WITH THE 2022/23 SEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE LOOK AHEAD TO FULHAM’S 16TH PREMIER LEAGUE CAMPAIGN.
Our start
Fulham will have our credentials tested right from the off in 22/23, as we face four of last season’s top five prior to the September international break in Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
Three of our other early matches see us face off against sides who finished comfortably mid-table in 2021/22 in Wolverhampton Wanderers (10th), Brentford (13th) and Brighton & Hove Albion (9th), while our final match before the break sees us travel to fellow promoted outfit Nottingham Forest in mid-September.
New turf
We won’t be heading to any grounds that the team has not played at before, but there will still be some new away days for fans to enjoy.
Our trips to Brentford and Tottenham’s new stadiums in 2020/21 marked our first appearances at the grounds, but unfortunately fans were not allowed to attend.
No doubt those London derbies will be two of the most eagerly anticipated for the Fulham faithful. You won’t have long to wait for Spurs away (September 3rd), but we don’t head to Hounslow until the start of March.
Familiar faces
Half the teams in the Premier League feature former Fulham players in their squad, and we’ll likely see two of them on Saturday as Academy alumni Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliott return to SW6.
Bournemouth signed Ryan Fredericks this summer on a free transfer following his release by West Ham United, while Chelsea have our long-serving goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli and 2020/21 loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek on their books.
Joachim Andersen was also with us temporarily that season but now plies his trade with Crystal Palace, and Andrew Lonergan has been offered a new Everton contract that will take him beyond his 39th birthday.
The left side of Newcastle United’s defence – Dan Burn and Matt Targett – are both ex-Fulham, the latter spending a promotion winning half season at Craven Cottage, as did Neco Williams who is now of Nottingham Forest.
Spurs have two of our Academy boys in opposite wing-back areas in Ryan Sessegnon and Djed Spence, while our 2021 Player of the Season Alphonse Areola had his West Ham loan made permanent this summer.
New subs rule
The International Football Association Board has confirmed a number of rule changes to be implemented in both the Premier League and the EFL this season, with the main one relating to substitutes.
During the pandemic, teams were permitted to name nine substitutes and use five, something that has been brought back ahead of 2022/23.
However, teams can only make substitutions on three occasions during a match, plus an additional opportunity at half-time.
