Fulham v Blackburn
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Craven Cottage
Date: Wednesday, 11 March
Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Fulham have no new injury worries and so could name an unchanged side from that which lost 4-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup.
Chris Baird (leg) is still out and Giles Barnes continues to build up his fitness in the reserves.
Blackburn have concerns over goalkeepers Paul Robinson (shoulder) and Jason Brown (groin).
Roque Santa Cruz (knee) is a major doubt but Morten Gamst Pedersen returns from suspension.
Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Pantsil, Stoor, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Baird, Davies, Etuhu, Dacourt, Murphy, Gera, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Kallio, Nevland, Kamara, Gray, Barnes.
Blackburn (from): Robinson, Brown, Bunn, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Samba, Simpson, Warnock, Givet, Olsson, Villanueva, Tugay, Andrews, Diouf, Treacy, Mokoena, Haworth, Santa Cruz, McCarthy, Roberts, Pedersen.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson:
"We have 11 games to play and I'm hopeful that, in those 11 games, we'll get enough points to stay up.
"The league will occupy our attention and we have to pick ourselves up after losing and get ourselves ready for Blackburn."
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce:
"This is our game in hand, if we come away with a point it takes us out of the bottom three.
"The win would obviously be great because it stretches that points difference that little bit farther and we'd maximise that game in hand. But if we can't win it, make sure we don't lose it.
"You have to look at recent form and results and say they have had a little blip. We could be playing them at a good time, mentally they might be a little drained because of their last two games.
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
Blackburn Rovers go to Craven Cottage to face Fulham and their former boss Roy Hodgson, needing a point to rise out of the relegation zone.
Defeat to Hull in their last home league game was Fulham's first loss in 10 top flight games at Craven Cottage; victory at Hull in their last away game was Blackburn's first victory in 10 Premier League matches on the road.
The Cottagers have not lost back-to-back home league games this season; Rovers have not lost successive away league games this season.
This match pits the best behaved and most ill-disciplined clubs in the Premier League.(Fulham details / Blackburn details)
Fulham have only won one of their last six home Premier League matches against Blackburn; 2-1 on 17 December 2005.
This is the eighth successive Premier League season for Fulham and Blackburn, who were both promoted in the summer of 2001. The Cottagers average finish is 13th; Rovers', over the same period is 10th.
Distance between the clubs: 233 miles (376 kilometres)
CLUB FORM
FULHAM
Club stats
10th 34 pointsHighest achievable: 8thLowest could fall: 10th
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League
1. Won and scored in only one of the last five Premier League outings; failed to score in six of the last 10.
2. Lost only one of 10 league games in which they've opened the scoring; won eight.
3. The current tally of 34 points after 27 games is their best return for five years.
4. Need to score three times to total 200 home goals in Premier League history.
5. Only Manchester and Liverpool have gained more home points in this Premier League campaign.
6. Not lost successive home league games since tumbling to defeats by Sunderland and Liverpool on 5 and 19 April 2008.
7. Picked up seven points out of nine in home matches against North-West clubs this season.
8. Gained 20 more Premier League points at home than on their travels (27 at the Cottage, seven on the road). Only Stoke have a bigger disparity (21 points).
9. Been doubled by West Ham and Hull so far, and could be beaten home and away by five clubs in total, including Blackburn.
10. Roy Hodgson managed Blackburn between 1 June 1997 and 21 November 1998 and took them to the Uefa Cup in his first season at Ewood Park.
Fixtures
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Club stats
18th 27 pointsHighest achievable: 15thLowest could fall: 18th
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League
1. Won one of six Premier League games.
2. Drawn five of 10 top-flight matches under Sam Allardyce.
3. The current point-a-game return of 27 points from 27 games, is their lowest for seven years.
4. Won two of 13 Premier League fixtures against current top-half clubs; Everton and Manchester City.
5. Only two goals short of conceding 700 in Premier League history.
6. Already done the double over Newcastle, and could do likewise against Fulham and Stoke.
7. Lost 10 of the 12 league games in which they've conceded the opening goal; won none.
8. Scored nine of their 30 Premier League goals in the last 10 minutes.
9. Last won consecutive away games in the Premier League on 30 December 2007 and 13 January 2008 against Derby and Bolton respectively.
10. Won only one of their last 12 Premier League matches against London clubs, home to Fulham on 20 September 2008. Lost their last four league trips to the capital, and need to score three times to total 100 Premier League goals in London; just two are required tottotals 100 goals against clubs inside the M25 (including Watford).
Fixtures
KEY PLAYER NOTES
FULHAM
Squad profiles
Aaron HUGHES and Mark SCHWARZER have played every minute of every one of Fulham's Premier League matches this season.
Andrew JOHNSON is the club's top Premier League scorer with six goals.
If on the field from the outset:-
HUGHES will be making his 300th career league start (Newcastle, Aston Vill and Fulham).
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Squad profiles
Benni McCARTHY is the club's top Premier League scorer with seven goals.
David DUNN is a double shy of 50 club career goals.
If selected:-
Morten Gamst PEDERSEN will be making his 150th Premier League appearance - all for Blackburn.
HEAD TO HEAD
Fulham need to score once to total 100 league goals against Blackburn.
One goal for Blackburn would bring their total of league goals on Fulham turf to 50.
Victory will secure a second Premier League double for Rovers over the Cottagers. The first was in 2002-03.
Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Fulham 22 wins, Blackburn 30, Draws 19Prem: Fulham 4 wins, Blackburn 8, Draws 3
at Fulham onlyLeague (inc PL): Fulham 14 wins, Blackburn 8, Draws 13Prem: Fulham 2 wins, Blackburn 3, Draws 2
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Fulham 2-2 Blackburn Rovers24 November 2007 - Ref: Mike Dean Fulham scorers: Murphy 51 pen, Kamara 63Blackburn scorers: Emerton 57, Warnock 79
THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Fulham20 September 2008 - Ref: Lee Probert Blackburn scorer: Derbyshire 84
REFEREE
Rob Styles (Waterlooville, Hampshire)
