Everything on... Fulham

The first home game of our 2018/19 Premier League campaign sees Fulham make the short trip across the capital to face us at Wembley.

Fulham beat Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final at the national stadium in May to return to the top flight for the first time since 2013/14.

Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents...

Team news

Alfie Mawson is yet to feature for the Cottagers following his move from Swansea City due to a knee injury while fellow defenders Tim Ream (injury) and Denis Odoi (suspension) are also unavailable. Floyd Ayité missed Fulham’s league opener at Crystal Palace last week but has returned to training while left-back Joe Bryan is fit after suffering an ankle knock against Palace.

One to watch

There is plenty of intrigue surrounding Ryan Sessegnon as the 18-year-old embarks on his maiden Premier League campaign.

Having made his debut at the start of the 2016/17 season, aged 16, the youth team prodigy went on to score seven times in all competitions and was named in the Championship’s PFA Team of the Year. He then struck three goals to help England become Under-19 European champions in the summer.

Last season he was a pivotal part of Fulham’s promotion-winning side, scoring 15 league goals and being named the EFL Player and Young Player of the Year.

Last five meetings

19 February, 2017 – Fulham 0-3 Spurs – FA Cup, fifth round
19 April, 2014 – Spurs 3-1 Fulham – Premier League
4 December, 2013 – Fulham 1-2 Spurs – Premier League
17 March, 2013 – Spurs 0-1 Fulham – Premier League
1 December 2012 – Fulham 0-3 Spurs – Premier League

Previous clash

Harry Kane stole the show with a hat-trick when we travelled to Craven Cottage for a tricky FA Cup fifth round tie in February, 2017.

Our number 10 swept in Christian Eriksen’s 16th-minute cross to put us in front and we dominated thereafter. The same players combined for our second six minutes after half-time before Harry surged onto Dele Alli’s pass and finished with his customary aplomb to seal victory, and his treble, with 17 minutes remaining.

Fulham’s form

The Cottagers’ Premier League opener did not go to plan as they suffered a 2-0 reverse at home to Crystal Palace, Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha on target for Roy Hodgson’s side.

Having beaten Crawley Town 4-2, they failed to score in four of their final five pre-season friendlies, losing to Fenerbahçe, Lyon and Sampdoria before drawing 2-2 with Celta Vigo in their final warm-up game.

Those results bore little resemblance to the form they showed on their way to promotion at the end of last season, when they won 20 and only lost two of their final 27 games.

Magic moment

Charismatic central midfielder Sandro wasn’t afraid to take shots on from range – and that certainly paid off in our 3-0 Premier League victory at Craven Cottage on 1 December, 2012.

With the scores level in the 55th minute, the Brazilian collected the ball on the edge of the centre circle, advanced a couple of steps and cracked a low shot past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer from some 35 yards.

Jermain Defoe later added a brace to complete the scoring as we controlled the second-half proceedings.

Played for both

Mousa Dembele joined us from Fulham in August, 2012, and has gone on to be a firm fans’ favourite in his six years at the club. He spent two full seasons at Craven Cottage following his move from AZ Alkmaar, where he won the Dutch title in 2009, scoring seven times in 75 appearances.

The former Germinal Beerschot and Willem II midfielder has now made 233 appearances for us, scoring 10 goals, and has featured in four of our five games against Fulham since his move across London.

Former Spurs players Ryan Fredericks and David Button left Fulham at the end of last season while Scott Parker, who moved from Spurs to Craven Cottage in 2013, is currently first team coach there having overseen our Under-18 side last term.

What they’re saying

Fulham boss Slaviša Jokanović admitted: “We know a tough game is ahead of us. This year in this stadium (Wembley), only (Manchester) City and Juventus won against them. But this is a great opportunity for us to test ourselves again against one of the top English and European teams.

“We know very well we must be solid and available to work off the ball. We know this team is probably going to take possession off us, and we must be ready to work all together off the ball and show solidarity and great effort.

“In some part of the defensive work, you don’t have to be so talented, (but) you must be clever, organised, and show great decision-making off the ball.”