Saturday 13th September 3:00pm | Craven Cottage
Leeds United head to Craven Cottage on Saturday for their first game after the international break, with Daniel Farke juggling a mixed injury picture and the lingering shadow of the club’s poor record in the capital. The Whites welcome back central midfielders Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka to team training after MCL lay-offs, offering a timely boost to Farke’s options in the middle of the park. But this positive news is offset by a setback between the sticks, as summer signing Lucas Perri has been ruled out with a quad problem, missing both the Fulham and Wolves fixtures.
Up front, Farke has further headaches. Both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe are carrying knocks, with late calls expected on their involvement, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness continues to be managed carefully. Noah Okafor could be handed a start if the first-choice forwards fail to make it. Joe Rodon, meanwhile, is expected to feature despite suffering a concussion scare with Wales during the break, while Sam Byram has shaken off a training knock. Farke insisted in his press conference that he won’t use setbacks as excuses, stressing hard work, fitness and team spirit as the foundation for Leeds’ survival fight.
On the other side, Marco Silva’s Fulham look in relatively strong shape, with defender Issa Diop expected to be available after the break. That leaves Silva with just one major injury concern, a luxury compared to Farke’s scratch-and-patch selection. The Cottagers also carry the psychological edge in this fixture, winning the last three meetings between the sides. Leeds had previously enjoyed a run of four straight victories against Fulham, but since 2000 the head-to-head reads 7 wins, 6 draws and 9 defeats for the Whites. At Craven Cottage specifically, Leeds have managed just three wins in twelve.
Farke, however, boasts a perfect record against Silva, albeit from just one previous encounter. That small detail will do little to ease nerves over Leeds’ London form – a long-running hoodoo that stretches back to May 2022 when Jesse Marsch’s side dramatically beat Brentford to secure survival. Since then, the capital has offered little joy for travelling Whites. Leeds will need to buck that trend quickly if they are to keep clear of the drop zone in what promises to be a tight bottom-half battle.
One quirk in Fulham’s recent form may offer encouragement: Silva’s side have conceded a penalty in each of their last five Premier League outings, a run no team has ever extended to six. Leeds will need to be more ruthless in front of goal than they have shown in spells this season, especially if attacking options are limited by injury. Farke will look to wide players like Willy Gnonto, Dan James and Jack Harrison to carry the attacking burden, with the manager stressing this week that all three still have a point to prove.
All told, Saturday’s clash feels like another stern examination of Farke’s rebuilt Leeds side. The squad is short on depth in places, the transfer window has left fans divided, and Fulham away is rarely a happy hunting ground. But with Ampadu and Tanaka potentially back, Calvert-Lewin edging closer to fitness and Meslier responding impressively to adversity, there are reasons for cautious optimism. If Leeds can harness the fight their manager spoke about and shake off the London curse, a positive result isn’t beyond them.
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