The Fulham vs Liverpool match will take place this Wednesday, February 12, 2014 (12:00 PM Pacific, 20:00 GMT). It will be a battle between the division’s in-form team against the side favourites for the drop, when Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on Wednesday night.
Fulham’s 13 year uninterrupted stay in the Premier League is in serious danger of coming to an end this season, as the Cottagers are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, while teams in-and-around them are consistently picking up points.
Although Rene Muelensteen’s side earned a valuable point against Manchester United in the weekend, the Cottagers are on a shocking run of form, having lost 12 of their last 16 Premier League matches. What Fulham desperately now need at the moment is victories, in order to avoid being cast away at the foot of the table. However, it will take another herculean effort from the Cottagers as a rampant Liverpool side are the visitors on Wednesday night.
Liverpool currently must be the most confident team in the Premier League, following their 5-1 hammering of league leaders Arsenal in the weekend. With their emphatic victory over the Gunners, the Reds are now being taken seriously, not only as top four hopefuls, but also as title contenders.
Brendan Rodgers’ men now travel to relegation-threatened Fulham on Wednesday and look like overwhelming favourites for victory. However, the Reds should be careful not be allow complacency to creep into their game and the fact that they have won only two times in last nine away matches, means that the clash is not a foregone conclusion as of yet.
Fulham
Rene Muelensteen boldly elected to go with a youthful side against Manchester United in the weekend and it paid dividends at the end, but there could be a couple of changes to the squad for the visit of Liverpool.
Darren Bent could be handed a start in place of young Muamer Tankovic in attack, while Damien Duff could also be recalled into the lineup, replacing Ryan Tunnicliffe. The likes of William Kvist, Steven Sidwell and Lewis Holtby were impressive against United and should start, while Kieran Richardson could also retain his place on the left wing.
Club record signing, Kostas Mitroglou, will have to go through a late fitness test ahead of the clash and could be named in squad as well.
The Fulham defence consisting of Sascha Riether, Jonny Heitinga, Dan Burn and John Arne Riise received a barrage of attacks from United, but they managed to stay resolute and the quartet look set to start again, meaning that captain Brede Hangeland misses out.
Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers will have to do without the services of Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho, Luis Enrique, Glen Johnson and Lucas for the clash, which means that there could be very little alteration to the side which thumped Arsenal in the weekend.
Related: Full Analysis of Liverpool’s Possible Lineup vs Fulham
Simon Mignolet will start in goal behind the solid looking back-four consisting of Jon Flanagan, Martin Skrtel, Kolo Toure and Aly Cissokho. The midfield trio of Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho have been complementing each other very well and look most likely to start once again.
The deadly three-pronged attack of Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, which shred Arsenal into pieces, will be leading the line for the Reds once again and will look compound more misery on the leaky Fulham defence.
Probable Lineups
Fulham (Probable XI): Stekelenburg; Riise, Heitinga, Burn, Riether; Richardson, Kvist, Holtby, Sidwell, Duff; Bent
Liverpool (Probable XI): Mignolet; Cissokho, Skrtel, Toure, Flanagan; Sturridge, Henderson, Gerrard, Allen, Sterling; Suarez
Form
Fulham: D L L L D
Liverpool: D W W D W
Last Meeting
09/11/2013 Liverpool 4 – 0 Fulham
12/05/2013 Fulham 1 – 3 Liverpool
22/12/2012 Liverpool 4 – 0 Fulham
Fulham vs Liverpool Prediction
Judging by the form book, there looks set to be only one winner for the clash. Fulham are winless in six and the pressure seems to be mounting on manager Rene Meulensteen. The Cottagers certainly are a better team than they have been showing recently and should be looking to use their draw against Manchester United as a springboard to further success against bigger sides.
Liverpool, on the other hand, should be looking to improve on their poor away record if they are to harbor serious title aspirations starting with Fulham on Wednesday.
The match looks set to be a tight one if Fulham can contain Liverpool like the way they did against United, however, if the Cottagers concede early on then it could be curtains for Meulensteen’s side.
The Reds will know heading into the game that Fulham can be hard to break down, but with the attacking options at his disposal and his side’s fine record of scoring early on, Rodger should be confident of claiming all three points.
Liverpool should win this one, but it will not be as comprehensive as their victory against Arsenal. Fulham 1 – 3 Liverpool.
Fulham vs Liverpool Television
The match will be televised on Premier League Extra Time, for all other countries, check on LiveSoccerTV.
