It is far too early to begin to raise an alarm over 2 league defeats out of 38 league matches for the season, however, the rate and manners at which Fulham and West Brom shipped in goals in the respective 2 matches played, there is nothing to suggest they would not be playing championship football next season.
Having begun the season on a lacklustre manner, conceding 3 goals each against Arsenal and Leicester City respectively, Fulham and West Brom showed how penetrable their teams can be when they conceded even more goals in their respective loses 4-3 and 5-2 to Leeds United and Everton on matchday 2.
Still struggling to address Fulham's lack of finesse in front of opposition goals, Fulham manager Scott Parker start-up the trio of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Aboubakar Kamara and Ivan Cavaleiro in the attack, however, by the time Mitrovic(34' & 67') completed his double on either side of teammate Bobby De Cordova-Reid's(62') goal, Fulham was already 4-2 down.
Parker could only watch in disappointment from the touchline as his wards' late rally came too little, too late. Leeds United ran away with a 4-3 victory as goals from Hélder Costa(5', 57'), Mateusz Klich (41') and Patrick Bamford(50') were enough to ensure 1st victory for Marcelo Bielsa-led Leeds United in the 1st premier league football at Elland Road in 16 years.
West Brom, on the other hand, started their match against Everton well after taking the lead through Grady Diangana(10'). However, they allowed their host back into the game and fell behind 1-2 to Dominic Calvert-Lewin(31') and James Rodríguez(45') goals. Things got worst for The Baggies when the rush of blood to the head got left-back Kieran Gibbs(45+1') sent off for a serious foul play on Everton's James Rodriguez and his manager Slaven Bilic soon joined the stands having been sent off for dissent at halftime.
Matheus Pereira(47') pulled West Brom level 2-2 with a sumptuous freekick. However, West Brom's joy lasted only 7 minutes as Everton pulled away with further goals from Michael Keane(54') and Dominic Calvert-Lewin(62' & 66') to maintain Everton's 100% start to the season under manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Fulham and West Brom languish at the bottom of the premier league table after 2 matches, however, the real worry is the number of goals conceded already. Both have shipped in 7 and 8 goals respectively and that is a signatory weakness of a relegation candidate. Bookmakers have tipped both clubs to be 2 of 3 clubs to be relegated come season-ending and it is proving so far, so true.
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