Liverpool vs Fulham LIVE!
Liverpool will be hoping to extend their title lead as they return to Premier League action at Anfield this afternoon. The postponement of their Merseyside derby clash with Everton last weekend combined with results for the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal have seen their advantage at the top-flight summit whittled down to just four points.
Although the Reds now hold a potentially crucial game in hand over their closest rivals, Arne Slot will be eager to re-establish some more distance before Chelsea host Brentford on Sunday night and with Arsenal also in action at home to Everton this afternoon. Liverpool brushed aside Girona in midweek to seal their Champions League progress and quickly get back to winning ways after that thrilling six-goal draw at Newcastle, though could face another potentially tough test from confident Fulham today.
Marco Silva’s side have impressed so far this season and held Arsenal to a deserved draw last time out, though they’ve won just one of their last 14 matches against today’s opponents and none since 2021, losing to them on three occasions last term. Follow Liverpool vs Fulham live below!
Liverpool vs Fulham latest news
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Kick-off: 3pm GMT | Anfield
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How to watch
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Liverpool team news: Jota and Chiesa could return
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Fulham team news: Silva facing defensive dilemma
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Score prediction
Slot defends Nunez but admits standards slipped
13:32
Arne Slot has delivered his public backing to striker Darwin Nunez, whose struggles in front of goal continued in the Champions League in midweek.
The Uruguayan international has now scored just three times across all competitions this season and faced plenty of criticism.
Slot urged Reds fans to get behind Nunez, but also acknowledged that he let his standards slip against Girona on Tuesday.
“All our players feel the support of our fans but he is definitely one of them,” Slot said.
“Mo (Salah) is scoring so many goals he likes the support of the fans but doesn’t really need it at the moment,” he said.
“We all saw they did something with him when he missed a few chances on Tuesday and everyone needs an arm around you, either from a team-mate, the fans or your manger.
“But I also made it clear to him that he is not only judged on the goals he scores, he is also judged on the team performance and he adds something to the team performance as well with his work-rate and how much he does winning the ball back high up the pitch.
“Ideally he would have scored a few goals more. Maybe in a few weeks you will ask me (about) Mo is not scoring any more and Darwin is scoring one goal after another.
“It is the life of a number nine, sometimes you score, sometimes you don’t.
“But what should always be there is work-rate and I think that is what he has, apart from two games: the first one against Las Palmas (a pre-season friendly) – I said that to him yesterday – and the last half-hour against Girona wasn’t of the standard he should have.
“That had a lot to do with him being disappointed at missing a few chances.”
(Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Slot ‘not worried’ as Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk contract saga rumbles on
13:21
The ongoing Liverpool contract saga relating to Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk was once again discussed as a key topic at yesterday’s Arne Slot press conference, though the Reds boss insisted he is not worried by the potential for that key trio to begin talking to – and even potentially agree a pre-contract with – overseas clubs in January.
“It doesn’t worry me, we just accept the situation as it is,” Slot told reporters.
“It’s the same situation as it is, but they play at a really good club and they’re doing really well at the moment.
“So hopefully we can keep it for a long time like this.”
(London Standard)
Slot addresses Chiesa’s Liverpool struggles ahead of comeback
13:05 , George Flood
It has been a hugely frustrating start to his Liverpool career for Federico Chiesa, who has played just 78 minutes of football for the club across all competitions so far.
Speaking on the injury-plagued Italian on Friday, Arne Slot bemoaned the lack of ideal chances to get him game time as he pinpointed next week’s Carabao Cup quarter-final trip to struggling Southampton as a potential comeback game.
“What makes it difficult is we play so many games,” the Dutchman said.
“What he needs is playing time and the problem is if you haven’t played for five or six months, it’s sometimes difficult for a manager to give him his first minutes because you don’t exactly know what you can expect.
“Yes, I see him on the training ground but ideally you see him in a friendly during the week or you see him in a Under-21s game but that is not the situation we have because we play so many games.
“So maybe the Southampton game might be a good moment for him to get some playing minutes and then we will know a bit better what to expect from him.
(AP)
“Of course we see his qualities, we know his qualities but he needs to get his fitness level [up].
“If you only have training sessions that is not the same as playing time, so you need to have playing time to reach certain fitness levels.
“That is if you are competing for the league and competing in the Champions League, it’s not always easy to find these minutes, unless we are sometimes four or five-nil up.
“But for the whole season I think it was only once against Bournemouth at home, 3-0 up at half-time and for the rest it’s been a struggle or a fight to the last second of every game.”
Slot issues Jota and Chiesa update as Liverpool attack bolstered
13:00 , George Flood
It sounds like Diogo Jota is probably more likely to play a role for Liverpool today than Federico Chiesa.
Jota has not featured at all since sustaining a rib injury after being accidentally landed on by Tosin Adarabioyo during the 2-1 home win over Chelsea on October 20.
He was omitted from the squad heading to Girona in midweek despite returning to training, though has since continued to build up his fitness and should be on the bench this afternoon.
Chiesa – Liverpool’s lone summer signing – has made only three appearances and one start for the club since that cut-price £12.5million move from Juventus, with constant fitness issues keeping him sidelined.
He started and scored with a 60-minute outing for the Under-21s last week, only to then deal with an illness that prevented him from being part of the Champions League squad.
“I think they are,” Arne Slot said on Friday when asked if Jota and Chiesa would be named in the matchday squad against Fulham.
“We have one training session to go but Federico missed quite a lot, was ill last week so we have to wait and see how he’s exactly doing.
“But maybe Diogo is in the squad and maybe Federico as well but that depends a bit on the numbers we have and also how he has recovered from his illness.”
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool vs Fulham prediction
12:44 , George Flood
Liverpool will have it tough against a Fulham side unbeaten in their last three away games but will still be expected to win.
Liverpool to win, 2-1.
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Early Fulham team news: Silva facing defensive dilemma
12:43 , George Flood
Fulham boss Marco Silva is facing something of a defensive conundrum for today’s daunting trip to Anfield.
The Cottagers remain without Joachim Andersen due to injury, while Calvin Bassey is now suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Arsenal.
Could summer signing Jorge Cuenca therefore make his first Premier League start at centre-back alongside Issa Diop? Quite a game for it!
Still no Harrison Reed for Fulham, while Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson is expected to miss approximately 10 weeks with a hamstring injury.
Captain Tom Cairney remains banned after his sending off against Tottenham at the start of the month.
(Getty Images)
Early Liverpool team news: Jota and Chiesa could return
12:38
Liverpool could see both Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa return to Arne Slot’s matchday squad this afternoon.
Both players have been sidelined for a number of weeks, though have been back training at Kirkby this week.
However, Alexis Mac Allister is suspended again after his automatic one-match ban for collecting five Premier League yellow cards this season was carried over to this game after the postponement of the Merseyside derby.
The Argentine midfielder was also banned for the win over Girona after being booked three times in the Champions League this term.
Defenders Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas are all still out injured for the Reds.
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
How to watch Liverpool vs Fulham
12:33 , George Flood
TV channel and live stream: Today’s game will not be shown live on TV in the UK as it takes place during the 3pm Saturday blackout still imposed across English football.
Free highlights: Match of the Day will broadcast highlights when it airs at 10:30pm GMT on Saturday night on BBC One.
Liverpool vs Fulham live
12:32 , George Flood
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool vs Fulham in the Premier League.
The table-topping Reds are back in action at Anfield today looking to maintain or even extend their lead at the summit that was whittled down to four points last weekend as their title rivals sought to capitalise on the late Storm Darragh-forced postponement of the Merseyside derby.
But Arne Slot’s side are back in confident mood after responding to dropping points with late heartbreak in their six-goal thriller at Newcastle by easing past Girona in midweek to seal their direct passage into the Champions League last 16 in Spain.
Mid-table Fulham do not have a good recent record against Liverpool and particularly at Anfield, though could yet prove a tough challenge having generally impressed under Marco Silva so far this season and held Arsenal to a battling draw last weekend.
Kick-off on Merseyside comes at 3pm GMT, so keep it right here for all your latest team news, match build-up and live updates.
(REUTERS)