Liverpool FC
Fulham FC
Fulham FC
Liverpool aiming to avoid six straight home defeats against survival chasing Fulham
Liverpool to win 2-0
In normal times, this would feel like a routine win for Liverpool, with the champions going up against a team looking to avoid relegation this season.
However, their humiliation was taken to a new level against Chelsea in midweek, with the Reds coming unstuck at Anfield for the fifth match in a row for the very first time in their history.
They’ve not only seen their title aspirations fall into the dust, but must now be worried that they won’t even make the top four this season. There are several problems for Klopp and his team to address.
As for Fulham, they know that a win here could take them out of the bottom three if Newcastle lose their game. They’ve been fighting hard to close the gap, but narrowly lost their last game to Spurs.
The Cottagers won’t be pushovers here. They’re a much better side than at the start of the season, and will fancy their chances of catching Newcastle before the end of the campaign, whether they win here or not.
Form Guide (all comps): LWLWL
Reasons to be cheerful:
Haven’t lost to a newly-promoted side since 2010
Will see this as a huge opportunity to bounce back
Reasons to be fearful:
They’ve gone nine hours without scoring from open play at home
Have gotten into a habit of starting games slowly
Despite Liverpool’s disastrous form of late, they still have 11 games with which to save their season and at the very least claim a top four position.
There are problems, however, which have worked against the side all season. Injuries, for one, have taken their toll with all their defenders missing some time at one stage or another, with Van Dijk and Gomez unlikely to play again this season.
Mo Salah, their top scorer this season, was substituted after 60 minutes in the defeat to Chelsea, with Liverpool desperately searching for goal. Klopp claimed that the striker was suffering from fatigue, but is there something else going on behind the scenes?
These are problems that they must fix quickly.
Here, the Reds play with a largely unchanged squad, though Nat Phillips may have to come in for the injured Kabak in central defence.
Star Man – Mo Salah
Has now gone three league games without a goal, but will be desperate to return to form here.
Form Guide (all comps): WDWDL
Reasons to be cheerful:
Conceded fewer goals than Liverpool this season
Haven’t lost in last seven away fixtures
Reasons to be fearful:
Have won just two of their 26 games against reigning champions
Liverpool will be determined to bounce back strongly
Although Liverpool have put together the worst form in their history, Fulham are unlikely to be confident about facing them.
Their record against reigning champions is poor on the whole, with their last win of that kind coming back in 2003.
On the other hand, their defensive record has been positive, particularly in recent months. The Cottagers have conceded fewer goals than Liverpool this season, and have kept three clean sheets from their last five matches.
Fortunately for Fulham, there are no new injuries to report, in contrast to their opponents. Here, they must be positive and take inspiration from the teams who have beaten the Reds in the past couple of months.
Star Man – Ademola Lookman
Has the pace and power to drive through this makeshift Liverpool defence.
An entertaining game with both sides playing to win
Liverpool’s absences could hurt them again
Salah or Mane to score
Liverpool’s record surely can’t get any worse than it has over the past few weeks.
Klopp’s squad has taken a battering from injuries and poor performances recently, but will be more determined than ever to show that they can still make the top four this season.
Fulham can certainly cause some problems, but Liverpool are favourites here.
Liverpool to win 2-0
