FA Cup 2014-15

Il terzo turno di FA Cup, quello dove entrano in campo le squadre professionistiche, comincia con match ricco di fascino contro una squadra tradizionale, una ex grande del calcio inglese decaduta nei risultati non nella classe.

Fulham are without midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen (hamstring) and defenders Tim Hoogland (hernia) and Fernando Amorebieta (knee).
Ryan Tunnicliffe has returned from a loan at Blackburn but is ineligible and Bryan Ruiz will undergo a fitness test.
Wolves are without suspended midfielder Kevin McDonald and forward Rajiv Van La Parra is a doubt following concussion.
Kortney Hause is cup-tied but striker Bakary Sako is available before joining Mali for Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Fulham have lost just two of their last 10 FA Cup matches at home (W6 D2).
Fulham have won three of the last nine matches against Wolves.
Wolves haven't won away in the FA Cup in London since beating Crystal Palace in 1979.
Wolves have won just one of their last 10 FA Cup matches (W1 D4 L5).
After two defeats in a row for Fulham in the league, manager Kit Symons is keen for his side return to winning ways.
"It's something we'll take very, very seriously," he said. "I'll field a strong team. I respect the competition and I've got some great memories of the FA Cup as a player. I still think there is that magic about the FA Cup."
Wolves beat Fulham 1-0 earlier this season in the Championship thanks to a goal from Sako and won both of their games over the Christmas period.
Manager Kenny Jackett said: "We want to really try in the second half of the season to build on what we've done. I'm not going to make unnecessary changes or experiment - it's going to be the best side I feel to play on that particular day."

In FA Cup contro il Sunderland per dare continuità all'impresa del Molineuzx ma senza troppe pressioni.

BBC STATS AND PREVIEWS

FA Cup 4th round

Venue: Stadium of Light
Date: Saturday, 24 January
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio, Final Score
Continue reading the main story
Lineup, Bookings (0) & Substitutions (0)
Sunderland

25 Mannone
27 Vergini
16 O'Shea
22 Coates
02 Jones
07 Larsson
04 Bridcutt
08 Rodwell
03 van Aanholt
09 Fletcher
28 Defoe

Substitutes

01 Pantilimon
10 Wickham
14 Jordi Gómez
19 Graham
20 Álvarez
23 Giaccherini
30 Buckley

Fulham

40 Bettinelli
03 Stafylidis
04 Hutchinson
06 Bodurov
37 Grimmer
21 Christensen
25 Dembele
19 Tunnicliffe
12 Fofana
10 Ruiz
16 Woodrow

Substitutes

01 Kiraly
11 Kacaniklic
13 Zverotic
14 Roberts
20 Rodallega
33 Burn
44 McCormack

Ref: Anthony Taylor


Sunderland are likely to be without defender Wes Brown and midfielders Lee Cattermole and Adam Johnson through injury, but Liam Bridcutt is available after completing a ban.

New signing Jermain Defoe, who has 22 goals in 35 FA cup career appearances, is in line to make his home debut.

Fulham captain Scott Parker is a doubt after injuring an ankle in Wednesday's 3-2 home win over Nottingham Forest.

Midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen could return from a hamstring problem.

MATCH PREVIEW

Fulham are unbeaten in their last five matches at Sunderland, having won twice and drawn three times there in the Premier League before they were relegated to the Championship in May 2014.

Whites manager Kit Symons believes his side are fully capable of competing with their top-flight opponents. "It's a bonus game but I would expect us to go and win at Sunderland," he said.

"They are a Premier League side with some quality players but I have such belief in this squad of players that I would expect us to go up there and get a result."

Sunderland's 32-year-old striker Defoe, who joined the club from Toronto FC in January, is relishing his return to a competition in which he has flourished over the years. "It's been a long time since I played in the FA Cup, so I am looking forward to it," he said.

"It's a special competition, one of the best competitions in the world, and it's a big game, at home. It's important that we approach it like any other game and try to win."
MATCH FACTS

• This is the third time these sides have been drawn together in the FA Cup, with both sides progressing once each.

• Sunderland have won the FA Cup twice - in 1937 and 1973. They have also finished runners-up twice - most recently to Liverpool in 1992.

• Fulham were beaten finalists in this competition in 1975, losing 2-0 to West Ham at Wembley.

Nulla di fatto in FA Cup col Sunderland (palo di Rodallega comunque). . .

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