Barclays Premier League
Fulham v Burnley
Venue: Craven Cottage
Date: Tuesday 9 February 2010
Kick-off: 2000
Team News
Fulham welcome back top scorer Bobby Zamora after illness while Simon Davies also returns. But midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi will be out for up to six weeks after damaging ankle ligaments in the weekend's draw with Bolton.
Burnley defender Stephen Jordan could be fit to play after a fortnight out with a hamstring strain. Chris McCann (knee), Graham Alexander (calf) and Steven Caldwell (groin) remain sidelined.
Brian Laws pays tribute to top boss Roy Hodgson
Having savoured his first win as Burnley boss, against West Ham at Turf Moor on Saturday, Brian Laws is now turning his attention to improving the Clarets abysmal away form.
Burnley have drawn one and lost 11 of their 12 away matches in the league, but Laws is hopeful of redressing the balance at Craven Cottage tonight as he goes head-to-head with a man he believes would be a perfect England manager - Roy Hodgson.
'We haven't won away all season so that is our objective, to change that mentality, and there is no better one (for that) than against Fulham," Laws said.
"They are not playing as well as they would like, I know that and I know Roy Hodgson would say the same thing.
"We've got to go into this with confidence. All the pressure will be on them, not on us, and those kinds of elements do even themselves out. That's the kind of encouragement I'll be giving to the players."
He added: "Fulham will be looking at the Burnley game as one that can lift their season. However, they are not in great shape.
"They are in fantastic shape in terms of being in the Premier League, have got a good points tally already this year and will be comfortable finishers in the end.
"But it's a good time (to play them), and with us winning on Saturday I think we can take a lot out of that and it will give us an extra 10 to 15% more confidence in ourselves to take into the game."
Fulham are currently 10th in the table and have made it to the knock-out stages of the Europa League, and Laws has the utmost respect for their much-travelled boss.
"He's very experienced, he knows the game inside out and I think he'd be the perfect choice," said Laws.
"I don't think you can be England manager without all those ingredients.
"You have to have had those experiences and I think you have to be at a certain age. It's not one for a young manager; I think you have got to be seasoned. You need that aura about you and he has certainly got that."
