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Fulham v Stoke: Dempsey to down Stoke at the Cottage again

| 11.02.2012

Stoke head to Craven Cottage hoping to edge closer to the magical 40 point mark but the smart money is on Fulham, who are 1/1 in the Premier League odds to leave the Potters floundering in mid-table.

Tony Pulis’ side are without a league win in four games and a price of 13/5 for an away win is evidence of Stoke’s mid-season slump.

They have scored just eight goals on their travels all season and will be without suspended Robert Huth for their trip to the capital.

The draw is available at 11/5, but each of the last four meetings between the sides have ended 2-0.

With 30 points already on the board, it is hardly panic stations at the Britannia but a fourth successive defeat would, at the very least, be cause for concern.

Fulham are not exactly sitting pretty either, just seven points above the drop zone, but the Cottagers have been making the most of home advantage of late.

Martin Jol’s side are unbeaten in four in all competitions at home and are enjoying plenty of success in front of goal, scoring 12 times in the process.

But a free-scoring Fulham are not without frailties and they have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight league outings.

Clint Dempsey is only 5/1 to score first but not without justification. The American striker has scored four in Fulham’s last two home matches and netted a brace in a 2-0 win in this fixture last season.

As for the visitors, goals have proved hard to come by in recent weeks, with Cameron Jerome the only man to find the net in four league contests. The former Birmingham frontman is 8/1 to be the first goalscorer this time.

Meanwhile, with 2-0 proving a common result in this fixture, a Fulham victory by this scoreline stands out at a potentially lucrative 8/1.

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Author

Craig Kemp

Craig has written for Ladbrokes since the 2010 World Cup, having previously gained a Media & Sports Journalism degree and contributed to publications including the Racing Post. His main areas of interest are horse racing and UFC, but he is also an avid X Factor gambler and likes nothing more than indulging in a spot of Hip Hop Karaoke.