Fulham vs Liverpool
Date: 13/12/2020
Time: 16.30
Venue: Craven Cottage
Referee: Andre Marriner
Liverpool travel to Fulham on Sunday afternoon looking for their seventh consecutive win against the Cottagers.
After losing their first four games of the season, Scott Parker’s side have at least started to show some signs of improvement in the last six weeks. They no longer look like they will get thrashed every time they play, and after going 2-0 down early to Manchester City last weekend, many Fulham fans would have been fearing a cricket score. However, they dug in and managed to limit the damage. This comes after their best win of the season away at Leicester and improved showings against West Ham and Everton, even if they didn’t get the results their efforts merited. While they no longer sit in the relegation zone, lying just one point ahead of Burnley in 18th, Parker knows it is about his time Fulham turned narrow losses into draws and draws into victories if they are to consolidate their position.
Liverpool on the other hand are second in the table, only behind leaders Tottenham on goal difference. After an indifferent start including that 7-2 loss to Aston Villa in October, Jurgen Klopp’s men have produced a string of solid results, without exactly setting the Premier League. After comfortably brushing aside a lacklustre Wolves team last time out, an inexperienced Liverpool team were held to a 1-1 draw away at Midtjylland in the Champions League. With qualification to the knockout stages already secured, it provided an opportunity for some of the fringe players to stake their claim for a starting berth. It also allowed the likes of Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold to continue their recoveries from injury.
Realistically, both sides will have an eye on their next Premier League fixtures next Wednesday. Fulham have a potential relegation six pointer against fellow strugglers Brighton, while Liverpool host Spurs in a top of the table clash that could go a long way to determining who will end the season in May as champions of England.
Team News
Fulham will be without Terence Kongolo and Kenny Tete for Sunday’s game, with Parker likely to utilise a wing-back system to limit Liverpool’s attacking threat. Parker kept his side unchanged for their trip to Etihad last weekend after their win at Leicester the previous week, and the likes of Tom Cairney, Mario Lemina and Aleksandar Mitrovic will all be vying to return to the starting XI.
Klopp was given a welcome boost this week by the return of Alisson to first team training. While Caoimhin Kelleher has impressed between the sticks, it was never to going to be enough to displace the Brazilian stopper. With Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to action last week after missing the last month with a calf injury, he will return to Liverpool’s starting XI in place of Neco Williams. Klopp’s only new injury worry was related to Diogo Jota, who could miss the game with a minor issue. However, as mentioned, Klopp may choose to spare some of his stars, given the magnitude of their midweek clash against Spurs coming in just a few days.
Predicted Starting XIs
Fulham: Areola; Aina, Andersen, Adarabioyo; Reid, Angissa, Reed, Robinson; Loftus-Cheek, Cavaleiro, Lookman.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jones; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Score Prediction: Fulham 0-3 Liverpool
Given the gulf in class between these two sides, it is hard to see anything but a comfortable Liverpool victory. Fulham will have to be at their best and hope Liverpool are below par if the Cottagers are to get anything out of this game.
