Liverpool vs. Fulham: Predictions, h2h, team news, with Iwobi in focus

Liverpool host Fulham at Anfield in Gameweek 32 of the 2025/26 Premier League at a moment of turbulence, Afrik Foot reports.

The Reds have suffered three defeats in their last five matches across all competitions, including a 4-0 thrashing by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals and a 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

Arne Slot’s season, which began with the defence of the English title as its central objective, now revolves around avoiding the embarrassment of finishing without a single trophy.

On the other side, Marco Silva’s Fulham arrive at Anfield with 44 points and in ninth place, in a solid campaign by the Cottagers’ standards.

With two wins in their last four league matches and no European commitments in the calendar, the Londoners have the advantage of fresh legs. The recent head-to-head record between these sides is balanced: in the last five direct meetings, Liverpool have won just once.

Match preview: Liverpool looking to stop the rot against Fulham

Liverpool currently occupy fifth place in the Premier League with 49 points from 31 matches. That record of 14 wins, seven draws and 10 defeats represents a return well below expectations for the defending champions. A goal difference of +8 (50 scored, 42 conceded) exposes a defensive fragility that simply did not exist during the title-winning campaign under Jürgen Klopp.

The departure of Mohamed Salah disrupted the side’s attacking structure. Hugo Ekitike has taken over as the first-choice striker and leads the club’s scoring charts with 11 league goals, but the rest of the attack is still searching for consistency. Florian Wirtz, the high-profile signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has fluctuated between brilliant evenings and anonymous displays.

The data paint a concerning picture: Liverpool have won just one of their last five matches across all competitions. A 2-1 defeat at Brighton in March, followed by the humiliation at the Etihad against City and the setback in Paris, has created a worrying downward spiral. Captain Virgil van Dijk publicly admitted that the team “gave up” during the FA Cup mauling.

At home, Liverpool’s record is better but far from dominant. Anfield is no longer the fortress it once was. The Reds have lost four home matches in the league this season, something unthinkable two years ago.

Fulham, meanwhile, have recorded 13 wins, five draws and 13 defeats. A points-per-game return of 47% is acceptable for a side without European football and the ninth-largest budget in the division. Their away form is the weak link: just four wins from 15 matches on the road, with eight defeats.

However, the Cottagers have shown they can compete against the top sides. The 2-1 victory over Tottenham in March and the 3-1 thumping of Burnley demonstrate that their attack functions when space opens up. Harry Wilson leads the offensive output with 10 goals and six assists this season, while Raúl Jiménez has contributed nine goals at the age of 34.

Fulham’s objective for the remainder of the campaign is to stay comfortable in mid-table and, if possible, push towards a Conference League place. For Liverpool, anything other than victory would further damage their bid for a top-four finish and a place in the 2026/27 Champions League.

Head-to-head record

The overall history overwhelmingly favours Liverpool. In 80 encounters between the two clubs, the Reds have won 46 times, compared to 14 victories for Fulham and 20 draws. In the Premier League era, the gap remains clear: 22 wins for Liverpool in 39 meetings.

Yet the recent picture tells a different story. Liverpool have not beaten Fulham in the Premier League since April 2024, when they won 3-1 at Craven Cottage. Since then, there have been two 2-2 draws (one in December 2024, the other in January 2026) and a 3-2 defeat in April 2025.

The reverse fixture this season, played on January 4, 2026, finished 2-2 at Craven Cottage. Wilson gave Fulham a first half lead before Liverpool turned the match around with second half goals from Wirtz and Cody Gakpo. Just when the result seemed settled, Harrison Reed struck a spectacular 97th-minute equaliser to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.

The pattern of recent meetings points towards matches with goals at both ends. In five of the last six Premier League encounters between these sides, both teams have found the net. The average number of goals in those fixtures exceeds 4.0, a remarkably high figure.

Team news: Iwobi in line to start as Bassey faces late fitness test

Liverpool face a lengthy injury list. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker remains sidelined with an unspecified issue and is not expected to return until the end of the season. Giorgi Mamardashvili continues as the first-choice keeper. Right-back Conor Bradley is ruled out until next season due to a serious knee injury.

Midfielder Wataru Endo, who has been out with an ankle problem since February, also has no return date. Giovanni Leoni (ACL rupture) and Stefan Bajčetić (recurring muscular issues) complete the treatment room list. Young striker Jayden Danns (thigh) is not expected back until May.

The good news for Slot is the return of Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker, who cost £125m and had not played since December due to a broken leg, was included in the squad for the PSG match and could be given more minutes against Fulham. Slot is likely to manage his workload carefully, but the former Newcastle forward could be an option from the bench or even in the starting line-up should Ekitike need a rest after the exertions in Paris.

Jérémy Frimpong, who started at right-back against PSG, suffered muscular problems earlier in the year but appears to have recovered. Joe Gomez is an alternative both at centre-back and full-back.

At Fulham, centre-back Calvin Bassey, the Super Eagles defender, remains a doubt with a back problem. Issa Diop is also in the treatment room. Silva is expected to field Joachim Andersen and Jorge Cuenca as the starting centre-back pairing.

Midfielder Sasa Lukic has been dealing with a thigh issue and is doubtful. Should he miss out, Sander Berge and Tom Cairney are likely to share midfield duties. Antonee Robinson, who suffered an ankle problem in March, has returned and featured in recent matches.

Alex Iwobi, the Super Eagles midfielder, is expected to start on the left side of Fulham’s attacking midfield three, where he has been a consistent presence throughout the campaign.

Liverpool predicted line-up (4-3-3)

Giorgi Mamardashvili; Jérémy Frimpong, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Dominik Szoboszlai; Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo

Fulham predicted line-up (4-2-3-1)

Bernd Leno; Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson; Sander Berge, Tom Cairney; Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi; Raúl Jiménez

Players to watch

The managers

Arne Slot is enduring his worst spell in charge of Liverpool. The Dutchman’s second season at Anfield has become an ordeal: the team has lost its attacking identity, results have worsened sharply and the relationship with the supporters has cooled. A win rate of 57% across 69 matches (1.93 points per game) is respectable but falls short of the club’s standards. Early elimination from the FA Cup and a two-goal deficit against PSG in the Champions League have left Slot under considerable pressure.

The head coach continues to insist on a possession-based system with a double pivot of Gravenberch and Mac Allister, but a lack of squad depth combined with the prolonged absences of key figures such as Alisson, Bradley and Isak has undermined his tactical consistency. Slot needs a convincing victory to rebuild some credibility ahead of the second leg against PSG the following Tuesday.

Marco Silva has been in charge of Fulham since 2021 and is one of the most stable managers in the Premier League at present. The Portuguese has built a solid foundation at Craven Cottage and kept the club in the top flight for four consecutive seasons, something that was far from guaranteed when he arrived. A win rate of 43% across 191 matches reflects a steady job of consolidation.

Silva is known for building sides that are well-organised in defensive transitions and dangerous on the counter-attack. His ability to get the best out of players such as Wilson and Jiménez has been central to Fulham’s competitiveness this season.

Tactical preview

Slot’s Liverpool are expected to line up in a possession-oriented 4-3-3 with Szoboszlai as the advanced midfielder between the lines, Wirtz deployed on the left and Ekitike as the central reference point. Gravenberch and Mac Allister form the double pivot, responsible for build-up play and defensive cover. Frimpong pushes forward on the right, operating almost as a winger when Liverpool have the ball.

Fulham are likely to set up in a 4-2-3-1, with Berge and Cairney as a compact midfield duo blocking the central corridor. Wilson operates on the right with the freedom to cut inside and shoot. Jiménez functions as the focal point, holding the ball up and bringing the attacking midfielders into play.

Liverpool’s main vulnerability lies in defensive transitions. With Frimpong pushed high and Kerkez bombing forward on the left, the spaces behind the defensive line are exposed. Fulham, who possess quick transition players in Iwobi and Wilson, could exploit those channels with real efficiency.

On the other hand, Fulham’s centre-back pairing of Andersen and Cuenca is not especially quick. Ekitike has the pace and movement to cause problems, particularly with runs in behind. Wirtz, when on song, is capable of unlocking any defence with through balls and close-quarter dribbling.

Set pieces could prove decisive. Liverpool hold a clear aerial advantage with Van Dijk and Konaté, and Fulham have conceded from dead-ball situations on a regular basis this season. That area could be the route for the Reds to open the scoring.

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