Fresh from a statement victory in the West London derby, Fulham turn their attention to the FA Cup as they host Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Marco Silva’s side moved into the Premier League’s top half after a gritty 2-1 win over Chelsea on Wednesday, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. With the EFL Cup now out of reach, the FA Cup represents the Cottagers’ final realistic path to silverware in 2026.
They face a Middlesbrough side currently mired in a congested promotion race; Kim Hellberg’s men sit second in the Championship but arrive in London having recently snapped a four-match winless streak with a dominant 4-0 thrashing of Southampton. For Silva, this is a chance to maintain momentum, while Hellberg will be looking for a major top-flight scalp to fuel his side’s promotion ambitions.
Fulham vs Middlesbrough – FA Cup Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 10 January 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Venue: Craven Cottage, London
- Referee: Lewis Smith
- VAR: Not in operation
Team News
Fulham
The Cottagers remain without their Nigerian trio—Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze—who have progressed to the AFCON quarter-finals. Rodrigo Muniz (thigh) is ruled out, while Josh King (knee) and Kenny Tete (thigh) are nearing returns but unlikely to feature this weekend. Ryan Sessegnon could be handed a starting berth after a successful cameo in the derby victory over Chelsea.
Middlesbrough
Boro are facing a deepening defensive crisis after Alex Bangura hobbled off just six minutes into Sunday’s game. They are also missing Callum Brittain (ankle), George Edmundson (hip), Riley McGree (hamstring), and Darragh Lenihan (ankle). Hellberg may look to rotate his squad, potentially giving starts to Whittaker and Silvera to maintain freshness for their promotion charge.
Form
Fulham
Fulham have turned Craven Cottage into a fortress this term, earning 20 of their 31 Premier League points on home soil. Marco Silva boasts a perfect record in this competition, winning all seven of his previous FA Cup third-round ties by a combined score of 15-2. The Cottagers are currently unbeaten in their last seven matches against Middlesbrough across all competitions.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough arrive in London desperate to break a significant historical drought; they are winless in their last 22 away FA Cup fixtures in the capital, a run stretching back to 1957. Furthermore, Boro have lost their last four matches in this competition. A defeat on Saturday would mark the first time in their history they have suffered five consecutive losses in the FA Cup.
Predicted Lineups
Fulham predicted XI: Leno; Diop, Andersen, Cuenca; Castagne, Lukić, Cairney, Robinson; Smith Rowe, Kevin, Jiménez
Middlesbrough predicted XI: Brynn; Ayling, Malanda, Targett, Browne; Hackney, Morris, Whittaker; Silvera, Burgzorg, Conway
How to watch Fulham vs Middlesbrough?
The match will not be broadcast on TV due to the Saturday 3pm blackout time in the UK.
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