Fulham took factors off Arsenal final weekend, so Liverpool have been warned forward of their go to of the Cottagers.
The Reds continued their near-perfect begin to the season within the Champions League in midweek, successful 1-0 away to Girona.
Premier League commitments take centre stage once more for Liverpool on Saturday, as they welcome Fulham to Anfield for one more necessary sport.
Marco Silva’s facet are tenth within the desk after a strong begin to the season, with final Sunday’s 1-1 draw at house to Arsenal highlighting the menace they pose.
Forward of Saturday’s sport, This Is Anfield spoke to Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) to get the lowdown on Fulham‘s season, the important thing battles on Saturday and extra.
How glad are you with Fulham’s season to this point?
Thrilled. Each time I really feel like this flawed squad might be uncovered, Marco Silva comes up with new methods to plug the gaps and paper over their largest holes.
That’s precisely what a fantastic mid-table supervisor does.
Even in defeat, Fulham are aggressive no matter their opponent. It’s been nearly inconceivable to fault their performances or outcomes so far.
Are they good? In fact not.
However most of the time they’re proper in matches and provides themselves a fantastic likelihood to compete.
Are you able to end in Europe?
Can they? Positive. Will they? It is going to be robust.
They’re battling with some actually good golf equipment for these locations, and whereas they’re giving it a very good run, there have been some optimistic outcomes that really feel as if they could expertise a regression within the second half.
Even when they proceed this manner, they presently sit tenth, and climbing three or 4 locations looks like fairly a problem.
Nonetheless, the groups instantly above them – Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford – aren’t markedly higher than Fulham and there’s positively an opportunity of climbing into European locations.
It simply looks like a lower than 50 p.c likelihood.
Who’ve been Fulham’s greatest gamers? Who has struggled?
That is an fascinating query a couple of group whose entire is bigger than the sum of its elements.
Nonetheless, simply the highest two performers have been Bernd Leno and Antonee Robinson.
These two gamers have been distinctive for yet one more season, and they’re each close to the highest of their place in your complete Premier League.
I made the declare that Robinson is a high 10 left-back on this planet earlier this season and I stand by that.
One other high performer is Alex Iwobi, who has been a superb addition to the squad in his time with the membership. He’s one of the underrated gamers within the Premier League and has been precisely what this group has been lacking.
The one participant to actually wrestle is Issa Diop, who has by no means lived as much as his £15 million price ticket.
He makes rash challenges, has no restoration means as soon as overwhelmed and struggles to man-mark.
Sadly, he’s been pressured into motion with Joachim Andersen struggling for health and Calvin Bassey persevering with to have disciplinary points.
What are your ideas on Arne Slot?
I imply, what’s there to say?
I don’t assume anybody of their wildest goals anticipated Slot to slip so easily into this squad.
His success ought to take nothing away from what Jurgen Klopp achieved with the membership, however we’ve discovered two issues from Slot’s early success.
First, he’s only a rattling good supervisor who has discovered precisely what strings to tug with every particular person participant to make them higher. Second, that is only a higher, well-rounded squad than perhaps people thought.
Liverpool have been a singular state of affairs as a result of Klopp didn’t depart on the premise of unsolvable issues, so Slot was subsequently not tasked with discovering main options, and but he’s managed to unlock a brand new gear.
It’s really spectacular.
How do you assess the title race?
Liverpool, and everybody else. Critically. It’s yours to lose. Don’t screw it up!
Waiting for Saturday, the place are the important thing battles?
The most important battle, unquestionably, might be Mo Salah towards Robinson.
Salah can, and often does, beat any full-back on this planet throughout 90 minutes, and he’ll completely have at the very least an enormous likelihood or two on this match.
For Robinson, it will likely be about limiting his affect and forcing him to search out teammates reasonably than take good photographs himself.
The opposite key battle might be Darwin Nunez towards himself.
That man, man. He simply can’t determine it out in entrance of aim, and it’s killing Liverpool.
What’s your prediction?
I really like how Fulham have competed towards high sides this yr, and for that cause I believe they’re able to making a large number of this sport.
But coming to Anfield and strolling away with factors, particularly towards this Liverpool facet, has not simply been out of attain for a membership like Fulham, however for nearly everybody.
I believe the Reds will win 2-1 on the finish of an in depth and entertaining match.
