Preview: Barnsley vs Fulham
By Richard Wright
Fulham travel to Oakwell for the first time since 2001 on Saturday. Both teams started the season brightly but lost their good form in recent weeks.
After promotion from League 1 last season, Barnsley started the season strong, winning their first three games in the Championship. However, their form has faded, taking one point from the last four matches, falling down the league table to tenth.
The Whites’ form has also taken a major decline, with two points from the last four Championship games. This is a stark difference from the 11 points taken in their first five league matches. Fulham are now sitting in 14th.
The London club seems to be struggling in the goal scoring department, only averaging 0.91 goals per game this season, compared to the Tykes’ 1.91. If trends continue, it may prove to be a difficult day at Oakwell for the Fulham defence.
The two sides have very difficult games coming up, with Barnsley taking on Newcastle (3rd), and Fulham facing Norwich (2nd), making Saturday’s match even more important as both clubs look to regain confidence and form.