WEST HAM UNITED v FULHAM
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2012
KICK-OFF: 12.45PM
REFEREE: ANTHONY TAYLOR
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• Sam Allardyce's side will be looking to bounce back to winning ways in the Barclays Premier League after last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Swansea City. The loss left the Hammers tenth in the table.
• Fulham will also be aiming to get back to winning ways after a 3-2 defeat at Manchester United last weekend. Like the Hammers they also won their opening game of the season, notching a 5-0 win over Norwich City at Craven Cottage.
• Both clubs have been active during the transfer windows. England striker Andy Carroll became West Ham United's tenth summer signing when he arrived from Liverpool on a season-long loan on Thursday and could make his Hammers debut on Saturday. Fulham, meanwhile, have sold Belgium midfielder Moussa Dembele to Tottenham Hotspur this week. The Cottagers have been trying to complete deals for Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov and Sunderland midfielder and former Hammers schoolboy Kieran Richardson.
• If selected to face Fulham, captain Kevin Nolan will make his 50th West Ham United appearance, while Carlton Cole could make his 150th start for the club. Jussi Jaaskelainen and Mohamed Diame will be making their 650th and 200th senior club appearances if they feature on Saturday.
• Saturday's fixture marks the second of three consecutive 12.45pm Barclays Premier League kick-offs for West Ham United. The Hammers will also travel to Norwich City for a lunch-time assignment on Saturday 15 September.
• West Ham United have not lost at home to Fulham in the Premier League since 3 November 2001. Since then, the Hammers are unbeaten in seven meetings, winning three of them. During that run, however, the Cottagers did leave the Boleyn Ground with a 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round replay victory in February 2004.
• West Ham have won nine of the 16 all-time Premier League meetings between the two clubs, losing just two.
• Saturday's is the 86th meeting between the two sides, West Ham United have won 37, Fulham have won 28 and 20 have ended in draws.
Last time out
West Ham United
The Hammers suffered their first defeat of the Barclays Premier League campaign last weekend going down 3-0 at Swansea City. Angel Rangel opened the scoring after 20 minutes and the Swans doubled their lead nine minutes later through Michu. Danny Graham completed the scoring in the 64th-minute.
25 August 2012
Barclays Premier League
Swansea City 3-0 West Ham United
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, McCartney, Tomkins (Vaz Te 46), Collins, Demel, Nolan, Jarvis, Noble, Diame (Diarra 69), Cole (Maiga 62)
Subs not used: Henderson, O'Brien, Taylor, Maynard
Fulham
The Cottagers narrowly missed out on a point, losing 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend. Damien Duff put Fulham a goal up within three minutes, only for Robin Van Persie, Shinji Kagawa and Rafael to make it 3-1 before half-time. A Nemanja Vidic own-goal halved the deficit in the second half, but Martin Jol's side could not force an equaliser.
25 August 2012
Barclays Premier League
Manchester United 3-2 Fulham
Fulham: Schwarzer, Hangeland, Hughes, Briggs, Riether, Duff, Diarra (Baird 82), Kacaniklic (Sidwell 62), Petric (Rodallega 73), Ruiz, Dembele
Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Halliche, Kasami
Goals: Duff 3, Vidic 64 (own-goal)
Previous meetings
• Carlton Cole scored his first Barclays Premier League brace against Fulham the last time the two sides met as the Hammers came away from Craven Cottage with a 3-1 win on Boxing Day 2010. The Cottagers took the lead through Aaron Hughes in the 11th-minute but West Ham United reacted well and equalised with eight minutes remaining in the half. The Hammers were ahead before the break when Frederic Piquionne volleyed home in added-time. Fulham fought back in the second half but were unable to break the Hammers resilient defence and Cole sealed the win in the 73rd-minute with a well taken left-foot volley.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Salcido, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Gera, Murphy, Etuhu (Johnson 53), Dempsey (Duff 53), Davies, Johnson
Subs not used: Stockdale, Baird, Halliche, Greening, Kamara
West Ham United: Green, Ben-Haim, Gabbidon, Tomkins, Upson, Parker, Kovac, Stanislas, Cole, Sears, Piquionne (Nouble 89)
Subs not used: Boffin, Reid, Spector, Ilunga, Barrera, Obinna
Background
• West Ham United's first game against Fulham took place in 1898, in the Southern League Second Division. The Hammers came away with a 2-1 win and won the reserve fixture 1-0.
• The Hammers' record win over the Cottagers was a 7-2 home Division ONe victory 3 February 1968. West Ham United have also beaten their London rivals 6-1 and 5-1, with Fulham's record win being a 5-0 home victory on 7 November 1936.
• Carlton Cole has scored six goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Fulham and also netted an own-goal in one of those games too.
Last six meetings (all Premier League)
26 December 2010 Fulham 1-3 West Ham United
2 October 2010 West Ham United 1-1 Fulham
2 May 2010 Fulham 3-2 West Ham United
4 October 2009 West Ham United 2-2 Fulham
18 January 2009 West Ham United 3-1 Fulham
27 September 2008 Fulham 1-2 West Ham United
Overall record
v Fulham (all competitions) W 37 D 20 L 28
Ten-year League records
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
Fulham
2011/12 Premier League 9th (52 points)
2010/11 Premier League 8th (49 points)
2009/10 Premier League 12th (46 points)
2008/09 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2007/08 Premier League 17th (36 points)
2006/07 Premier League 16th (39 points)
2005/06 Premier League 12th (48 points)
2004/05 Premier League 13th (44 points)
2003/04 Premier League 9th (52 points)
2002/03 Premier League 14th (48 points)
Referee
• Saturday's referee will be Anthony Taylor.
• Taylor is in his third season on the Select Group of referees appointed to control Barclays Premier League fixtures.
• The Greater Manchester-born official started refereeing in the Northern Premier League in 2002 before being appointed to the Football League list at the start of the 2006/07 season, refereeing his match between Wrexham and Peterborough United in League Two on 12 August 2006.
• Taylor's first Premier League appointment was the 3 February 2010 encounter between today's visitors Fulham and former West Ham United manager Avram Grant's Portsmouth, with the Cottagers winning 1-0.
• The 33-year-old took charge of his first and only West Ham fixture so far on Sunday 22 May 2011 - the Hammers' final Barclays Premier League fixture before they were relegated to the npower Championship - when Sunderland left the Boleyn Ground with a 3-0 victory.
• Taylor has taken charge of eight Fulham fixtures, the most-recent being a 2-1 home Barclays Premier League win over Norwich City at Craven Cottage on 31 March 2012.
• When asked in an interview what his favourite match that he has refereed was, he named British Gas Business Southern League Midland Division side Chasetown's victory over Port Vale in the FA Cup second round in December 2007.
Team news
West Ham United
• West Ham United could hand a debut to new signing Andy Carroll, who joined the club on a season-long loan from Liverpool on Thursday.
• After making ten changes for the Capital One Cup second-round tie against Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday, Big Sam could recall the likes of Mark Noble, Mohamed Diame, Carlton Cole and Jussi Jaaskelainen.
• Ricardo Vaz Te had to settle for a place on the bench against Swansea City last weekend but, after playing a pivotal role in the Hammers' 2-0 midweek win, he could be recalled to the starting XI.
• Modibo Maiga and Alou Diarra are pushing for starting berths after starting and impressing against Crewe. Both have yet to start a Barclays Premier League game.
• Jack Collison will again be unavailable as he continues his recovery from a persistent knee injury.
Fulham
• Fulham will be without Moussa Dembele after he sealed a move to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
• Martin Jol made five changes to his starting XI for the Capital One Cup second-round defeat by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Tuesday. Bryan Ruiz was withdrawn just before kick-off after suffering a slight hamstring niggle in the warm-up and it remains to be seen if the Costa Rican will recover for Saturday.
• Full-back John Arne Riise has missed the last two games with a leg injury but is hopeful of returning this weekend.
• Youngster Kerim Frei remains sidelined with a pelvic injury.
Old boys
• Bobby Moore MBE played for both West Ham United and Fulham during his glittering career. Moore made 544 appearances for the Hammers before moving to Craven Cottage for £25,000 in 1974. England's World Cup-winning captain remained at Fulham for three years, making a further 124 appearances and facing his former side in the 1975 FA Cup final, which West Ham won 2-0.
• Among the other players who have represented both sides are Jan Lastuvka, Jimmy Bullard, Ian Pearce, Rufus Brevett, George Carter, Brian Dear, Tony Gale, Ron Greenwood, Jon Harley, Fred Harrison, Jack Hebden. George Horler, Luis Boa Morte, Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil and Paul Konchesky.
General information
• Tickets are still available for Saturday's fixture. For full details of how to secure your seat now, click here.
• The weather for Saturday's 12.45pm kick-off is set to be partly sunny with a maximum temperature of 22C.