Coventry City v Fulham: One point separates sides across relegation line
Coventry City sit one place and one point above Fulham heading into their Premier League meeting on Saturday. Four injuries limit Coventry’s options, while…
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One point separates Coventry City from Fulham and the relegation places, giving their Week 8 meeting an immediate consequence near the foot of the Premier League table. Coventry enter the game in 17th with six points; Fulham are directly below them on five.
Both sides have played seven matches. A Fulham victory would take them above their hosts, while a Coventry win would extend the gap between the teams to four points.
Coventry must negotiate that contest without four injured players. Defender Aurele Amenda is out with a calf injury, while fellow defender Luke Woolfenden is sidelined by a knee problem.
Forward Haji Wright also misses out with a muscle injury, and midfielder Josh Eccles is unavailable through injury. Those absences leave Coventry short of options across three areas of the pitch.
Fulham have two confirmed defensive absences of their own. Joachim Andersen and Ryan Sessegnon are suspended, with Sessegnon serving a ban for a red card. Midfielder Hugo Larsson is also questionable because of a groin injury.
Coventry’s latest result was a 3-1 defeat away to Tottenham, ending a two-match winning run. Before that setback, they beat Newcastle United 4-1 at home and Nottingham Forest 1-0 away, collecting all six of their league points so far in those two games.
That recent home victory provides a contrast with their other results on their own ground. Coventry have won one and lost two of their three home league matches this season, including a 5-0 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion.
Fulham arrive after beating Hull City 1-0 at home for their first league victory of the campaign. Their seven matches have produced one win, two draws and four defeats, leaving them one point from safety.
Away from home, Fulham have taken one point from three matches, with one draw and two defeats. Saturday therefore offers a chance to record their first away league win as well as move above Coventry.
The early-season table leaves little room between these opponents, but both have already suffered more defeats than they have avoided: Coventry have lost five of seven and Fulham four. This meeting offers each side a direct opportunity to improve its position against a nearby rival.
Coventry host Fulham on Saturday 24 October, with kickoff at 15:00 BST. The Week 8 fixture gives the visitors a route out of the bottom three at their hosts’ expense.
Questions
Can Fulham move above Coventry City with a win?
Yes. Fulham have five points and Coventry have six, so a Fulham victory would take them to eight points and above Coventry.
Which players are unavailable for Coventry City and Fulham?
Coventry are without injured Aurele Amenda, Haji Wright, Josh Eccles and Luke Woolfenden. Fulham defenders Joachim Andersen and Ryan Sessegnon are suspended, while midfielder Hugo Larsson is questionable with a groin injury.
What is the relegation zone?
The relegation zone contains the league positions that lead to demotion at the end of the season. In the Premier League, those are the bottom three places. Fulham enter this match in 18th, while Coventry are 17th.
