Fulham will be without first-team regulars Danny Murphy, Andrew Johnson and Damien Duff when they take on Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Cottagers are facing a crucial clash in the Italian capital (Roma 4/6, draw 12/5, Fulham 7/2 90 Minutes) after being held to a 1-1 draw by Roma at Craven Cottage last time out in the competition, with current Group E leaders FC Basel entertaining rock-bottom CSKA Sofia, also tonight.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has ruled out midfielders Murphy and Duff plus striker Johnson, although he managed without Murphy and Johnson for the 3-1 Premier League win over Liverpool last Saturday.

Hodgson also boasts a good record against Roma from his spell in charge of Inter Milan in the 1990s, but admits defeat would leave Fulham’s chances of making the next stage hanging by a thread.

He said: “I expect Basel to win. That means that whoever loses at the Stadio Olimpico will have a difficult task to progress.

“I think in order for us to go through to the next round, we will need to finish with nine or 10 points.”

Fulham, who have taken five points from their first three games in the Europa League, almost beat Roma two weeks ago and were only denied by a superb 93rd-minute strike by Marco Andreolli.

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