Liverpool vs Fulham: Prediction, Team News & Possible Lineups

Liverpool welcome a Fulham side without a single Premier League point to their name this weekend, and on paper this looks like exactly the sort of game the Reds should be putting away with something to spare. Anfield has not been the fortress it usually is so far this season, though, so there is at least a small opening for the visitors to cause an upset.

When is Liverpool vs Fulham?

Liverpool host Fulham in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday, with kick-off at 3:00pm WAT.

How Liverpool Have Started

Andoni Iraola's side have been scoring for fun under him, and they have kept that going while also tightening things up defensively, which is a nice problem to have. They put two past Ipswich in their last league outing thanks to a quick double from Alexander Isak, and followed that up in midweek with a 2-1 win away at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister on the scoresheet.

Even with that momentum, Liverpool are still chasing their first home league win of the season and are on a run of three straight draws at Anfield. That is their longest winless stretch at home in years, so there is a bit of pressure on them to finally turn one of these games into three points rather than one.

Fulham's Difficult Start

Things have not gone Fulham's way at all in the league. They have lost all three of their opening top-flight games, in three different fashions, whether that is being outscored at home or simply unable to find a way past a well-organised defence. Their only win of the campaign so far came in the League Cup against lower-league opposition, which will offer little comfort to fans who booed the team off after last weekend's home defeat.

Coventry City are the only other club still without a point this season, and history is not kind to Fulham here either. In both of the last two seasons where they lost their opening four league games, they ended up relegated. That is the shadow hanging over Alvaro Arbeloa right now.

History Leans Heavily Towards Liverpool

Fulham have not won away at Anfield since March 2021, and that season also ended in relegation for the Cottagers. Since that win, Liverpool have lost just once to Fulham across all competitions at home, winning four times and drawing once, including a comfortable win the last time these two met there.

Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• Despite their recent successes in the Premier League, Liverpool have only beaten Fulham in two of their last six meetings. At Anfield, though, that extends to four wins in their last six meetings, with the Cottagers winless there since 2021.
• After opening their Premier League account with draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Liverpool picked up their first win under Andoni Iraola last weekend, beating newly-promoted Ipswich 0-2. It was an improved showing, although it is worth noting that the Reds still left gaps at the back, allowing Ipswich 14 shots on goal.
• Liverpool also began their European campaign this week. They came from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield, and while they did leave gaps at the back again, they were worthy winners.
• Fulham have provided excitement in their early games under Alvaro Arbeloa, but worryingly, results have been lacking. Their 2-3 losses to Chelsea and Crystal Palace were tremendous matches that saw the Cottagers wide open at the back, while their loss to Sunderland saw them give up 12 shots on goal.
• One of the more intriguing things about this game is the fact that new Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa is a former Liverpool player. The Spaniard spent three seasons at Anfield between 2006 and 2009 and was part of the side that finished as UEFA Champions League runners-up to AC Milan in 2007.

Squad and Team News

Fulham's injury list is short, with only Tom Cairney missing through a knee problem. A few fringe players made the matchday squad against Crystal Palace for the first time, though only one of them saw any game time. Arbeloa is expected to make few changes after being fairly happy with his side's effort in that game, though Sander Berge could come in if he wants more defensive solidity in midfield. There has also been some noise around a handful of Fulham players over their social media activity, though the manager has played that down.

Liverpool have a fuller treatment room. Bradley Barcola and Milos Kerkez both went off with cramp in midweek and should be fine, but Cody Gakpo remains a doubt with an adductor issue. Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike, Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa are all out through injury. If Gakpo and Barcola are both unavailable, Victor Munoz is in line to start out wide. Isak, meanwhile, is one goal away from already beating his entire Premier League tally from last season.

Possible Lineups

Liverpool: Alisson in goal behind a back four of Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk and Tsimikas, with Mac Allister and Szoboszlai controlling midfield, Munoz and Ngumoha providing width, Wirtz linking play, and Isak leading the line.

Fulham: Leno starts in goal, protected by Castagne, Andersen, Bassey and Robinson across the back four, with Berge and Charles sitting in midfield, Iwobi and Palacios either side of King, and Garcia up front on his own.

Tactical Verdict and Prediction

Liverpool's injury situation up front is not ideal, but even without Gakpo and Barcola they have more than enough quality to break down a Fulham defence that has already shown it can be got at. Fulham will look to stay compact and frustrate for as long as possible, the way they managed to do against Sunderland, but doing that for ninety minutes at Anfield is a much taller order.

Given how open Fulham have been defensively and how sharp Liverpool's front players are right now, this has the look of a game where the hosts eventually find the breakthrough and pull away in the second half, even if Fulham manage to make it nervy for a spell.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Fulham