FULHAM VS. EVERTON- NEWS, ODDS AND PREDICTIONS

Fulham play host to the Toffees this afternoon in what promises to be a bruising encounter.
Both teams are approaching this game as repentance for both having suffered elimination in their respective mid-week Carling Cup ties.
Mark Hughes has done phenomenally well with  Fulham this season, after guiding the Cottagers to an unbeaten start in the league this far-including three draws away from home. These draws are absolute gold to a team that harbours one of the worst away records in the league.
However, even Hughes will be feeling the heat this afternoon as he rapidly runs out of forward options.
Although Damien Duff has returned to the squad, he will most certainly be ruing the long-term absence of Bobby Zamora, with new summer signing Moussa Dembele also facing a long spell in the treatment room courtesy of an outrageously late tackle by Stoke’s Andy Wilkinson.
The Cottagers currently sit 7th on the log, twelve places higher than an out of sorts Toffees contingent.
Everton, however , are very much a team in crisis. Bar an impressive injury time draw with Manchester United, the Toffees are having a tough time of things at late, with David Moyes receiving even further frustration at being knocked out of the Carling Cup by lowly Brentford.
Despite this, and despite Fulham hosting this clash, the odds are surprisingly tight with many considering Moye's Everton outfit too good to continue losing.
William Hill have Fulham as slim favourites at 6/4, against Everton at 9/5
Everton you feel will take advantage of a Fulham attack that is very noticeably depleted. That, coupled with the fact that Everton is one of those typical sides one week they can be dire while the next they aren’t half-bad point, to resurgence this afternoon.
On the scoreline odds a 1-1 draw is highly likely at 11/2, with a Fulham win at 1-0 netting 13/2- the exact odds in the opposite direction for an Everton win at the same score
The bookies clearly feel that both of these sides are a tough nut to crack, and as such are not letting too much go in the low scoring departments.
With the loss of both Dembele, as well as Zamora, Yank Clint Dempsey is topping the scoring odds for the Cottagers at 15/8 at anytime, with the returning Damien Duff at 4/1
For Everton Yakubu is favoured to score at 15/8, while the ever dangerous Tim Cahill is set at 2/1
This game will go down to the wire, with both teams giving away very little.
Fulham have done little to suggest weakness this season , howeverEverton need this win in order to finally jumpstart their campaign this winter, and as such are a team to be taken with caution.
Betting Prediction and Tip: A 1-1 draw at 11/2