Carabao Cup preview: Liverpool vs Fulham
Liverpool have made a habit of winning the League Cup – but can unpredictable Fulham throw a spanner in the works?
The Merseyside team have triumphed in this competition nine times already, more than any other team. So should we expect a Klopp ten from the Reds this season?
If history points to Liverpool as the clear favourites for this first leg Carabao Cup semi-final, the host’s current form is pretty compelling too.
As for Fulham, the side are clearly capable of an eye-catching result – see back-to-back 5-0 wins over Nottingham Forest and then West Ham in recent months.
Fulham’s last league outing was a 2-1 win over Arsenal on New Year’s Eve, too. Less remarkably, the Cottagers also beat Rotherham in the FA Cup at the weekend.
The west London club can produce the goods, if a little fitfully – but almost all their good results have come at Craven Cottage. Can even a fully firing Fulham possibly get a result at Anfield on Wednesday night?
Liverpool have lost just three games all season. In the Prem, the only teams Jurgen Klopp’s side have dropped points against at home are Man Utd and Arsenal (each game ended in a draw).
In fairness, Fulham put up quite a fight last time they visited Anfield; the game ended 4-3, with Fulham taking a 3-2 lead in the 80th minute before Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold scored late goals to take all three points.
And Fulham actually claimed victory at Anfield in March 2021, though that result did come during the COVID-effected season, when performances were generally a tad off-kilter.
Still, the visitors at least have some positive recent memories of their trips to Merseyside. Can Marco Silva possibly pull off a shock win against the current league leaders?
Liverpool will be without several key men, including the influential Alexander-Arnold, out with a knee injury. But nonetheless, the hosts are (justifiably?) heavy favourites to win this opening leg.
Prior to the win over Arsenal last month, Fulham had lost their last three league games without scoring a goal. If that Fulham turns up, this could be all over by half-time.
And yet, those occasional strong showings offer some faint hope for the visitors. Maybe backing over 3.5 goals is the way to go. It’s a 5/4 shot that has come off in four of Liverpool’s last six home games in all comps.
You could also take a chance on Curtis Jones to score for the hosts; he’s found the net three times in his last three home games, including a brace against West Ham in this competition. Jones is 5/1 to find the net here.
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