Fulham’s first home game of the new Premier League season is a local derby against Brentford. The Whites may have won the first meeting between the sides last season at Craven Cottage – almost a year to the day of this game, in fact – through that late Aleksandar Mitrovic header, but they lost the return fixture in Hounslow and finished directly below the Bees in the final standings, so there’s plenty to play for this afternoon.

The two main protagonists from last August will be missing. Mitrovic has failed to recover from the ankle knock he picked up at Everton on the opening day, whilst Ivan Toney, who scored three times in the two meetings last term, is banned. Brentford are also without the services of the man Joe Bryan beat twice at Wembley in the Championship play-off final as David Raya has completed his protracted move to Arsenal. Marco Silva was at pains to point out that Mitrovic’s absence has nothing to do with renewed interest in the Serbian striker from Al-Hilal yesterday and also disclosed that Joao Palhinha is available for selection.

Here are a few facts and figures ahead of the game:

  • Fulham have one only won one of their last seven regular-season league fixtures against Brentford – the victory at the Cottage last August.
  • The Whites have never won their first opening two games in a top-flight campaign – could this be 29th time lucky?
  • The Cottagers have won their first Craven Cottage game in only one of their previous eight Premier League seasons: the 5-0 thrashing of Norwich City in 2012
  • Just one of our last seven Premier League clean sheets have come at home
  • Raul Jimenez hasn’t scored in his last 24 Premier League outings. But new signing Adama Traore has made seven Premier League goals for the Mexican striker.
  • Brentford are the top flight’s draw specialists – their 2-2 stalemate with Spurs last Sunday was their fifteenth share of the spoils since the start of last season.
  • The Bees have lost just two of their last sixteen away league visits to Craven Cottage – winning eight.
  • Three of their five league away wins last season came in London derbies (at West Ham, Chelsea and Tottenham)
  • Bryan Mbeumo has been directly involved in 10 goals in 12 league games since the start of April

If you are after some pre-match reading ahead of the kick off, then why not try:

If you’d like something to listen to on your way to Craven Cottage, you can check out:

Don’t forget:

On this day in Fulham history:

  • In 1978, Kevin Lock made his Fulham debut in a 3-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers.
  • In 2001, Louis Saha scored twice at Old Trafford as the Whites returned to the top flight after 33 years in the wilderness and almost humbled Manchester United. I can’t be the only one who still questions the award of that free-kick against Steve Finnan, can I?
  • In 2013, Fulham signed Scott Parker from Tottenham Hotspur for £3.5m.

Happy birthday:

The man who put the ball in the Carlisle United net, Rodney McAree, turns 49. Our Northern Irish cult hero is back managing Dungannon Swifts. I know you’ll want to relive that special day at Brunton Park in 1997 that all but clinched promotion from Division Three for Micky Adams’ superb side – so here’s the video:

You might also enjoy Lydia’s excellent interview with the man himself from a few years ago.

Perhaps on account of Fulham’s premium pricing strategy, there are still tickets available for this afternoon’s match on the official website. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and we’ll be back with all your usual post-match coverage this evening.