With strain on Liverpool as favourites, the Reds host Fulham within the League Cup semi-finals. We now have every little thing it’s good to know forward of the primary leg.
Liverpool vs. Fulham
League Cup (semi-final first leg) | Anfield
January 10, 2024 | 8pm (GMT)
Visions of a quadruple are beginning to dance into Liverpool followers’ desires.
If these ideas are to develop, Liverpool must comply with up their spectacular FA Cup win with a convincing efficiency at house towards Fulham.
With Chelsea or Middlesbrough to play within the remaining, and Fulham by no means having received a significant home trophy, the guests will likely be massively up for the tie.
League Cup record-breakers
This will likely be Liverpool’s nineteenth look on the semi-final stage of the competitors, from 58 entries. Which means the Reds have reached the final 4 virtually one in each three makes an attempt.
From their 18 semi-final appearances earlier than 2024, Liverpool have progressed 13 occasions and gone on to win the trophy a document 9 occasions, as soon as greater than Man Metropolis.
The final time Jurgen Klopp‘s workforce reached this stage, Diogo Jota sunk Arsenal on the Emirates, and Liverpool beat Chelsea within the remaining.
With Chelsea dealing with Middlesbrough within the different semi-final, may historical past be destined to repeat itself?
No Alexander-Arnold
Sadly, Pep Lijnders needed to reveal that Trent Alexander-Arnold is ready for “most likely” three weeks out with a knee damage.
Fortunately, Liverpool have their ‘winter break’ throughout that interval, however he’ll seemingly nonetheless miss 5 matches – see which of them right here.
With Joe Gomez getting used at left-back, overlaying for the injured duo of Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley will seemingly begin the largest sport of his younger profession on the proper facet of defence.
Lijnders insisted that Bradley and Bobby Clark are “not back-up gamers, they’re a part of our squad.”
On the constructive facet…
Virgil van Dijk is “good to go,” based on the assistant supervisor, and we predict he’ll most likely begin subsequent to both Ibrahima Konate or Jarell Quansah.
Dominik Szoboszlai is “not obtainable” for the primary leg, nonetheless. The midfield will, subsequently, seemingly include Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.
That leaves Harvey Elliott, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez competing for 3 attacking positions.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Elliott, Jota, Diaz
• READ HERE: Liverpool lineup vs. Fulham – 1 assured starter and Elliott or Diaz?
Previous reunions
One thing that got here barely out of the blue in Lijnders’ press convention was him revealing that he labored with Andreas Pereira as a baby.
Since signing from Man United, the Belgian has been one in every of Fulham‘s brightest attacking gamers.
Liverpool’s assistant supervisor defined: “He was my participant when he was 9 years previous at PSV Eindhoven – unbelievable that we play towards him now, a lot creativity.”
Former Liverpool prospect Harry Wilson can be doing nicely for the Cottagers. Lijnders commented: “Harry, in fact, we all know very well, who has purpose menace, can shoot from wherever, nice persona. We actually like him.”
Fulham are inconsistent however harmful
To achieve this stage of the competitors, Fulham have needed to depend on spot-kicks. They beat Tottenham on penalties within the second spherical, earlier than knocking out Norwich and Ipswich.
Their quarter-final additionally went the gap, beating Everton 7-6 on penalties at Goodison Park. In the meantime, within the Premier League, Fulham have been having fun with a comparatively profitable marketing campaign.
Marco Silva’s workforce lie thirteenth within the desk, however have had some standout outcomes with consecutive 5-0 wins over West Ham and Nottingham Forest.
Inconsistency has been an issue, although, following these sensible wins up with three defeats in a row earlier than beating Arsenal.
Gaps between video games
Liverpool’s win over Arsenal can have happy Klopp in additional methods than one. In addition to progressing to the FA Cup fourth spherical, they’ll now keep away from a replay subsequent week.
This implies they’ll have a considerably longer ‘winter break’, though the primary leg does eat into that. After Wednesday’s fixture, Liverpool received’t play for 11 days.
Fulham, nonetheless, face a faster turnaround as they face rivals Chelsea at 12.30pm on Saturday. It’s only honest we spotlight it when different groups are provided that fixture after a Wednesday match, too.
Kelleher confirmed
Whereas we will solely predict the remainder of the workforce, albeit with some certainty, we will affirm Caoimhin Kelleher will play in purpose.
He has performed in every of this season’s three League Cup matches up to now, and Lijnders instructed Liverpoolfc.com on Tuesday: “Caoimh is our No.1 for this competitors, so he’ll begin tomorrow.
“We come from a loopy schedule in December, so we actually need to see who’s prepared, who can go and who’s match to go. We’re actually completely happy that we play a semi-final in January, we wished this. So we go full in.”
No VAR
There will likely be no video assistant referee in place for both of the League Cup semi-finals.
This was initially not meant to be the case, however with Middlesbrough reaching this stage and never having the know-how put in on the Riverside, that has modified issues.
To maintain issues honest within the EFL’s opinion, neither leg of any semi-final tie will use VAR, although will probably be in place at Wembley for the ultimate.
One other ref who isn’t precisely favored at Liverpool!
David Coote has been appointed referee for the Anfield conflict, with Timothy Wooden and Wade Smith performing as his assistants.
Coote’s title will likely be acquainted to Liverpool supporters as he was the VAR who didn’t award a penalty after Martin Odegaard’s blatant handball throughout the Reds’ match towards Arsenal on December 23.
The fourth official at Anfield will likely be Tim Robinson.
Comply with the match with TIA
Liverpool vs. Fulham is stay on Sky Sports activities Soccer with kickoff at 8pm (GMT).
TIA’s matchday stay weblog will likely be up and working from 7.15pm, with Henry Jackson tasked with holding you entertained and up-to-date.
Come on you Reds!
