Fulham vs Sunderland Prediction 22 November 2025

🔊 Can Sunderland maintain their top-four spot after facing Fulham? It's a tough challenge for Regis Le Bris' side, as the match takes place at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers have only lost once at home in seven games this season. Will they be the stumbling block for the ambitious Championship newcomers? Our editorial team provides an insightful prediction in the analysis.

Head-to-Head

📊 Over the past 10 years, these teams have faced each other only five times, and none of those encounters were in the Premier League. During this stretch, they've maintained an even record: two wins apiece and one draw. Notably, in four out of these five meetings, both sides found the back of the net.

Fulham Team Overview

The Cottagers' form in the Premier League leaves much to be desired. Marco Silva's squad has managed just one win in their last six matches, a victory against a struggling Wolverhampton in the 10th round (3-0). They've failed to pick up any points in the other fixtures, which has dropped Fulham to 15th place. Their gap from the relegation zone is razor-thin—just one point.

An away defeat in their last Premier League outing against Everton (0-2) didn't alter Fulham's position in the standings but highlighted issues within Marco Silva's team. The scoreline could have been more lopsided in favor of the hosts, but three of their goals were disallowed for offside. Looking at the match stats, one might think the Cottagers battled the Toffees on equal terms, with a slight possession advantage at 51% to 49% for the visitors. However, they seemed clueless on how to convert that into goal-scoring opportunities. The Londoners' eight shots resulted in just 0.45 expected goals, while the hosts had 14 attempts with an xG value of 1.67.

Sunderland Team Overview

The "Black Cats" have impressively held onto fourth place in the Premier League for four consecutive matchdays. Regis Le Bris's squad has managed to maintain their form despite a challenging schedule. Among their last three opponents, two are from the top three in the league standings. Sunderland have not conceded defeat to either of them, extending their unbeaten streak to four matches.

The most sensational results in this four-match stretch were an away victory against Chelsea (2-1) and a home draw with Arsenal (2-2). Let's delve into the latter encounter. The "Black Cats" fully committed to a counter-attacking strategy. Over the course of 90 minutes, the hosts had just 35% possession. Nevertheless, Regis Le Bris's tactics paid off first, with his team opening the scoring. As expected, the visitors took control, firing 17 shots with a total xG of 2.32, while Sunderland managed 6 shots with an xG of 0.9. However, fortune favored the "Black Cats" that evening, as Arsenal only managed to equalize in stoppage time.

Latest news

Fulham

❓ Amid Fulham's disappointing results, rumors have surfaced about head coach Marco Silva potentially leaving the club. Although the Portuguese manager was recently offered a new three-year contract, he has yet to make a decision. His choice will largely depend on the board's actions during the winter transfer window, especially since the Cottagers made only one significant signing in the summer—acquiring Shakhtar Donetsk striker Kevin for €40 million. According to media reports, Brendan Rodgers, who was dismissed from Celtic earlier this season, could be Silva's successor.

❌ Fulham's previous Premier League match was marred not only by a defeat but also by an injury to forward Rodrigo Muniz. Earlier, Anthony Roberts had joined the team's injury list due to knee issues. Additionally, midfielder Sasa Lukic will miss the upcoming game after accumulating too many yellow cards.

Sunderland

📝 Sunderland's leader and captain, Granit Xhaka, has caught the attention of Juventus. The Italian club has been eyeing the midfielder since the summer. The Bianconeri's management is impressed with the Swiss player's wealth of experience as well as his technical and tactical prowess. This season, Granit has featured in 11 Premier League matches, scoring once and providing three assists. Acquiring the 33-year-old could likely cost around 15 million euros. It's worth noting that Granit transferred to Sunderland from Bayer for the same amount during the summer transfer window.

❌ Sunderland's injury list has slightly decreased over the international break. The head coach will be able to include Dennis Cirkin, who had a fractured wrist, and Omar Alderete, who suffered a concussion in the eighth round of the Premier League, in the squad. However, the number of sidelined players remains significant: Habib Diarra, Alese Ajiibola, Romain Mundle, and Leo Hjelde are still out.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The main referee for the match will be Darren England. Over his last 20 Premier League matches, he averages 3.9 yellow cards per game. Sunderland collect more cautions than Fulham, averaging 2 compared to Fulham's 1.2 over their last five matches across all competitions. This is understandable, as the "Black Cats" are former Championship contenders, where physical play often takes precedence over tactical maneuvers. Meanwhile, the "Cottagers" have shown a hospitable side at Craven Cottage, receiving fewer than 1.5 yellow cards in 9 out of their last 10 home games. Given these circumstances, it might be worth considering a bet on Sunderland to win the yellow card battle.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Bookmakers seem skeptical about Sunderland despite Fulham's current struggles. However, the "Black Cats" have improved their away form since a shaky start to the season, recently securing a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. Historically, Fulham have conceded at least one goal in their last six head-to-heads against Sunderland at Craven Cottage. Moreover, the "Cottagers" have failed to keep a clean sheet in 18 of their last 20 Premier League home games. Our prediction: Sunderland will score.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Regis Le Bris's preferred formation is a defensive 5-4-1, which can shift to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 depending on the opponent. However, Sunderland's style doesn't deviate much from playing as the underdog. The "Black Cats" feel more comfortable reacting to their opponents, resulting in fewer set-piece opportunities near the opposition's goal. In terms of average corners earned, Le Bris's team ranks third from last in the Premier League. Moreover, in 9 of their last 10 league matches, Sunderland have taken no more than four corners. We anticipate that in London, Sunderland's total corners will be under 4.5.

Fulham are experiencing a crisis of sorts. A lackluster summer transfer window is affecting not only their recent results (five losses in their last six Premier League matches) but also the overall morale of the team. Even the head coach, who has been at the helm since 2021, is uncertain about his future. Sunderland, on the other hand, are on the rise. Firstly, the Black Cats are on an impressive run of four matches without a loss. Secondly, they received a significant emotional boost after a spirited draw against title contenders Arsenal. Given these circumstances, we simply can't side with the bookmakers who favor Fulham in this clash. Our bet: Sunderland will not lose. We believe the visitors could edge it with a 1-0 victory.