Following a bruising week in cup competitions, Liverpool return to Anfield this Saturday evening to face Fulham, with Arne Slot’s side desperate to snap a three-game losing streak and keep their Champions League hopes alive
It has been a long three weeks, now, since the Reds last competed in the bread and butter of top-flight action, when they came unstuck away at Brighton and Hove Albion2-1.
Still, even with the long break in mind, the sour mood at Anfield hasn’t improved, with defeats in the FA Cup and Champions League since the trip to the South Coast leaving Arne Slot on ever-thinning ice in the managerial dug-out.
This makes the coming home game against Marco Silva’s Cottagers feel critical, as another defeat might well be enough for the powers that be on Merseyside to finally pull the plug.
Here is everything you need to know, ahead of the Saturday evening showdown between the reigning Premier League champions and the visitors from West London.
How to watch
Liverpool’s clash at Anfield with Fulham will be available to watch on Sky Sports, with the game kicking off at 5:30 pm GMT.
The pre-match coverage will begin on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League at 5 pm.
Recent form
Liverpool (Home side)
Heading into this match, it’s well documented the struggles Liverpool has faced in recent weeks and months.
Across their last five clashes in all competitions, Slot’s side have been disappointing as they have only won once, which was a convincing 4-0 victory in the Champions League over Galatasaray.
But that was a rare, front-foot performance, as the current Premier League title holders come into this game on Saturday, having not scored a goal across their last two matches.
Losing 4-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup was bruising to morale, obviously, while the 2-0 loss on the road to Paris Saint-Germain was humbling, as Liverpool were so far off the spellbinding quality of Luis Enrique’s hosts, when only registering three shots all match.
Coming up short against Brighton during their last Premier League outing, as well, it’s fair to say the Reds are in must-win territory, as they prepare for the test of Fulham.
Fulham (Away Side)
Fulham aren’t in sparkling form themselves, heading into this match on Merseyside.
Their fortunes, as of late, have been very bumpy, with their record across their last five encounters in all competitions seeing them beat Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley in 2-1 and 3-1 victories, but then Silva and Co. have come unstuck against Southampton and Fulham.
Moreover, they had to settle for a 0-0 draw away at Nottingham Forest, in the middle of March, as the Cottagers could only test the Tricky Trees with six shots on goal, despite the hosts’ relegation-threatened status.
Silva will be desperate for a win, though, as he was formerly in charge of Everton between 2018 and 2019.
On top of that, ex-Liverpool alumni Harry Wilson will want to get on the scoresheet to pile on the misery for his former employers, with the electric Welshman boasting ten Premier League goals so far this campaign.
Head-to-head results
The head-to-head history between Liverpool and Fulham is weighted heavily in favour of the Reds.
Indeed, there have been a mammoth 80 meetings between the two Premier League regulars in total, with Liverpool reigning supreme 45 times, next to Fulham’s lesser 14.
21 draws have also occurred between the two teams, and it was a 2-2 draw that played out earlier in the season at Craven Cottage.
Match Statistics: Fulham 2 – 2 Liverpool:
| Statistic | Fulham | Liverpool |
| Possession | 42% | 58% |
| Expected Goals | 0.75 xG | 1.35 xG |
| Total shots | 8 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 2 |
A last-gasp Harrison Reed equaliser made certain the Reds didn’t leave the capital with all three points, after Cody Gakpo had dramatically handed the visitors a 94th-minute 2-1 advantage.
Thankfully, Reed is set to be out injured for the reverse fixture.
Team news
Liverpool: Alisson (out), Conor Bradley (out), Giovanni Leoni (out), Waturo Endo (out), Jeremie Frimpong (doubt), and Joe Gomez (doubt)
Fulham: Kenny Tete (out), Harrison Reed (out), and Kevin (out)
Predicted lineups
Liverpool predicted lineup: (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
Fulham predicted lineup: (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi; Wilson, King, Bobb; Rodrigo Muniz
What has been said
Arne Slot (Liverpool):
In his pre-match press conference, ahead of Saturday’s clash, Slot was insistent that he still has the full backing of the Liverpool board, despite reports emerging he could soon be sacked.
The under-pressure head coach said: “I have said many times I feel a lot of support from the owners and from Richard and Michael as well, and as weird as it might soudn I also feel the support of the fans.
“We were going out in Paris when the players went out for the warm-up and the fans after a 4-0 loss (at City) immediately started singing ‘We love you Liverpool’.
“After we were outplayed for 90 minutes they were still singing for us at the away end. We have felt that support constantly. The club knows the period of time we are in, and in the meantime I have their complete support.”
Slot also commented more specifically on the must-win match with the Cottagers, with the Dutchman full of praise for his opposite manager.
He said: “They have a manager who has worked a long time with them and you can see them clear structure and clear identity they want to play, mainly with the same players when I’ve been here.
We played them last season at home when we got a red card and was probably one of the best games we played that season, twice we were a goal down.
“This season that game maybe sums up our season. Unbelievable we didn’t win that one when you look at how late we scored – how often do you score in the 94th minute (to go ahead) and then not win?”
Marco Silva (Fulham):
Silva also spoke to the media in the build-up to the showdown at Anfield, with the former Everton boss hopeful of his side’s chances of winning on Merseyside for the first time since Scott Parker led the side to a 1-0 win in 2021.
He said: “No, it’s always a real opportunity. Because, as you mentioned, the last results against them, the last performances, last games, they have been very, very good – good performance, some good results from us, very, very competitive always, home and away, and this is what we want to be again.
“Of course, all the clubs, they have ups and downs. In a big club, any defeat probably hurts more. A defeat is always a defeat, I know, and I had this conversation with our players, for example, after the two defeats that we had in a row [against West Ham and Southampton] in a short period of time before the Nottingham Forest game.
And with other clubs and other players and other managers, it’s the same thing as well. It’s part of a season. And, of course, it’s always the way you are going to react for the bad moments that is going to be decisive.”
