Fulham vs Liverpool Preview: Team news, predicted line-ups and head-to-head
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Arne Slot's men were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Leeds United on New Year's Day, a result that brought their four-game winning run across all competitions to an end.
The stalemate also meant Liverpool missed a chance to gain ground on Chelsea and Manchester United in the top-four race and could find themselves nine points behind third-placed Aston Villa by kick-off.
Fulham, meanwhile, continue to quietly impress under Marco Silva.
The Cottagers fought back from a goal down to draw with Crystal Palace on Thursday night, extending their unbeaten league run to four matches and reinforcing their reputation as stubborn opponents at home.
Date, Kick-off Time and Venue
- Match: Fulham vs Liverpool
- Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
- Kick-off: 3pm GMT
- Venue: Craven Cottage
Fulham Team News
Fulham will once again be without their AFCON trio of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, all of whom are on international duty with Nigeria ahead of their round-of-16 clash with Mozambique.There are further injury concerns for Silva:
- Ryan Sessegnon - doubtful (thigh)
- Rodrigo Muniz - sidelined for another month (thigh)
Liverpool Team News
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah, who is away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.The Reds are also missing long-term injury victims Alexander Isak (broken leg) and Giovanni Leoni.
Defensive options remain limited:
- Joe Gomez - hamstring injury
- Wataru Endo - ankle injury
There is better news elsewhere, with Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez pushing for recalls after starting on the bench against Leeds.
Recent Form and Tactical Outlook
Fulham's only blemish in recent weeks was late heartbreak against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.Otherwise, Silva's side have built momentum through defensive discipline, physical intensity and quick transitions, particularly at Craven Cottage, where they are content to cede possession and frustrate stronger sides.
Liverpool, by contrast, looked short of ideas against Leeds and could again struggle creatively with key attackers missing.
That said, the defending champions have shown resilience throughout the season and still possess enough quality to control games and impose their style.
Notably, during Liverpool's title-winning campaign last season, Slot failed to beat Fulham in all competitions, with the Reds suffering a league defeat at Craven Cottage.
Head-to-Head Record
Overall meetings:- Fulham wins: 14
- Liverpool wins: 45
- Draws: 20
- 06/04/2025: Fulham 3-2 Liverpool
- 14/12/2024: Liverpool 2-2 Fulham
- 21/04/2024: Fulham 1-3 Liverpool
- 24/01/2024: Fulham 1-1 Liverpool
- 10/01/2024: Liverpool 2-1 Fulham
Predicted Line-ups
Fulham (4-2-3-1):Leno; Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Lukić, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, De Cordova-Reid; Jiménez
Liverpool (4-2-3-1):
Alisson; Frimpong, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike
Match Verdict
Fulham's organisation and home advantage make them a difficult opponent, and they will look to disrupt Liverpool's rhythm with intensity and structure.However, despite recent frustrations and injury setbacks, Liverpool still have the quality, depth and attacking threat to dictate proceedings.
If Slot's side can rediscover their cutting edge, they should have enough to edge a tight contest, but Craven Cottage has already proven this season that it is no easy place to visit.
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