Charlton travel to Fulham on Saturday desperately in need of a result to stay in touch in the Championship relegation battle.
After last weekend’s goalless draw with Cardiff, the Addicks are six points from safety with 15 games remaining.
With both Bristol City and MK Dons sealing shock wins, it turned out to be a calamitous weekend for the South Londoners.
Their opponents this week, Fulham, tasted victory last Saturday after making the short journey to QPR, but suffered a comprehensive defeat against Blackburn on Tuesday night.
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Guy Luzon’s Charlton hosted Fulham back in October and the Addicks needed a dramatic injury-time goal from Jordan Cousins to rescue a point.
The Cottagers earned a two-goal lead at the Valley through Ryan Tunnicliffe and Ross McCormack, but skipper Johnnie Jackson’s late arrival turned the tide.
Jackson buried a header minutes after his introduction in the 80th minute before Cousins’ back-post equaliser earned a share of the spoils.
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Thoughts ahead of the game…
GS: Stephen Henderson said last week that he thinks we need at least six victories, this has to be one we’ve identified as a catalyst towards our quest for survival.
PM: It’s going to be a tough game – Fulham have goalscorers, Charlton will need to step up to get the result they need. This is a season decider for the Addicks.
KA: A game that isn’t impossible to win, with Fulham fluctuating between new promise and relegation worries, but calling a game winnable is impossible when you’ve won one in 15.
Describe last week’s result in one word…
GS: Indifferent.
PM: Frustrating.
KA: Frustrating.
Charlton’s key man on Saturday and why?
GS: Johann Berg Gudmundsson. Despite Charlton’s form, he's still leading the way in the Championship in terms of assists.
Hopefully he can replicate his performance against Rotherham last month – the 25-year-old was superb at the New York Stadium – against a side where he was previously an academy prospect.
PM: Johann Berg Gudmundsson. When the Icelandic star is on form he can open up any team (as we saw at Rotherham) – Charlton need him to spark against Fulham.
KA: I think it’s going to be a case of key men, rather than just one key man. Simon Makienok, and whoever his strike partner might be. Hopefully that will be Igor Vetokele, whose energy and attacking threat has been desperately missed since the victory over Rotherham.
Which Fulham player do you fear most?
GS: Ross McCormack. He’d walk into any team in this league. Natural goalscorer and could comfortably slot into Premier League football.
PM: Moussa Dembele. The 19-year-old is an exciting prospect with a huge future ahead of him.
KA: Ross McCormack. When you support a side who offer the opposition several clear-cut opportunities a game, coming up against a prolific goalscorer isn’t much fun. You can only worry that, should the Addicks offer as many openings as they did last weekend, a forward of McCormack’s potency will provide suitable punishment.
Your Charlton starting XI with a fully fit squad?
GS: Henderon | Solly, Teixeira, Lennon, Suk-Young | JBG, Cousins, Poyet, Lookman | Sanogo, Makienok
PM: Henderson | Solly, Teixeira, Lennon, Fox | JBG, Cousins, Jackson, Reza | Vetokele, Makienok
KA: Henderson | Solly, Teixeira, Lennon, Suk-Young | JBG, Cousins, Jackson, Harriott | Vetokele, Makienok
Prediction
GS: I always try to stay positive so I’m going for a 1-0 away victory. Johnnie Jackson to come on off the bench to notch the winner.
PM: It's becoming increasingly difficult to do, but I’m keeping the faith, 3-2 Charlton.
KA: With the first 80 minutes of the Cardiff draw being more concerning, than the final ten minutes encouraging, and us having not won away in London since November 2011, I won’t pretend to be confident. I do hope to be proved wrong, and the Rotherham effort to be emulated, but I’ll punt for a both-teams-to-score defeat.
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