Three points on Saturday are non-negotiable.
Stuttering draws have the possibility of derailing a title charge before the leaves even turn brown, and taking five points from the opening nine has left zero margin for error. However, victory at Ipswich Town last week should hopefully give us the lift needed ahead of the arrival of the Cottagers.
Wednesday’s scrappy, high-octane comeback against Atletico Madrid showed the fight in this squad, but European momentum counts for nothing if we let Fulham dictate terms in our own backyard.
Marco Silva’s side roll into Merseyside wounded, having lost three on the bounce and shipping goals for fun. If our midfield snaps into those midfield tackles early and exploits the massive gaps Calvin Bassey leaves when caught high, this should be over by the hour mark. No complacency, no slow start, just straight for the throat.
Head-to-Head Dominance
Historically, this is a fixture that brings good omens for Liverpool. Across 81 competitive meetings, the Reds have won 46 times, suffering only 14 defeats.
When Fulham made the journey north in April, teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha announced himself in style alongside Mohamed Salah in a comfortable 2-0 victory.
While the Cottagers can occasionally cause problems, their current form is poor. Stuck down in 19th with zero points after a 3-2 home heartbreak against Crystal Palace, they are leaking goals and look desperately short of confidence.
Team News and Injuries
The treatment room at the AXA Training Centre has cleared up nicely, though long-term absentees Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined as they continue rehabilitation from knee surgeries, while Hugo Ekitike is unlikely to return from his achilles injury until the New Year at the earliest.
Alexander Isak is back firing after spearheading the attack at Portman Road, while Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola provide pace and dizzying creative flair in the final third.
After intense midweek exertions against Atletico, we could see rotation out wide and in the centre of midfield.
Jeremie Frimpong and Ryan Gravenberch both made sharp impacts off the bench on Wednesday and will push for starts, while Milos Kerkez and Ronald Araujo should continue alongside Virgil van Dijk in a solid backline protecting Alisson Becker.
Fulham arrive with former Red Harry Wilson eager to prove a point, but their defensive central pairing of Joachim Andersen and Bassey looked fragile against Palace.
If the Anfield crowd brings the noise from the kick-off, Liverpool have far too much pace and firepower for an unsettled Fulham backline.
Expect the Reds to press aggressively, control midfield tempo, and take all three points with a convincing 3-0 victory.
