Bournemouth are riding a wave of confidence as they head to west London this Saturday (15:00 BST), bringing with them an impressive 15-game unbeaten streak that has the football world taking notice. The Cherries are currently locked in a fierce battle for sixth place in the Premier League—a position that would mark their European debut, with even a potential Champions League spot not out of reach.
For Fulham, the story has taken a different turn. The Cottagers were flying high after a three-match winning run in all competitions, capped by a victory over Spurs on March 1. But since then, the goals have dried up dramatically. After failing to score in just five of their first 28 league games, Fulham have now drawn a blank in five of their last seven outings. Their eight matches since that Spurs win have produced only four goals—three of which came in a single game against struggling Burnley.
There is a silver lining, though: Fulham won both games in which they did find the net during this stretch. Now, they're aiming to string together three consecutive home league wins for the first time since December 2023. To do that, they'll need Raul Jimenez to rediscover his scoring touch. The Mexican striker has managed just one goal in his last 11 appearances for club and country, but history offers some hope—he's netted five times in six Premier League starts against Bournemouth.
On the other side, Bournemouth's form is nothing short of remarkable. Their 15-game unbeaten run is the longest of any team in Europe's top five leagues—a testament to the brilliant rebuilding job done by manager Andoni Iraola. The Cherries lost four first-choice defenders over the summer and saw leading striker Antoine Semenyo depart for Manchester City in January, yet they've kept rolling. Defensively, they've tightened up significantly on the road: after conceding an average of three goals in their first nine away games, they've let in just six in their last eight (0.8 per game).
One of the breakout stars has been 19-year-old French forward Junior Kroupi, who has caught the eye so much that top clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Barcelona are reportedly tracking his progress. It's the kind of story that captures the magic of the Premier League—a teenager stepping up when his team needs him most, while the club dreams of European nights ahead.