Liverpool welcome Fulham to Anfield on Saturday afternoon, seeking to strengthen their position at the Premier League summit following a lukewarm performance in the Champions League triumph over Girona.
The encounter marks Liverpool’s return to domestic action after Storm Darragh forced the postponement of the Merseyside derby last weekend – with a new date for the final clash at Goodison Park already penciled in.
The Reds currently sit four points clear at the top, with a game in hand over their nearest challengers. A victory would extend their advantage to seven points, putting considerable pressure on their title rivals during the festive period.The fixture has historically favored Liverpool, who have won nine of their last twelve Premier League encounters with Fulham. However, last season’s corresponding fixture produced a thriller, with Liverpool securing a dramatic 4-3 victory after trailing 3-2 in the 87th minute.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the injuries Arne Slot will have to contend with for tomorrow’s 15:00 GMT kick-off.
Liverpool injury news ahead of Fulham
The Dutchman will have a few injury and suspension concerns to deal with.Ibrahima Konate is on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid.
The French international is expected to miss 5-6 weeks of action as we exclusively reported, and recent social media posts showing his knee in a compression sleeve suggest positive progress in his recovery.
Joe Gomez is set to deputize alongside Virgil van Dijk in his absence.Alexis Mac Allister is likewise ruled out as he serves his suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.
The 25-year-old has been spotted in Switzerland enjoying some time off after starting almost every game this season.
Conor Bradley is another casualty from the Real Madrid fixture, with a hamstring issue keeping him out until January. The energetic 21-year-old’s absence will be particularly felt during the congested December schedule.
Meanwhile, Kostas Tsimikas is working his way back from an ankle injury picked up in training. Manager Arne Slot has indicated the Greek left-back will remain unavailable for the immediate future, with a potential return targeted for late December.Ibrahima Konate is on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid.
The French international is expected to miss 5-6 weeks of action as we exclusively reported, and recent social media posts showing his knee in a compression sleeve suggest positive progress in his recovery.
Joe Gomez is set to deputize alongside Virgil van Dijk in his absence.
Alexis Mac Allister is likewise ruled out as he serves his suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.Arne Slot provided an update on Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in his pre-Fulham press conference, suggesting that while Jota could feature it’s more likely that Federico Chiesa plays against Southampton in the Cup next week:
“I think they are [ready]. We have one training session to go. Federico missed quite a lot, was ill last week, so we have to wait and see how he’s doing.”“Maybe Diogo is in the squad, maybe Federico too, but that depends on the numbers we have in the squad and also how he recovers from his illness.”
Slot added on Chiesa:
“What makes it difficult is we play so many games. What he needs is playing time. If you haven’t played for five or six months, it is sometimes difficult for a manager to give him those minutes because you don’t know what to expect.”
