Liverpool vs. Fulham lineups, expected starting 11, confirmed team ...
Liverpool seek to avoid further loosening their grip on the Premier League title race as they host pesky Fulham at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds have been far and away the best and most consistent team through the first half of the season both home and abroad, leading both the league and UEFA Champions League tables at the moment. Yet a wild draw in their last league game against Newcastle United saw their chokehold relax slightly, as surprise challengers Chelsea pulled within four points.
Still, Liverpool hold a game in hand and have lost just once all season, as Arne Slot continues to squeeze the most out of a deep and talented squad.
Fulham have enjoyed a bright campaign as well, sitting 10th in the league and providing a challenge to teams all across the table. They frustrated Arsenal in a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage last time out and have secured at least a point against Brighton & Hove Albion (win), Tottenham (draw), and Newcastle (win) at various stages this season, plus a narrow, competitive defeat to Manchester City.
Yet the Whites have seen their squad sapped of depth by injuries and will come into this match with a thin back line plus a glaring lack of rotational options at Marco Silva's disposal.
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Liverpool vs. Fulham lineups, starting 11, team newsLiverpool are in pretty good shape given the fitness concerns plaguing other big European clubs at the moment. The only consistent starter missing due to injury is Ibrahima Konate, who is absent for a few weeks with a knee problem, while Alexis Mac Allister is suspended for yellow-card accumulation.
Others who are unavailable would likely not have started anyways. Konstantinos Tsimikas is dealing with an ankle problem, while Conor Bradley has a hamstring concern as well. Federico Chiesa was a doubt due to illness but makes the bench, as does Diogo Jota as he works his way back to full fitness.
The tactical question for Slot here was whether to start struggling striker Darwin Nunez or move Luis Diaz to the middle. Either way, it seems likely that Cody Gakpo will enter the lineup in place of either forward. It's the latter, as speculated pre-match, which comes to pass, with the Uruguayan sent to the bench.
Liverpool starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson — Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones — Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Injured: Konate (knee), Tsimikas (ankle), Bradley (hamstring), Jota (chest, doubt)
Suspended: Mac Allister (yellow-card accumulation)
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Fulham's depth has been completely sapped by injuries, and the roster is littered with absentees. Reiss Nelson will miss at least 10 weeks with a serious hamstring injury, leading to more time for Adama Traore amidst a revival campaign.
Meanwhile, gritty midfielder Harrison Reed is out until the new year after knee surgery, and Joachim Andersen is a doubt with a calf problem. Combine those with the suspensions to Tom Cairney and Calvin Bassey, and Silva's side is exceedingly thin.
It seemed that Andreas Pereira, with just one Premier League goal contribution so far this season, had lost his place in the starting lineup. He had started on the bench in each of Fulham's last three league games, but gets a surprising vote of confidence today from Marco Silva as he starts while new record signing Emile Smith Rowe is sent to the bench. The same is true for Traore who is rotated out for Harry Wilson.
Fulham starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Leno (GK) — Tete, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson — Berge, Lukic — Wilson, Pereira, Iwobi — Jimenez
Injured: Nelson (hamstring), Reed (knee), Andersen (calf)
Suspended: Cairney (red card, 2/3), Bassey (yellow-card accumulation)
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