Fulham vs Sunderland: Match Preview, Team News & Likely Line-Ups

Date: Saturday 11th January Competition: Barclays Premier League Venue: Craven Cottage Kick-Off: 15:00 Basement side Sunderland face relegation rivals Fulham in the capital on the back of an impressive League Cup semi-final win over Manchester United, but can they turn their cup fortunes into valuable league points to keep them away from the drop. Team News Fulham are likely to welcome back Brede Hangeland following a spell on the sidelines, while Netherlands international goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg could return after a four-game absence with an ankle injury. Sunderland have no new injury concerns despite being in midweek League Cup action against Manchester United. Marcos Alonso could make his Premier League debut for The Black Cats. Gus Poyet is without long-term absentees Carlos Cuellar (thigh) and Kieren Westwood (shoulder). Stats Fulham won the last meeting between the clubs at the Stadium of Light, Pajtim Kasami scoring the only goal. Sunderland were victorious at Craven Cottage last season, winning 3-1 in one of only four successes away from home last season. The Cottagers have won eight of 19 Premier League encounters, with four victories for the Black Cats. Fulham's 42 goals conceded this season is the most of any Premier League team. The Cottagers have conceded the first goal in a league-high 15 games but have fought back to win three games from losing positions, the joint second best record. They have not drawn a Premier League match in 16 fixtures since a 1-1 draw with West Brom on 14 September. Dimitar Berbatov has scored nine goals in his last nine league appearances in January. Sunderland are unbeaten in their last four away matches in the league, their best run since a six-game streak between August-November 1999. They remain the only team in the bottom eight not to have won a game against another side currently in that section of the Premier League table. The Wearsiders have scored only five goals on their travels this season, one-third of their entire league tally. Gus Poyet's side have won just once in the top flight on the back of their four Capital One Cup ties this season. Lee Cattermole has scored just four career league goals, one of which came against Fulham while at Middlesbrough in August 2007. (BBC Sport) Likely Line-UpsFulham: Stekelenburg, Reither, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise, Dejagah, Parker, Sidwell, Dempsey, Taarabt, Berbatov Sunderland: Mannone, Bardsley, Brown, O'Shea, Alonso, Giaccherini, Cattermole, Ki, Johnson, Fletcher, Borini Prediction Fulham 1-1 Sunderland