Oddschecker football writer Ryan Elliott gets all misty-eyed about a trip to Fulham and the prospect of an away win.
The Result
Fulham away. A fixture that Albion fans would have immediately earmarked the day the Premier League fixtures were released. The walk along the bank of the Thames, winding its way to Craven Cottage – a beautiful old stadium which makes it impossible not to love football – is a pilgrimage of joy.
It’s fair to say Albion have enjoyed their trips to Fulham in recent years: Nathan Jones’ impassioned histrionics after pulling Albion out of the relegation zone in 2014; Tomer Hemed, aloft on the advertising hoardings after rolling in a 94th-minute penalty; perhaps best of all, Lewis Dunk, heading past now-Albion goalkeeper David Button, sending the Putney End into delirium. Football really is the greatest game on Earth.
And we get to do it all again tonight, but where is the value in the betting markets?
Probably an Albion victory. Seagulls are a hefty 40/17 to claim the points at the Cottage which, considering recent history between these two sides, is not to be sniffed at.
The hosts have lost their last four matches – including an FA Cup exit against League Two Oldham – while Albion’s performances against Liverpool and Manchester United in their last two Premier League games were mightily encouraging. It’s a league match where all three results are possible, but with Claudio Ranieri’s side edging towards the trap-door, Albion must see this as a winnable one.
At such a generous price, the result with the most value looks to be an Albion victory.
https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/fulham-v-brighton/winner
The Banker
While the Seagulls’ turgid 0-0 draw with West Brom scuppered Saturday’s banker, I’m going for the same again (hopefully with more successful results): both teams to score.
64% of Fulham’s home games have seen both teams score – with only Huddersfield (the league’s lowest scorers) unable to find a way past them – while Albion have failed to score against just two bottom-half sides away from home.
With neither outfit keeping clean sheets on any sort of regular basis (four for Albion and just two for Fulham), BTTS at 19/20 is a good prospect.
The Longshot
Albion’s last two victories at the Cottage have both ended 2-1.
If you back this to happen again, you would get massive odds of 12/1 – surely a bigger price than it should be.
There’s always a risk that Albion will capitulate on the road, but those days are increasingly less common this season, and with Fulham looking particularly vulnerable in defence, this is a good opportunity for Chris Hughton’s side to register a third away win of the campaign.
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