Lopetegui Considers Fullkrug For Fulham Clash Amidst Injury Concerns

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Julen Lopetegui has not ruled out Niclas Fullkrug's participation when West Ham faces Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday. Fullkrug, who joined from Borussia Dortmund, sustained an injury while playing for Germany in their 5-0 victory over Hungary, where he also scored. Lopetegui has secured one win in his first three league games and believes his team is still evolving.

Fulham entered the international break following a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The Cottagers are currently 12th in the early-season standings. Marco Silva's revamped squad showed promise during their match against Ipswich, earning four points from their first three Premier League fixtures. Silva acknowledged that his team had to adapt their style of play but remains optimistic about maintaining their unbeaten home record.

Lopetegui commented on Fullkrug's condition, saying, "Let's see, he has a little problem, it was a pity." He added that they would evaluate him further today and make a final decision tomorrow. Lopetegui noted the challenge of working with players who were absent during the international break but emphasized their focus on the upcoming match against Fulham.

Fulham's Antonee Robinson has been impressive since last season, with eight assists among defenders in the Premier League. Only Kieran Trippier has more assists (10). Robinson's assists have all come from open play, placing him alongside top players like Mohamed Salah and Brennan Johnson in this regard.

West Ham's Jarrod Bowen has been a standout performer away from home, scoring nine Premier League goals since last season. Only Erling Haaland and Ollie Watkins have netted more away goals during this period. Bowen's only goal this season came in an away match against Crystal Palace.

Silva reflected on their previous encounter with West Ham, stating, "Tough Premier League game, as always, against a side that you know are going to be really hard to play against." He mentioned that although they were solid in the second half of their last game, they struggled to create chances due to a different style of play.

Match Prediction: Draw

Fulham won both Premier League meetings with West Ham last season by an aggregate score of 7-0. They haven't won three consecutive league games against West Ham since October 1966. Marco Silva has more Premier League wins against West Ham than any other team he has faced (P9 W6 L3), with his sides scoring 17 goals against them.

West Ham's only win this season came away at Crystal Palace (2-0). They last won their opening two away league games in the 2015-16 season. The Hammers have won 16 of their 28 Premier League matches against Fulham, making it their best win rate against any team they've faced at least five times (57%).

Fulham have lost only one of their four top-flight games following an international break last season (W2 D1), while West Ham lost three of their four such games in the previous campaign (W1). This season, only Newcastle United have faced more shots than West Ham (52), and their expected goals against total is also high at 6.4.

According to Opta Win Probability, Fulham has a 40% chance of winning, while West Ham stands at 33.8%, with a draw predicted at 26.2%.