Bristol City v Fulham

DID YOU
KNOW?
City Academy graduates Bobby Decordova-Reid and
Joe Bryan left BS3 in the 2018 summer transfer window, with
Bryan heading straight for West London. Decordova-Reid
initially signed for Cardiff City, before he went on loan to
Fulham and made the switch permanently in January 2020.
IIT’S BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE START TO THE
SEASON FOR THE COTTAGERS, WHO ARE
VYING TO RETURN TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE
ONCE MORE AFTER A PROUD TOP-FLIGHT
HISTORY WHICH INCLUDES A 13-SEASON
SPELL BETWEEN 2001-2014.
The West London side then
spent four consecutive seasons
in the Championship before
jumping twice between the
two divisions. Both of their
recent promotions have come
via the play-offs, which they
have reached three times since
2016/17.
Today's visitors may have
endured yo-yo years recently
under the likes of Slaviša
Jokanović and Claudio Ranieri,
but new Fulham boss Marco
Silva couldn’t have asked
for a much better start after
signing a three-year deal in the
summer.
The ex-Watford and Everton
manager was appointed head
coach following Scott Parker’s
move to AFC Bournemouth,
with the Portuguese named
EFL Championship Manager
of the Month for August as his
side dropped only two points,
winning four of their first five
league games.
They did suffer a somewhat
shock 1-0 defeat to Blackpool
Leading scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates his goal against Hull City
during the 2-0 win at Craven Cottage last month.
earlier this month, and fell to a
2-1 defeat at home to Reading
last weekend, before Carabao
Cup action against Leeds
United on Tuesday night.
Silva fielded a strong side –
featuring former Robins Bobby
Decordova Reid, Alfie Mawson
and Joe Bryan – but Marcelo
Bielsa’s men were victorious 6-5
in the decisive penalty shootout
with the scores goalless after
90 minutes.
Fulham now head to BS3 for
the first time since March 2020,
which was City’s final game to
be played in front of supporters
before the Covid-19 pandemic
made its mark.
With a total 17 players leaving
the club over the summer,
Fulham strengthened with the
arrivals of goalkeeper Paulo
Gazzaniga (from Tottenham
Hotspur), Brazilian forward
Rodrigo Muniz (Flamengo),
midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah
(Watford) and Liverpool
midfielder Harry Wilson.
THE ROB NS Fulham | 11