Fulham vs Derby County. Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs Semi-Final.
Craven CottageAttendance23,529.
2-1
Tuesday 15 May 2018 22:24, UK
Sheyi Ojo will be hoping to earn a recall for Fulham in their crucial play-off semi-final second leg at home to Derby on Monday night.
Ojo has been sidelined for the last six games because of an unspecified injury and failed to make Slavisa Jokanovic's squad for Friday night's 1-0 first-leg defeat. Floyd Ayite marked his return from a hamstring injury by playing 76 minutes.
Ikechi Anya could return to Derby's starting XI for the first time since the 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on March 11. Anya came off the bench to replaced Matej Vydra with 22 minutes left to play at Pride Park as the Rams took control of the tie.
The midfielder is available to Gary Rowett should he wish to freshen his side up for the second leg. Defender Marcus Olsson's season is over after it was confirmed he has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Fulham are still looking for their first ever win in the Football League play-offs, having drawn two and lost five of their previous seven games.
The last second tier team to win the play-offs after suffering a semi-final first leg defeat was Bolton Wanderers, who overturned a 2-1 defeat against Wolves in 1995 (3-2 on aggregate), before beating Reading in the final.
None of Fulham's last three results in home play-off games would be enough to see them advance to this year's final (0-4 v Bristol Rovers in 1989, 1-1 v Grimsby in 1998 and 1-1 v Reading last season).
Derby have progressed to the play-off final on each of the previous three occasions they have won the semi-final first leg; all of which have come in the second tier (in 1994, 2007 and 2014).
In all competitions, the Rams have lost just one of their last six games at Craven Cottage (W1 D4), with each of the three games there against Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham side ending in stalemates (1-1, 2-2 and 1-1).
After failing to score in the first leg at Pride Park, Fulham have now netted just two goals across their seven games in the Football League play-offs.
However, the West London side have scored more league goals than any other Championship team in 2018, with 61% of their total coming in home games (27 of 44).
Aleksandar Mitrovic has been directly involved in seven of Fulham's last 12 league goals at Craven Cottage, scoring six and assisting one.
After scoring just once in his first 15 league appearances for Derby, Cameron Jerome has netted in each of his four outings since (five goals).
If Jerome nets in the second leg, it would be the first time in his league career (inc. play-offs) that he has scored in five consecutive games.
What a great win that was for Derby, especially when you consider the fact they were the first team to stop Fulham scoring in the Championship since December! Gary Rowett's side kept Ryan Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic very quiet, and Cameron Jerome has started scoring goals again just at the right time.
Fulham will play the same way at Craven Cottage as they did at Pride Park and you imagine that Derby will sit in with their three centre-backs and try to nick a goal on the counter. I have a feeling this one could go to penalties, where I'd have to back Fulham to edge through.
David Prutton predicts: Fulham to progress on penalties (14/1 with Sky Bet)
