Latics at the Cottage

This relegation six pointer had the heat turned up yesterday when Fulham sacked manager Lawrie Sanchez the day before the game and just 5 days before Christmas, talk about Scrooge

Ray Lewington will take temporary charge of the Londoners until a permanent John Collins, sorry, manager can be found

Fulham have been unlucky this season conceding late goals to end up losing matches, now where have we seen that before, but they are a decent team who pass the ball well

This afternoons game could well have a bearing on which of these two unfashionable clubs are relegated come May

A win for the Latics and we will leap frog Fulham and could find ourselves outside the drop zone a defeat and our nearest rivals will have stolen a march on us going four points clear

Steve Bruce:

If you can beat your rivals it will always help. Fulham will be saying exactly the same.

'The big bonus for us is that if we can beat them, and with the other games at the bottom, it's a possibility we can get out of the bottom three.


'That will be a huge thing going into the Christmas period.'

Ray Lewington:

'When I was driving in today [Friday] I had no idea.

'The players are fine. Footballers are used to managers coming and going and I will put my stamp on the team which will be slightly different.


'Wigan are a side that are down there with us - we need to win our home games so this is vitally important.'

Jimmy Bullard will still be out for the clash.

The former Latics midfielder featured in a reserve game in midweek, but he isnt up to match fitness yet

Fulham from:

Niemi, Warner,Baird, Omozusi, Stefanovic, Hughes, Leijer, Bocanegra, Konchesky,Davis, Murphy, Seol, Davies, Dempsey, Healy, Kamara, Bouazza, Kuqi.

Northern Ireland striker knows where the net is and Bramble will need to keep him quiet this afternoon

Emile Heskey could make a surprise return to the team after being carried off last weekend with what looked like a serious ankle injury.

The Latics talisman appears to have made a sound recovery

Jason Koumas and Antoine Sibierski are rated 50/50 to have recovered from injury in time for the game

Latics from:

Kirkland, Pollitt,Taylor, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Granqvist, Olembe,Hall,Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Koumas, Skoko, Sibierski,Bent, Heskey, Aghahowa, Cotterill

Bent is on fire at the moment and he causes opposition defences endless problems with his never say die attitude

Fulham 0-1 Latics (Camara 83)
28/10/06
Ref G.Poll

A game that Latics dominated and Denny Landzaat missed a penalty

Earlier this season Latics drew 1-1 with Fulham at the JJB, Jason Koumas equalising with an 80th min penalty

Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)

Card count:

Matches - 14

Red - 1

Yellow - 52

Heart says 2-0 Latics win

Head says 1-1 draw

Latics Vs Newcastle United

26/12/07

3pm

JJB

Latics Vs Aston Villa

29/12/07

3pm

JJB

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