Fulham

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham's recent record at Villa Park is awful so defeat should not be entirely unexpected.

Boss Marco Silva could claim to feel hard done by after Josh King was booked for simulation instead of being awarded a penalty when Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez rushed out in the first half.

There was contact and Fulham felt they had a case, while they were also unhappy when a VAR review turned down any infringement after Matty Cash's hand blocked a goal-bound shot.

But ultimately, the visitors were the architects of their own downfall after failing to bury a fragile Villa side, who again looked bereft of confidence for the majority of the first half.

A failure to deal with Lucas Digne's long ball, which led to Ollie Watkins' leveller, was wretched but the reaction to it was even worse, allowing Villa to strike twice in quick succession after the break.

Their controversial defeat at Chelsea aside, it has been a positive start to the season from Silva's men but their second-half surrender will be a low point.

Fulham manager Marco Silva spoke to Sky Sports after the disappointing away defeat to Aston Villa: "This is a disappointing result for us. The things we can control, we have to do them for ourselves. The game was going in the direction we predicted and wanted, and we had some very good chances before they equalised. Then after we conceded the [first] goal, we shouldn't and we can't conceded a [second] goal like this. We have to be much stronger in these types of moments.

"We didn't give many spaces inside the box, we were prepared for that situation and we have to blame ourselves. Congratulations to Aston Villa for the three points, but we have to blame ourselves more."

On Raul Jimenez's injury: "It was in the moment of the goal, we had some fighting in the box. He tried but he wasn't able to keep going in the game. When you don't have Raul or Rodrigo [Muniz], it is more difficult but Adama [Traore] tried. It is not a excuse, it disrupted our game, but with Raul there we are much stronger."

On the refereeing decisions that went against them: "I've watched the moments back and, for me, they are incredible. They will try to explain it but we cannot understand. It is very difficult for me to say that the Emi Martinez [incident] is not a penalty. If a player is taken out inside the box, it is a penalty everywhere in the world. Don't try to educate Josh King because we can do it inside our football club.

"I want to question them [the officials]. I would like them to explain how it was in a normal body position and if it was then okay, but I want to ask about Ryan Sessegnon against Chelsea, which was explained about how it was a penalty.

"It has been very difficult for us so I've started the conversations about what we can control. The other calls in the past six games are too much for Fulham and we cannot control that."

Defender Ryan Sessegnon also spoke to Sky Sports after the match: "We started the game very well and then conceded quite a bizarre first goal. But going into half-time at 1-1 is still a decent result, however we kind of just collapsed.

"We conceded one goal straight after half-time, which can happen, but to concede the next one straightaway was disappointing. The game was pretty much done after that. There are no real explanations, it's just poor defending from us.

"It's quite unusual from us but we have to look back at the game and see where we went wrong. It was probably just lack of concentration, it was very bizarre."

Did you know?

• Josh King is the first player to be cautioned for simulation in back-to-back Premier League appearances since Dan James for Manchester United in August 2019.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Villa's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Harvey Elliott makes his full Aston Villa debut as they look for their first Premier League win of the season.

Emi Martinez returns after missing the 1-0 Europa League win over Bologna, making his first Villa Park appearance after failing to get a summer move.

Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne and Lamare Bogarde all return for the hosts.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Bogarde, Guessand, Elliott, Rogers, Watkins

Substitutes: Bizot, Kamara, Maatsen, Torres, Sancho, Buendia, Lindelof, Malen, Burrowes

Raul Jimenez leads the line for Fulham as he replaces Rodrigo Muniz, who is not in the squad at Villa Park.

Timothy Castagne also returns in defence for Kenny Tete, as the Cottagers look for a fourth straight win in all competitions.

Fulham XI: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berge, Lukic, Wilson, King, Iwobi, Jimenez

Substitutes: Lecomte, Cuenca, Robinson, Reed, Cairney, Smith Rowe, Traore, Chukwueze, Kevin

There are two games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Fulham (14:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle United v Arsenal (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Kick-off times BST

Follow Aston Villa v Fulham here

And Newcastle v Arsenal can be found here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v Fulham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Arsenal".

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I know Aston Villa beat Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday but they were poor against Sunderland on Sunday.

The biggest worry for me was that they just didn't seem to connect, even though they were playing against 10 men. It looked like their forwards had never played together before.

Fulham come into this after winning two league games in a row, against Leeds and Brentford, and they will definitely see this as winnable too.

Most people have probably been looking at Villa and thinking they have made a poor start and will turn things round, but I've not seen anything to suggest that will happen.

They will have to create far more than they have been doing if they are going to get their first win of the season. I have given them a goal and a point here, but I am not entirely sure why.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

BBC Sport examines some of the main themes going into Sunday's fixture between Aston Villa and Fulham.

Villa's first win of the season, at the seventh time of asking, on Thursday did little to ease the crisis of confidence among their forward players. A narrow Europa League victory over a limited Bologna was achieved more through perspiration than inspiration - and there is increasing exasperation among supporters with the two players who shoulder so much of the attacking burden for Unai Emery's side.

Ollie Watkins' poor penalty was symptomatic of his, and the team's, lack of conviction so far this season. He has now missed four of his past eight spot-kicks, excluding shootouts, and gone nine games without a goal – the joint-worst run of his Villa career. Across those appearances, spanning more than 11 hours, Watkins has only had 40 touches in the opposition penalty area and averaged less than one shot on target per game.

But arguably Villa's biggest concern is the form of Morgan Rogers. In truth, the PFA Young Player of the Year's influence has waned since the early February arrival of loanees Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford, which meant he was moved to a less-favoured position wide on the right. However, Rogers has looked a shadow of his former self this season back in his preferred number 10 role. He has the worst pass accuracy and duel success rate of any Villa player in 2025-26.

The 23-year-old's performance on Thursday may well have been the nadir as he only completed 10 of his 24 passes and lost possession a staggering 29 times. Ironic cheers greeted a successful pass he made in the 89th minute.

Fan frustration has been heightened by the fact Rogers' laboured displays – though there was no lack of effort from him against Bologna – contrast so sharply with his lively and inventive performance for England against Serbia earlier this month.

Emery intimated after Thursday's game that he keeps selecting Rogers in the hope he can play himself into form. "He needs to take experiences like today - not playing very well, the crowd not being happy with him - and grow up through it."

Rogers and his team-mates must now find a way to end the club's longest wait for a league win from the start of a season since 1969.

Fulham, meanwhile, are seeking a third successive victory but have historically been obliging opponents, with only one win in their past 21 league visits to Villa Park.

It is also five straight defeats for them in this fixture since a 3-0 home triumph in October 2022 resulted in Steven Gerrard being replaced by Emery as Villa manager.

A generation of Villa fans have never had it so good since then; it is a feeling they are in a hurry to rediscover.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Aston Villa v Fulham at 14:00 BST on Sunday

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at Aston Villa (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• There are no new injury concerns and there "is a chance" Kevin will be available depending on how training goes on Saturday.

• He said he wants his team "to play with confidence" at Villa Park and "to keep doing our maximum to get the three points".

• On the possibility of making it three wins in a row against Aston Villa: "To go and fight for three wins in a row is massive for us. It's been a tough place for us to go. We know the quality they have, but they haven't started the way they will have wanted."

• Silva said Villa Park is "a lovely place to play football because it's very intense" and the fans "are very passionate". He added: "We should control the way we play. We know what we have to do to win the football match."

• He said "it was nice" to see Emile Smith Rowe score against Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup. He added that there were "some solid performances and some not so good".

• Team "confidence is at a very good level" after gaining eight points from the opening five games and they want to build on that.

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to commentary of Aston Villa v Fulham on BBC Radio 5 Live at 14:00 on Sunday

Image source, Getty Images

The fourth-round fixtures of the EFL Cup have been confirmed:

• Arsenal v Brighton

• Grimsby Town v Brentford

• Swansea City v Manchester City

• Newcastle United v Tottenham

• Wrexham v Cardiff City

• Liverpool v Crystal Palace

• Wolves v Chelsea

• Wycombe v Fulham

Ties to be played in the week of 27 October

Fulham manager Marco Silva says Wales midfielder Harry Wilson, 28, who was targeted by Leeds over the summer, will hold talks over a contract extension. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham boss Marco Silva, speaking after the 1-0 win over Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup: "Everything was slow in the first half: the way we played, the way we circulated the ball, the tempo in our possession.

"Even if you have 80 per cent of possession, like we had, if you are not aggressive enough on the ball and with your moves, with your dynamic, it doesn't matter. You can have 90 or 95 per cent [but] you are not going to create anything.

"We had just one good chance first half. And it was our fault, of course. They tried to block - they sat back.

"Clearly it wasn't our most inspirational night for our most creative players, because in some moments in these type of games, you need the most creative players to create something.

"But in terms of tempo, the intensity, the aggressiveness on the ball, you have to do much quicker. We did second half, and that was the reason why we scored and created more chances.

"It wasn't a good performance for us at all, not with the inspiration that we need to play football in some moments, too.

"We knew what was our obligation. Sometimes it's not easy to say and to use this word, obligation, but of course we were clearly the favourites to be in the next round.

"We had to make it happen, and we did. We are going to play in the next round."

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

It was a completely different line-up for the Cottagers as boss Marco Silva made 11 changes - but only a few took their chance to make their mark.

Fulham had 82% possession in the opening 45 minutes but did not make it count with just two successful crosses from 11 attempts.

Neither side got any of their four shots on target in a largely uneventful first half, with Cambridge defending stoutly.

Adama Traore, who has yet to start in the Premier League this season, started brightly as his cross picked out Jimenez, whose back-post header was pushed behind by visiting goalkeeper Jake Eastwood.

But the Spain international was well marshalled by the visiting defence and had two further crosses blocked, before he was substituted six minutes before Fulham took the lead.

Jimenez was lively and hooked an effort over from close range and headed another chance wide from a corner.

The hosts were eventually able to overcome their lower-league opponents, but Silva looked distinctly unimpressed with his side throughout the match.

Marco Silva makes 11 changes to the Fulham side who beat Brentford at the weekend.

Summer signing Kevin starts for the Whites in attack along with Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez while defender Antonee Robinson returns from injury.

Sander Berge, Josh King and Harry Wilson are among those who drop to the bench.

Fulham XI: Lecomte, Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Reed, Cairney, Adama, Smith Rowe, Kevin, Raul.

Subs: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Berge, King, Wilson, Chukwueze, Muniz, Kusi-Asare.

There are eight changes to the Cambridge side who beat Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Jake Eastwood, midfielder James Brophy and forward Adam Mayor are the trio who keep their places.

Cambridge XI: Eastwood, Bennett, Bradshaw, Ibsen Rossi, Jobe, Smith, McLoughlin, Mpanzu, Brophy, Mayor, Lavery.

Subs: Hughes, Purrington, Ball, Watts, Kachunga, Kaikai, Knight, Gibbons, Kouassi.

There are eight games in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday - six involving Premier League sides - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Barnsley v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Burnley v Cardiff City

• Fulham v Cambridge United - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Lincoln City v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Everton

• Liverpool v Southampton (20:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

Kick-off times 19:45 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Lincoln v Chelsea" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Southampton", for instance.

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Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie against League Two Cambridge United at Craven Cottage (19:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva confirmed he has "nothing in terms of new injuries" and Antonee Robinson will "probably" be in contention to play, adding it is "a chance for him to have minutes".

• On Harry Wilson's future: "I know him very well. I know how much we wants to stay at the football club. If we can get an agreement, his future is going to be with us - 100% sure. The links with other clubs are normal."

• Asked how much of a priority the Carabao Cup is for Fulham, Silva said: "We are very serious. I mentioned last round, we have to do our maximum – doesn't matter if you change one, two or 10 players, our ambition is to be in the next round."

• He stressed the importance of the Whites performing well in cup competitions: "I understood some things that I changed straightaway, in terms of mindset and mentality for these type of competitions, and we have been really serious [since]. That was the reason why we have been achieving important stages of both cups throughout the past few seasons, and we want to do the same in the Carabao Cup."

• On easing new signings Jonah Kusi-Asare and Samuel Chukwueze into the team: "Naturally, they are going to get minutes throughout the season, because we signed them. [Kusi-Asare] is a young lad, he needs time to adapt. He came from a massive club, let's see when he's ready to have minutes. It will take time."

• On facing League Two Cambridge United: "Massive respect, of course, to our opposition side. You know it's a chance for them to be in the highlights the next day after the match. Playing at home, of course we are favourites, no doubts about it, but we have to prove on the pitch that we want to be in the next round, and this is our aim for the game."

Follow all of the day's football news

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary of Fulham v Cambridge at 19:45 on Tuesday

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Saturday's derby victory was illustrative of the importance of consistency.

I'll hold my hands up: I have criticised the club, specifically its recruitment team, for our transfer activity this summer. And though I still believe it was slow, and we are too light in certain areas – like midfield – our squad is full of quality and, crucially, the majority have been with Fulham for more than two seasons.

It is that familiarity with the club and Marco Silva's philosophy that helped us against Brentford and has helped create a strong start to the season.

That strength is highlighted by the contrast in our neighbours' fortunes. The Bees were stripped of their manager, as Thomas Frank fled to Tottenham, while key cogs in his machine including Bryan Mbuemo, Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard also departed.

That meant that we faced a significantly different Brentford side this weekend than the one we defeated just four months ago at the Gtech Stadium.

Fourteen of the players that featured for us on Saturday also played in our previous game against our west London rivals – and it showed.

It was fitting that two of our three goals came from Alex Iwobi and Harry Wilson, the latter netting his fourth goal against Brentford in less than a year.

Both players have their wing berths under threat from new recruits Kevin and Samuel Chukwueze.

Iwobi bagged a goal and an assist while Wilson showed why he causes so many Brentford fans to wake up in a cold sweat with another cool finish.

With a squad that knows each other – and the task at hand – inside out, plus added strength in key areas to push up our overall quality, the mood is pretty good in SW6 right now.

Hopefully that stays over the coming weeks.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Fulham and Brentford

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans

Marios: Fulham have become determined and hard to beat. They set the pace last night and Brentford were all over the place. What a squad Marco Silva has built - so much depth in every position.

John: Excellent all-round team effort. Josh King didn't let his error affect his performance - good to see his team-mates rally around him. Dealt well with all Brentford's long throws and set-pieces. Like watching Tony Pulis' Stoke - without the finesse. Harry Wilson did his usual Brentford thing with a lovely finish but the goal of the game should have been Rodrigo Muniz's. Even when we win, VAR has it in for us.

Luke: Two contrasting styles. Our emphasis seemed to be on playing out, getting on the ball and our offensive players making smart, penetrating runs. Brentford's was so focused on set-pieces but thankfully we dealt with them fairly well. Best team won.

David: I was very pleased and thought it a very dominant performance. Could have been even more convincing but for a goal being ruled offside by millimetres and one disallowed for an apparent foul, proving that in the eyes of today's officials, football is no longer a contact sport. Fulham will get much better.

Brentford fans

Les: Brentford have bought about their own destruction, by appointing a very inexperienced manager and not buying a replacement for Yoane Wissa as promised.

Brian: Hoofball didn't work. We needed four at the back in this game. The extra centre-half meant we played without wingers and Fulham pressed our wing-backs so that there was no footballing route towards our twin strikers, of which Kevin Schade would have been better employed in a front three. Record signing Dango Ouattara consigned to the bench? Really dire to watch, and if this continues I will start to get worried

David: The derby didn't quite deliver the quality football I was hoping for. Schade and Igor Thiago didn't seem to be on the same page, and we struggled to create opportunities from set-pieces. Keith Andrews needs to rethink his strategy, as the substitutions didn't effectively change the game or break down Fulham's defence.

Peter: Andrew flatters to deceive. We started with the wrong line-up and I think the board will have to bite the bullet sooner rather than later. In truth, in all our matches we have for the most part been outplayed.

Fulham boss Marco Silva, speaking to BBC Sport: "Two in a row is very good for us. Very difficult to achieve. The feeling is top. Well deserved. That's the main thing. We were the best team from the first minute to the last one. Great first half, great football from us. We dominated all the first half.

"We created many problems for them. The reaction was very good from the mistake. I like the way the players support Josh King straight away. It was a difficult moment for him. The reaction from King was top.

"Second goal, what an amazing finish. It was a good challenge on set-pieces. Many long throws, probably around 25. We handled it really well. We were brave and well organised. The players kept their focus. Proud of the players. To have a better weekend is what we want."

On Josh King: "He knows the trust we have in him he's working very hard. He's a top talent. I like his maturity too. I love how he's so humble and has the right mindset."

Did you know?

• Fulham have won three league matches in a row against Brentford for only the second time in their history and for the first time since October 1929, when the Cottagers won each of their first three matches against the Bees.