Fulham’s erratic European bid could gather pace on the south coast should Marco Silva’s side follow up their stunning success over league leaders Liverpool by beating AFC Bournemouth in a clash between two teams who have spent most of the season flirting with continental qualification. But consistency has hardly been the Whites’ watchword of late – with the only certainty concerning the Cottagers recently coming with the fact that they follow a Premier League victory with a defeat. The weekend results went about as well as they could to boost Fulham’s hopes of climbing the table, but it only serves to make this more of a crunch clash.

Andoni Iraola’s side have lost form at just the wrong time as the race for Europe really hots up. The Cherries haven’t won in six league games, picking up only two draws in those matches. Bournemouth, just three points behind Silva’s side, will see this evening as a terrific opportunity to put their poor form behind them – especially as they are unbeaten at home against Fulham in thirty years. A repeat of last season’s resounding success, when Fulham failed to turn up on Boxing Day, would see the hosts leapfrog Fulham into eighth place in the table.

Bournemouth will have to do without Ryan Christie, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign having required surgery on a groin problem, and will have to wait to see whether any of Marcus Tavernier, Luis Sinisterra or Justin Kluivert, who came so close to moving to Craven Cottage last year, pass late fitness tests. There are still plenty of attacking weapons to hurt the Whites, especially the talent of Antoine Semenyo, who has kicked on since he made mincemeat of Fulham’s defence both in SW6 and in B4 during his Bristol City days. Brazilian striker Evanilson might have had a slow start after his £40m move from Porto but the former Fluminense forward has scored six in his last six outings – bagging a brace at West Ham United last weekend.

Bournemouth could clinch a third straight home league win over the Whites for the first time since 1931 this evening and their recent record against Silva’s side is encouraging. Fulham have kept only one clean sheet in their last twelve games against the Cherries – which came when they were already relegated in 2019 – and let in a late equaliser after Christmas at the Cottage this season. On the flip side, defeat for Bournemouth would since them beaten for the fifth time at home in the league for the first time in twenty years when a dire end to the season under former Fulham midfielder Sean O’Driscoll cost the Cherries a League One play-off spot.

Silva might reasonably view this evening’s encounter as a chance to stake a clash for finishing higher than eighth. He has spoken in the build-up to the game of his admiration for how his opposite number has turbo charged Bournemouth’s rise since his appointment, but also of why the Whites should come into this contest with confidence. There is a strong case for sticking with the same eleven that so disorientated the champions’ elect at the Cottage last Sunday, but the introduction of Kenny Tete for Timothy Castagne might help in curbing the adventurousness of the only man who can rival Antonee Robinson as the Premier League’s best left back in Milos Kerkez.

Silva has successfully rotated Rodrigo Muniz, who could become only the second Brazilian to score in four straight Premier League games after Richarlison tonight, and Raul Jimenez this term. It will be intriguing to see how the Whites manage to counter Bournemouth’s high-pressing, high-energy approach – if only because Silva’s own attacking approach has largely been stifled in previous meetings between the sides. Might there be an opportunity for Harry Wilson – if only from the bench – to demonstrate his goalscoring prowess against one of his former clubs?

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Andersen, Bassey; Berge, Lukic; Iwobi, R. Sessegnon, Pereira; Muniz. Subs: Benda, Castagne, Diop, Reed, Cairney, Traore, Smith Rowe, Wilson, Jimenez.