Liverpool must win against Fulham this Sunday afternoon if they want to remain in the Premier League title race.
The Reds were beaten at home to Crystal Palace last weekend and another defeat could end up seeing them fall further behind top spot.
4
Jurgen Klopp’s side play before Manchester City, meaning if they lose and City win their game in hand the gap will widen to five points.
A win though, would keep their hopes alive and give a major morale boost to the squad ahead of the final few games of the season.
Klopp and co also exited the Europa League on Thursday night, meaning the German's exit celebrations have taken a huge hit.
The Cottagers stand in their way this weekend and they come into this game off the back of an impressive 2-0 win away at West Ham.
READ MORE ON LIVERPOOL
Fulham vs Liverpool: Klopp’s ‘strange’ decision
Klopp's decision to announce his upcoming departure from Liverpool during the season has damaged his team's hopes of silverware.
That is the view of former Premier League manager Alan Pardew, who feels that Klopp's public announcement in January has been 'unsettling' for the players.
Speaking after the Reds’ loss to Palace, Pardew said: “In terms of Klopp’s decision, I just want to touch on that because, as a manager I felt that was a strange move that he did, to announce it at that time.
"I think in hindsight, whether he thinks that was the right thing when he gets to the end of the season, only he will be able to tell.
Most read in Football
“Personally, I think he should have waited until the end of the year and maybe told the upstairs and left it at that.”
4
- Though they’re unbeaten in their last five Premier League away games against Fulham (W3 D2), Liverpool haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight league games at Craven Cottage since a 1-0 win in April 2009.
- Fulham have won just one of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D2 L8), winning 1-0 at Anfield in March 2021.
Fulham vs Liverpool: Team news
Fulham are lucky enough to have a clean bill of health heading into this game.
Rodrigo Muniz is expected to keep his place up front, meaning Chelsea loanee Armando Broja and Raul Jimenez will remain on the bench.
As for Liverpool, Conor Bradley is a doubt after not travelling with the Reds squad for their Europa League clash with Atalanta.
It means Trent Alexander-Arnold will start if he is fully fit, while Diogo Jota and Alisson are back in action and should feature.
Thiago, Joel Matip and Ben Doak all remain sidelined with long-term issues.
4
Jurgen Klopp addresses the Premier League title race following his sides 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Anfield
- Following their 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace last time out, Liverpool will be looking to avoid losing consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April 2023 (vs. Bournemouth and Manchester City). The Reds have suffered two league defeats in five games in London this season (W2 D1), last losing more in the capital in 2014-15 (3).
- Fulham have scored 49 Premier League goals this season, having netted 55 last season. The last time the Cottagers scored 50+ goals in consecutive Premier League seasons was in 2003-04 (52) and 2004-05 (52).
Fulham vs Liverpool: What has been said?
Andy Robertson has spoken of his frustration at the fact Liverpool now have to rely on the results of their title rivals.
He said: “It’s just frustrating, and now we’re relying on other people. You could say it was in our hands but there was still a long way to go.
“[It’s a] hugely frustrating position to be in. But this club, we don’t stop fighting – we have to fight in the stands, fight on the pitch for the last six games of the Premier League.
“Let’s see where it takes us. We have to stay positive. We have to pick everyone up in the changing room because there’s a lot of people who are down, whether they missed a chance, gave the ball away or whatever it is.
“We pick up, we go again and we give everything we’ve got.”
4
- In their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Liverpool had an expected goals total of 2.81, the most by a Premier League side who failed to score since Newcastle vs Crystal Palace in September 2022 (2.83). Their 55 touches in the opposition box were also the second-most by a side to not score this season, behind Arsenal against West Ham in December (77).
- Since losing 3-0 to Brentford in their first home Premier League game this season, Fulham have conceded just 13 goals in their last 15 games at Craven Cottage (0.9 per game). With six clean sheets at home so far, the Cottagers last had more in a Premier League campaign in 2010-11 (9).
Fulham vs Liverpool: How to follow
This Premier League clash will take place on Sunday, April 21.
Kick-off at Craven Cottage is scheduled for 4:30pm.
Read More on talkSPORT
The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.
talkSPORT will also keep you up to date with all the latest.