This Thursday night the Seagulls will hope to get back to the Premier League and get into the top four to play at Craven Cottage against Fulham.
The Cottagers will be facing the Seagulls for the first time after the start of March when the latter suffered a 3-0 loss to the former on their home ground.
After being hammered 4-1 at home by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham came from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in North London coming into the weekend but the game was not without controversy for Fulham captain Tom Cairney.
The midfielder equalised for Simon-Thomas Brennan Johnson’s first half against all hope of Rovers, before being dismissed for a two-footed challenge with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Yet the Spurs could not breach the stubborn and resolute Cottagers ‘ backline with ten men to deny themselves a victory share.
After the match, the Fulham manager Marco Silva was fumed as he reacted that his team should have won the match against Spurs. But a draw has placed Manchester occupying the CEO position in the Premier League table, only four points above the relegation danger zone and right above Tottenham Hotspur in 12th place, only one point below the Spurs and four points away from the host team Brighton and Hove Albion occupying the 5th place.
Prior to the Seagulls joining the top tier this past summer, the Cottagers had a positive head-to-head record against them in the top flight, winning four of their last eight meetings and claiming four stalemates to boot, overall winning their last two encounters at the Craven Cottage with a score of 5-1; Aston Villa aside, no other side has faced Fulham more often than it in the division without suffering a defeat.
But in midweek fixtures, they have struggled to record victories as they have only emerged winners of their last league game on any day of midweek, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (D1 L4) after previously emerging victory bearers in four out of their five league games since promotion to the English top flight in 2022.
Three days prior to sharing the spoils in a 1-1 Premier League draw with 10-man Fulham, Spurs gave up an equalizer in the 91st minute of a 2-2 Europa League stalemate at home against Roma. Tom Cairney, who was eventually sent off in the final moments, cancelled out Brennan Johnson's opening goal.
In their last eight games across all competitions, Ange Postecoglou's unreliable team has recorded three victories, two draws, and three losses. They are currently ranked eighth in the Premier League standings, six points outside the top four and eight behind Chelsea and Arsenal, who are in second and third place, respectively.
Tottenham has been forced to settle for back-to-back draws against Roma and Fulham, despite leading in both games, since winning a stunning 4-0 victory away against Manchester City in the Premier League.
Spurs, who are currently the Premier League's top scorers with 28 goals in 13 games this season, have had no trouble finding the net. However, in just one of their last 24 top-flight games played outside of London, a 4-0 loss to Newcastle United in April, they have failed to score.
Tottenham will be confident in their chances of winning on Thursday because they have won 10 of their 14 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth; the only team in the division with a higher win rate against a team they have faced at least 10 times is Swansea City (79%). Tottenham, who have been drawn against non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup third round, may have been inconsistent on the road this season, winning four, drawing one, and losing four of their nine away games.
Iraola may continue to use Tyler Adams and Ryan Christie in center-midfield in Cook's possible absence, while Kluivert is expected to continue playing a key role behind striker Evanilson.
