovery.
Selection headaches for Silva
The Fulham boss is without several key first team players for the game tonight, most crucially with the absence of Joao Palhinha who is serving a suspension.
The hosts are also without Issa Diop and Adama Troare, who misses out on the game against his his former club.
Good Evening
And welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League action in west London. Fulham welcome Wolves to Craven Cottage looking to arrest a slump that has seen them go winless in their last four league outings.
Meanwhile, Wolves have enjoyed victories in two of their last five league games including a thrilling late comeback victory against Tottenham before the international break.
The sides are separated by just three points, meaning this one should be a hotly-contested affair under the lights!
We’ll have all the updates for you ahead of the 8pm kick-off including team news, quotes from the managers and any other interesting storylines before the action gets underway. Then make sure you stay with us for all the updates when the match gets going.