Notebook – Spurs vs Fulham

We move onto matchday six in the Premier League with the visit of Fulham on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm).

Ahead of the fixture, here are all of its key points of note…

1 - Dominance over Fulham

Over the years, we have been the dominant side in this Premier League fixture. Of the last 13 games between us and the Cottagers in the top flight, we have dropped just five points, taking 34 from a possible 39 with 11 wins and a draw. When it comes to Fulham making the trip across the capital to take us on, they have won just one of their previous 12 visits, have scored just five times and never more than once in a single match.

Last meeting – Fulham 0-1 Spurs | March, 2021

2 - The Cottagers’ strong start

Despite our dominance in this fixture, we will have to be wary of the threat of the Fulham, especially in light of their bright start to the campaign. Having lifted the Championship title last season with a tally of 90 points, the Cottagers have continued their strong form into their step up into the Premier League. With five games played, they are sitting in the sunlit uplands of eighth with two wins, two draws and eight points to their name thus far.

3 - A Thames revolution

Since we last played Fulham in the Premier League, the west London side has seen much change. Under Head Coach Marco Silva, just three of their latest starting XI lined up to face us back in that last meeting in March, 2021, with defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Antonee Robinson as well as midfielder Harrision Reed all still present – other current Fulham players Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tim Ream, Kenny Tete and Bobby Decordova-Reid were all on the bench that night.

This summer has seen major upheaval on the banks of the Thames at Putney as Fulham look to make the step up to the top flight with 11 new players having arrived at Craven Cottage. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno has moved from Arsenal while four defenders have joined the Whites in Issa Diop from West Ham, Kevin Mbabu from Wolfsburg, Shane Duffy from Brighton and Layvin Kurzawa from Paris Saint-Germain (both on loan). In midfield, Joao Palhinha has signed from Sporting CP and Andreas Pereira has moved from Manchester United while, in the forward areas, Willian has returned to the Premier League from Corinthians, Manor Solomon of Shakhtar Donetsk and Daniel James of Leeds United have joined on loan while our former forward Carlos Vinicius  (2020/21) has moved to the Cottagers on a permanent basis from Benfica.

4 - The threat of Mitrovic

The bright start of Fulham this season has largely been due to the fine form of their number nine, Aleksandar Mitrovic. Having enjoyed a record-breaking season in front of goal in the Championship last season as he hit an incredible 43 goals in just 46 games, he has continued that form into the Premier League. Having played in each of the Cottagers’ five games so far, he has scored as many goals and has only failed to hit the target in one outing – a 0-0 draw with Wolves on matchday two.

His record against us is also notable. With five goal involvements to his name in just five Premier League appearances versus us, he has contributed to more goals against us than any other team in England’s top flight (three scored, two assisted).

5 - Home London derby streak

It’s another week and another London derby in the Premier League this weekend. Just six games into the campaign, this Saturday will be our third capital clash having already faced Chelsea and West Ham. However, this will be our first one at home this campaign – and that is somewhere we have a very good recent record in such fixtures. In our last four London derbies at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we have come out on top, defeating Brentford, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Arsenal in succession. Not since 2010 have we enjoyed a better run (six matches).

6 - Harry to overtake Henry?

Someone who especially enjoys London derbies is Harry Kane. Having already scored in one this season – his late, late headed equaliser against Chelsea at Stamford bridge last month – our number 10 is on the cusp of becoming the Premier League’s record goalscorer in these fixtures. That goal against Chelsea was his 42^nd in capital clashes and has put him just one behind Thierry Henry (43).

7 - Home comforts

While we have been strong in London derbies at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent months, we have also been in fine form at home in general. Heading into this weekend’s game, we are currently enjoying a five-game winning streak at our N17 home – that marks our best-run there since we moved home in April, 2019. We last won as many consecutive home league games in the 2016/17 season – a run of 14.

Also, having won each of our first two home games this season, if we are to take all three points against Fulham on Saturday, it will be the first time since 2002/03 that we have triumphed in each of our first three home league fixtures.

8 - Unbeaten run

That positive home form has contributed to our good results in general in the Premier League as of late. As we head into matchday six, we remain unbeaten in the top flight with three wins and two draws to our name thus far. Only twice before in the Premier League era have we remained unbeaten after our first six games – 2004/05 (finished ninth) and 2016/17 (finished second). Including the end of last season, we are now unbeaten in our last 11 league outings (W7 D4). We last went on a longer such run at the start of the 2016/17, going undefeated for 12 consecutive games.

9 - Fulham’s London derby struggles

While we have largely enjoyed stepping out into London derbies as of late, the opposite could be said of Fulham. In the history of the Premier League and the London clubs to have appeared in the competition, the Cottagers hold the lowest win rate of any team in these fixtures. Having played in 140 capital clashes in total in the top flight, the west London side have won just 26 times (18.6 per cent).

10 - Conte vs Silva

While this will be the first time Antonio Conte has faced Fulham in a competitive match in his managerial career, it will not be his first meeting with Marco Silva. Twice before has our Italian Head Coach gone head-to-head with the Portuguese coach, and both times he has come out on top. With each meeting coming during his tenure at Chelsea, Antonio first earned a 2-0 win over Silva’s Hull City side in January, 2017, before he then defeated Silva's his Watford team 4-2 in the following October.