A visit to Craven Cottage is on the cards for Jurgen Klopp’s Merseyside Reds as Premier League priorities take the centre stage following the conclusion of the Champions League group stage campaign following the mid-week stalemate in Denmark.
17th placed Fulham will face an uphill task keeping the Reds at bay from securing all three points on their travels away from home, and with a top spot for grabs in the league standings, Klopp’s men will be seen pushing for a comfortable victory against Scott Parker’s struggling outfit.
While Liverpool FC’s last fixture across the domestic season was a convincing 4-0 win over Wolves at Anfield, Sunday’s hosts were subject to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City despite a good performance put in by them.
A much-changed line-up drafted by Klopp against Danish club Midtjylland in the Champions League encounter mid-week could only salvage out a 1-1 draw as an early opener from Mohammad Salah was cancelled out by a second-half spot-kick awarded to the opposition before VAR turned down Liverpool FC’s appeals for a second and a potential match-winning goal in stoppage time.
However, as there are no European commitments for the Reds next week, Klopp will have a number of first-team options at his disposal ahead of the Fulham clash, with Trent Alexander Arnold and Jordan Henderson both featuring against Midtjylland on Wednesday night after near month-long injury layoffs for the English international duo.
WHEN & WHERE?
Next up, @FulhamFC (A) 👊🔴 pic.twitter.com/JSxjhAWWeA
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2020
Date: Sunday 13 December
Time: 3 PM GMT
Venue: Craven Cottage
TEAM NEWS
Alisson Becker is in line to start his first Liverpool FC game in two weeks as the Brazillian international goalkeeper looks all set to return to training on Friday.
Jurgen Klopp’s pre-match interview ahead of the Fulham game did suggest that Alisson’s return to training could pave the way for the ex-AS Roma man to feature between the sticks over the weekend, which would mark the end of Caoimhin Kelleher’s extended yet spectacular first-team involvement.
Despite featuring in the mid-week UCL clash, doubts persist over Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota making the matchday squad for Sunday’s league action, as Klopp confirmed in his recent remarks to the media.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s potential first appearance in the Liverpool FC colours this season on Sunday has built up a great deal of excitement, with the Englishman missing from first-team action since sustaining a major injury blow during the pre-season training camp for the Anfield giants.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Thiago Alcantara all remain long-term absentees, however, the latter remains on track to be back at Melwood in the early days of January.
KEY BATTLE
Ademola Lookman vs Trent Alexander Arnold
Liverpool FC’s stalwart full-back, who skippered the Reds for the first time during Wednesday night’s Champions League clash, would be expecting trouble on the right flank come Sunday in the form of ex-Everton starlet Ademola Lookman.
Lookman has shown great promise in his attacking endeavours of late, and the youngster’s loan spell at Craven Cottage has largely been prolific judging by his recent exploits in front of the goal.
Arnold, however, is no inexperienced player in Klopp’s ranks and with an impressive resume to boast of, the Scouser will be hoping to keep Lookman at an arm’s length from troubling Alisson Becker in the Liverpool FC goal.
MATCH PREDICTION
Despite Scott Parker’s men having upped their game in recent weeks, the Champions of England look primed to seal a comfortable victory and secure all three points at Craven Cottage.
𝑩𝒐𝒔𝒔 😄❤️ pic.twitter.com/UTrqSgR4Cw
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 11, 2020
The absence of Van Dijk and Gomez has done little to weaken a makeshift Liverpool FC defence, one which would be expected to keep another clean sheet against Fulham, as we predict Jurgen Klopp’s side to come out on top with a 3-0 scoreline.
