Fulham vs Luton Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Craven CottageAttendance18,082.
Watch live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app from 7.40pm on Wednesday; Kick-off is at 7.45pm
Tuesday 22 October 2019 18:14, UK
Fulham face Luton in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday. Coverage gets under way live on Sky Sports Football Red Button at 7.40pm; Kick-off 7.45pm.
Fulham boss Scott Parker has no injury concerns. A 2-0 defeat away to struggling Stoke at the weekend means Parker's side have won just two of their last eight league outings.
The Cottagers, among the pre-season promotion favourites, sit 10th as a result but Parker should have a full complement of players to select from. Stefan Johansen sat out the defeat at the Bet365 Stadium but is set to return.
Luton may be without the services of Izzy Brown for the short trip to west London. The on-loan Chelsea midfielder is a doubt after being forced off late on in Saturday's 3-0 win over Bristol City with a leg injury.
Brown hit the post and laid on a goal for Harry Cornick before being replaced by Callum McManaman - who is likely to replace the 22-year-old if he is not fit. There was better news on the injury front for fellow loanee James Bree as the Aston Villa defender expected to have recovered from a groin complaint that saw him taken off at half-time at the weekend.
In spite of Fulham's shock 2-0 loss at Stoke at the weekend, Scott Parker's men are ticking along nicely, with that being their first league defeat since August 24. Before the international break, they drew 2-2 with Charlton, a result that came after a 2-0 win over Wigan and a thumping 4-1 win away at Reading.
Luton are, perhaps, defying expectations given this is their first season back in the Championship since the 2006/07 season. They beat Bristol City 3-0 on Saturday, after starting October with a 1-1 draw at home to Millwall and a 2-0 loss against Derby at Pride Park.
It is almost a year since Fulham disposed of Slavisa Jokanovic, and with every passing month it has looked like a worse and worse decision. The Serbian boss would certainly be getting more out of this incredibly talented squad, which is significantly stronger - even without Ryan Sessegnon - than the one with which he won promotion.
Fulham are actually two points better off than they were at this stage in their promotion-winning campaign of 2017/18, but automatic promotion must be the aim with this side and with the money spent. At the moment they look nowhere near.
Fulham and Luton haven't met in any competition since December 1999, a 3-0 win for Fulham in an FA Cup third round replay.
Luton's last away league visit to Fulham was in October 1998, winning 3-1 with goals from Phil Gray, Stuart Douglas and Steve Davis.
Fulham have won just one of their last five home games in all competitions (W1 D2 L2), having won four of their five prior to this run (W4 D0 L1).
Since drawing 0-0 away at Plymouth in March, none of Luton's last 12 away games in all competitions have ended as draws (W6 L6).
Since making his debut for Fulham in February 2018, Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 37% of the Cottagers' league goals (31/84).
James Collins has scored 49 league goals for Luton, though is without a goal in his last three appearances for the Hatters.
Fulham dominated possession against Stoke on Saturday but they had fewer shots and shots on target. At this point you have to wonder if Scott Parker is getting the most out of an extremely talented squad.
Luton got a good win at the weekend and look to be doing enough right now to survive in this division, which would be massive for them after so long away from this level. Home win for me.
David Prutton predicts: 2-0 (13/2 with Sky Bet)
