Fulham are looking to pick up where they left off in the Premier League as they travel to south London to take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Boxing Day.
The Cottagers have steered themselves to ninth place after being promoted into the top flight last season, currently sitting just two points behind Chelsea and Brighton, with the Seagulls occupying the final European spot.
They face a Palace side below them only on goal difference, with Patrick Vieira’s men also having picked up 19 points so far this season, in a game that could see one side slide back towards the drop zone with defeat.
Predicted XI
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Team News
Fulham may again be without star man Aleksandar Mitrović, who has yet to recover from an injury he sustained ahead of the World Cup. However, he will not be out for long.
‘He had that issue in his foot before the World Cup’, Silva explained. ‘He played some games [in Qatar], but not fully fit. We are trying to get him into his best physical condition. If not Palace, he will probably [be available] for the next one.’
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Another potential absentee could be fellow World Cup returnee Antonee Robinson, who has a foot injury and is being assessed on a daily basis.
‘Robinson came back with a small problem in his foot from [Qatar]. He didn’t train in the first 10-15 days since the World Cup. It’s a situation to see day-by-day; it’s not serious’, the Fulham Boss told the media.
It means that Fulham could be without a left-back for their trip to Selhurst Park, with Layvin Kurzawa also struggling for fitness.
In the week before West Ham, he felt something, not really serious, but a small setback. In the next few days, he will be back in training. It’s frustrating for him’, Silva added on the Frenchman
Summer signing Manor Solomon will also be unavailable for the next fortnight or so with a knee injury.