Fulham vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups | OneFootball

Chelsea continue their push towards Champions League qualification when they visit west London adversaries Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

The Blues enter the fixture in underwhelming form and significant pressure is mounting on Enzo Maresca. Successive draws with Brentford and Ipswich Town in the Premier League has seen their bid to finish in the top five - fifth place being enough to reach the Champions League this season - dented enormously. They must respond with victory at Fulham.

But their midweek defeat to Legia Warsaw in the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final saw them booed off at Stamford Bridge and confidence will have taken a significant hit.

Fulham can be awkward if inconsistent opponents, even for the division's best. They beat Liverpool the last time they stepped out at Craven Cottage and have already triumphed at Stamford Bridge this term. They could do the double over their local rivals and pile more misery on Maresca and his players.

Here is 90min's guide to the clash.

Fulham vs Chelsea head-to-head record (last five games)

Current form (all competitions)

How to watch Fulham vs Chelsea on TV - UK & US

Fulham team news

Reiss Nelson is Fulham's only absentee / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages

Fulham have an almost entirely fit squad for their clash with Chelsea but will be without Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson. Fellow winger Harry Wilson has been missing since the end of January but should make his comeback on Sunday.

The Cottagers are unlikely to make too many alterations from the side that were beaten at Bournemouth last time out but triumphed against Liverpool the week prior.

Rodrigo Muniz, who scored the last-gasp winner for Fulham at Chelsea back on Boxing Day, will lead the line again at Craven Cottage, but the likes of Adama Traore, Willian, Raul Jimenez and Emile Smith Rowe have a good chance of being on the bench.

Fulham predicted lineup vs Chelsea

Fulham predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Sessegnon, Pereira, Iwobi; Muniz.

Chelsea team news

Wesley Fofana is Chelsea's only major absentee / Neal Simpson/Allstar/GettyImages

Chelsea's injury list is short but they are missing key centre-back Wesley Fofana, who is out for the season after another fitness setback. He's joined by Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman on the sidelines, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended for a failed drugs test.

However, better news for the Blues is that the injury-prone Romeo Lavia is in contention to feature at Craven Cottage. The Belgian, who has played just 14 times in almost two seasons with Chelsea due to fitness issues, will be eased back into the team, according to Maresca.

Chelsea named a weakened lineup against Legia on Thursday with only a few regular starters featuring from the off. The likes of Moises Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Noni Madueke and Enzo Fernandez should return to the starting XI.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Fulham (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.

Fulham vs Chelsea score prediction

Chelsea have seldom visited Craven Cottage as underdogs but they're arguably that for Sunday's encounter. The Blues are in desperate form and their lack of cohesion could be exposed by Marco Silva's well-oiled machine.

Fulham have already proven their ability to beat Maresca's side this season and their home form has been mightily impressive. They could set Chelsea's Champions League hopes back on Sunday.