Southampton 3-1 Fulham
- Goals: Che Adams (£5.7m), Nathan Tella (£4.3m), Theo Walcott (£5.8m) | Fabio Carvalho (£4.5m)
- Assists: James Ward-Prowse (£5.9m), Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.7m), Tella | Bobby De Cordova-Reid (£5.3m)
- Bonus points: Adams x3, Tella x2, Ward-Prowse x1
FUL OF IT
Owners of Manchester United assets, and even those targetting Newcastle attackers, will take encouragement from Fulham’s latest defeat.
In conceding three goals at Southampton, the Cottagers highlighted themselves as late-season “whipping boys” after spending much of the winter months and early 2021 as a difficult-to-beat side.
Between Gameweeks 23 and 32, Scott Parker’s men conceded a total of 12 goals in as many matches (one per game).
During that period they put up five clean sheets, the second-most in the league, behind only Chelsea (six).
However, each of their last three outings have seen Fulham give up at least two goals, conceding seven goals in the process (2.3 per game).
OH DANNY BOY
Danny Ings‘ (£8.4m) two-goal return to the team against Crystal Palace proved to be something of a false dawn in the context of Blank Gameweek 36.
Against Fulham, he did make his second successive Premier League start since recovering from another muscle injury but could not make it to the hour.
Ralph Hasenhüttl replaced Ings with Nathan Tella (£4.3m) in the 58th minute in a substitution he explained was under orders from the club physio, something any interested Fantasy managers should probably be wary of.
“I only did what my head of physio asked me to do. He said 60 minutes, maximum. And I am a good follower, a good listening.” – Ralph Hasenhüttl
While Ings remains Saints’ top goalscorer across his last six matches (four), Che Adams (£5.7m) has shown decent consistency across the last two.
His two goals and one assist, as well as a total of five bonus, made for 20 points during that period, working out at 10 per match.
Meanwhile, Tella finally delivered on his recent promise to score his first Premier League goal 98 seconds after replacing Ings.
Classified as a midfielder in FPL, Tella is seen as nothing other than a striker by his manager.
“It’s time he scored his first goal. the way he works he deserves it. I am very happy for his assist and he deserves it. [Tella] is now on the scorers’ list in the Premier League. It will always be there. This is great for a striker. The smile on the face, it’s always there. He is a very big talent and he is a signal to the other players that there is a chance to go through.” – Ralph Hasenhüttl
Meanwhile, there were some rare changes to the defence for Hasenhüttl’s men in light of Jan Bednarek‘s (£4.7m) enforced absence.
After a string of appearances covering the injured Ryan Bertrand (£5.0m) at left-back since Gameweek 34, Jack Stephens (£4.6m) tucked into a centre-back role alongside Jannik Vestergaard (£4.7m) with Mohammed Salisu (£4.3m) operating at full-back.
Southampton XI: A McCarthy; Salisu, J Stephens, Vestergaard, Walker-Peters; Minamino (Walcott 76′), Armstrong (I Diallo 78′), Ward-Prowse, Redmond; Ings (Tella 58′), Adams.
Fulham XI: Areola; Adarabioyo, Andersen, Tete; De Cordova-Reid, Aina (J Bryan 62′), Reed, Cavaleiro; Anguissa (Lookman 63′), Onomah (Maja 76′); Carvalho.
BLANK GAMEWEEK 36 SO FAR…
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