After a week of entertaining Carabao Cup action, the Sky Bet Championship returns this weekend with a number of mouth-watering fixtures ahead.  

One of those sees Middlesbrough travel to London to face Fulham at Craven Cottage, a chance for two pre-season favourites to go up against each other.

Fulham have endured a testing start to the season, with Slavisa Jokanovic’s side managing to pick up just 10 points from their opening eight fixtures, which has left them down in a lowly 14th.

Garry Monk’s Boro have made a stronger start to the season, but have failed to set the pace in the Championship, as many thought they would, and currently sit seventh with 14 points from their opening fixtures.

Fulham head into Saturday’s clash on the back of a surprising defeat to Burton Albion, which ended a three game unbeaten run.

Jokanovic will be expecting a reaction following that defeat, but will understand the mammoth task his side have ahead of them, with Boro beginning to find their feet under Monk.

The Teessiders are unbeaten in their last six fixtures across all competitions, and have picked up two victories over the last week, beating Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on Saturday, before progressing past Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

Despite Fulham’s early season struggles, Boro will be wary of the threat they still pose and it is likely that Monk will tighten his side up for their trip to London.

There certainly won’t be much between the two sides on Saturday.

Score Prediction: Fulham 1 – 2 Middlesbrough