There are as many as eight teams that are in the running to finish seventh in the Premier League and take the last remaining European spot. Fulham are very much one of them but can they be the team who take the last Premier League European spot and if not them, then who?
With eight matches left of the 2025/26 Premier League season, Fulham have achieved their first goal for the season - they won’t be getting relegated.
Now they are able to attack the final eight matches, with European football at Craven Cottage next season still very much a possibility.
Fulham currently sit in 11th place in the Premier League table but only three points behind Brentford, potentially rising to six should they defeat Wolves on Monday night.
There is a pack swirling behind Brentford, who are on 44 points, with Fulham one of the more advanced teams in that group of half a dozen teams who are looking up rather than nervously down.
Marco Silva has said that every game for Fulham now will have to be like a final and he has also promised that his players will fight right until the end.
Stirring words from the Portuguese but what are Fulham’s chances of finishing seventh this season?
Marco Silva believes his players have enough to push on and finish seventh this season. Image Credit: Reuters.Who else is in the running?
Assuming that the top six teams are going to hold on to their spots, then Brentford lead the way for seventh with 44 points, potentially rising to 47 on Monday night.
Everton sit in eighth with 43 points, while Newcastle, fresh from a strong showing to defeat Chelsea at the weekend have 42 points.
Bournemouth occupy 10th on 41 points, ahead of Fulham only on goal difference and then there is Brighton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace who are 12th, 13th and 14th respectively.
What do the fixtures say?
Fulham have the easiest match of gameweek 31 when taking on Burnley at home in a weekend in which the other sides around them face either top four teams or a fierce local derby in the case of Newcastle and Sunderland.
Heading into April, and things get harder the Cottagers, who face Liverpool at Anfield.
Even with Arne Slot’s reds hardly firing on all cylinders, a trip to Anfield is never going to be easy and if Fulham were to pick something up from that game, it would be a hugely impressive result.
Gameweek 33 has the biggest game of the season so far for Fulham, and one which can decide their fate, as they take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford currently occupy seventh spot. Image credit: Reuters.A week later and Aston Villa visit Craven Cottage, while Brentford themselves head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United and Newcastle head to Arsenal, in a week that could tip the balance back in Fulham’s favour.
And they may well need it to, visiting Arsenal the following week, in a weekend that sees Brighton visit Newcastle and Brentford host West Ham.
The third-last game sees Fulham host Bournemouth when Brentford visit Manchester City, potentially providing another opening, with Newcastle and their largely poor away form travelling to Nottingham Forest.
A trip to Molineux in their last away match of the season presents an opportunity too for more points, though Brentford and Newcastle are also both at home.
The last game of the season sees Fulham host Newcastle on 24 May, in a game that could well be a straight decider, as Brentford travel to Anfield.
Verdict
Fulham certainly have a chance but it will likely hinge on whether they can beat Burnley this weekend to head into the international break with some form.
Fail to win that and it does look like an uphill battle for The Cottagers but should they gain on the likes of Brentford and Newcastle, who appear to be the front runners for the spot, then there is every chance due to the fact they play them both.
Everton and Bournemouth cannot be discounted but on form, should Brighton, Sunderland or Crystal Palace make it, it would be a surprise.
It is in Marco Silva’s mens hands still now to do something special, but they are going to need to find some form in the last eight matches.