Fixture: Barclays Premier League
Venue: Craven Cottage
Date: Monday, 5 December
Kick-Off : 2000 GMT
Coverage: Sky Sports 1, live commentary on BBC Radio 5, etc.
Team News:
Liverpool’s midfielder, Lucas is out for the season after having a cruciate ligament problem in his left knee.
Steven Gerrard still remains as an absentee with an ankle infection.
Fulham -
Fulham’s, Republic of Ireland Winger, Damien Duff, is expected to miss the clash as he suffered a calf injury against Fc Twente.
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Steve Sidwell is also doubtful for the match.
Match Preview
Liverpool:
Trips to London have been encouraging for the Reds this season, as they have won 3 out of 4 trips at the capital. Their only defeat came in the hands of Spurs, where they played with 9 men. Currently, Kenny Dalglish’s side is on a fine run, beating Chelsea twice in the space of ten days, and earning a credible draw against Manchester City in the league, which confirmed that they are a force to be reckoned in the league. However, the Reds are inconsistent against mid table clubs.
Disappointing draws with Norwich, Swansea, and Sunderland has left them trailing 3 points behind the 4th spot. A win against Fulham will give ‘The Reds’ their 4th straight win in the league, something they have not managed to do since May 2009. As Liverpool are currently on a 11 match unbeaten run, the Merseyside outfit will be the favorites to win on Monday.
But ‘The Reds’ aspirations for the season were dealt with a huge blow, when news arrived that Lucas has been ruled out for the whole season. Lucas was notably their most consistent performer for the past two seasons. He swept all his critics aside and now has cemented his place in the side’s first XI. However, with Henderson waiting to prove his credentials in the central midfield, and Steven Gerrard’s imminent return, Lucas’s loss has been softened to large amount.
Fulham:
On the other hand, Fulham has been very inconsistent this season. They were once known for their good home record, but now they have been rather poor this season in Craven Cottage. They won just one of their last eight Premier League matches at home. Overall, they only have 2 wins this season, though they managed to come away from Arsenal‘s Emirates Stadium, with a 1-1 draw, it is something to be worried about for their manager Martin Jol.
After losing 1-0 to Fc Twente on Thursday, Fulham – the 2010 Europa League finalist – are now required to win their last group game to progress to the next round. Failure to do so might be a blessing in disguise for the Cottagers, as it will give them more time to concentrate on the league.
Match Facts
Head-to-Head
- Liverpoolin this fixture last season – a second hat trick from Maxi Rodriguez in 3 games ensured a 5-2 scoreline at Craven Cottage.
- Fulham have failed to score in six of their last 8 Premier League matches against Liverpool.
- In 20 Premier League Games against Liverpool, Fulham have won just 3.
- Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 in a League Cup second round match at Anfield in 1986.
Fulham:
- Fulham have won just one of their last eight Premier League games in Craven Cottage. A run that started after Liverpool beat them 5-2 in May.
- This is Fulhams joint worst run in terms of points collected after 13 games. They have collected just 12 points up to date.
- Only 7% of their goals are from headers. It is the lowest percentage in the league.
Liverpool:
- Liverpool are currently on a 11 match unbeaten run in all competition.
- They have allowed fewer shots on target against them than any other team. A league low of 44 shots.
- Uruguayan Striker Luis Suarez has an average of 8.2 touches inside the oppositions penalty area, more than any player in the Premier League.
Form guide:
Fulham(LDDLW)
1 Dec 2011: Fc Twente 1- 0 Fulham
26 Nov 2011: Arsenal 1-1 Fuham
19 Nov 2011: Sunderland 0- 0 Fulham
6 Nov 2011 : Fulham 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
3 Nov 2011 : Fulham 4-1 Wisla Krakow
Liverpool(WDWDW)
29 Nov 2011: Chelsea 0-2 Chelsea
27 Nov 2011: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City
20 Nov 2011: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
5 Nov 2011: Liverpool0-0 Swansea
29 Oct 2011: West Bromwich Albion0-2 Liverpool
Probable Line-ups :
Fulham 4-4-2 :Schwarzer, Hangeland, Senderos, Riise, Baird, Etuhu, Murphy, Ruiz, Dempsey,Dembelele, Zamora.
Liverpool 4-5-1:Reina, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Johnson,Adam, Henderson, Downing, Kuyt, Bellamy, Suarez.
Prediction: It should be an entertaining match, with John Arne Risse set to have a reunion with his former team mates. Both defence are relatively solid, but it should be a night to forget for Fulhams defenders who are about to face Bellamy and Suarez where both are in top form.
Predicted Scoreline: Fulham 0-3 Liverpool
