Pre-match analysis: How can Fulham beat Coventry?

Fulham finally got their Premier League season up and running with a 1-0 win over Hull City, and now they hope it is the start of a run.

Alex Iwobi’s goal in the 33rd minute was enough to see the Cottagers over the line, having come close against both Manchester United and Ipswich in the games immediately prior.

And now, Fulham head into their third straight game against newly promoted sides in the Premier League.

With their win over Hull, the Cottagers lifted themselves off the bottom of the table and into 18th, within striking distance of sides as high as 11th.

And so, a win over Coventry would lift them out of the drop zone, but just how can they achieve that?

Fulham created enough chances against Hull to walk away with a resounding 4-0 or even 5-0 win and make a real statement.

As it happens, they were not punished for their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and still came away with their first win of the season.

Fulham have tightened up their defence over the past few weeks and of the bottom 10 sides, only Nottingham Forest have conceded fewer goals than them.

But seven goals in seven games is not exactly prolific.

Fulham actually sit eighth in the expected goals table and you would hope that, sooner rather than later, they will benefit from that and rise up the table.

Coventry is a good start for them to actually take their chances and push higher.

Coventry conceded three goals from either outside or just inside the box against Tottenham.

James Maddison’s goal was a stunner but both Omar Marmoush's and Ben Davies’ were goalkeeping errors.

Carl Rushworth was excellent in the Championship last season for Coventry, but they have now kept just one clean sheet all season, which came against a Nottingham Forest side who will still wonder to this day how they did not score.

Through the likes of Alex Iwobi and Josh King in particular, Fulham need to show that they are not afraid to shoot and in the process, make the most of Coventry’s goalkeeper being a bit jittery.

Jack Rudoni’s goal for Coventry actually did not come on the counter-attack, but they had several moments, particularly in the first half, against Tottenham, in which they looked incredibly dangerous on the counter.

Fulham have been susceptible to that this season before and they will need to be wary again against Coventry not to get out.

Against Hull, they had as much as 76% possession.

I would imagine the game plan will be to have a similar amount against Coventry, although whether that is possible or not is another matter entirely of course.

If Fulham can ensure they are not beaten on the counter, Coventry will have to work hard to beat a defence that has only conceded three goals in their last four matches, all of which came beyond the 88th minute, by which time the Cottagers will hope they are already in the clear.