Fulham vs Liverpool Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds | Premier League 2025-26

Fulham are 11th in the Premier League with 27 points and Liverpool are fourth with 33 points.

Premier League fans are looking toward West London this Sunday. Fulham play Liverpool in Gameweek 20 of the Premier League 2025-26 season. The historic Craven Cottage is the setting for this match.

Both teams really need the points to keep their seasons on track. Arne Slot’s Reds are coming to town, trying to find their rhythm after a tough draw. At the same time, Marco Silva’s Fulham side want to take advantage of Liverpool’s injury list.

Liverpool enter this game after a boring 0-0 draw against Leeds United on New Year’s Day. That result left fans at Anfield wanting to see a lot more spark. The Reds are currently fourth with 33 points, but they are falling behind the leaders every time they drop points.

Slot is under pressure to fix the team’s scoring issues, especially since they have struggled lately against teams that sit back and defend. While the club haven’t lost in eight games, the lack of goals is starting to worry fans used to a more aggressive style of play.

Picking the team is a massive headache for the Liverpool boss right now. They have to play without Mohamed Salah, who is away with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. Losing him takes away their biggest goal threat. To make things worse, Alexander Isak is still out with a broken leg, which leaves them thin up front.

The defence has issues too. Ibrahima Konaté is suspended because of yellow cards, and Joe Gomez is still injured. Slot will probably have to use Wellity Lucky or move the backline around to help Virgil van Dijk. It puts a lot of pressure on the captain to hold a patchwork defence together.

Fulham are sitting in the middle of the table and feel pretty good going into this one, even with their own injury problems. Marco Silva has built a tough team that won three in a row before their recent draw. However, the Africa Cup of Nations is hurting them too.

Starters Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze are all away for the tournament. This means Silva has to look deep into his bench. With Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Muniz also injured, players like Harry Wilson, playing against his old team, and Emile Smith Rowe have to be the ones to create chances.

The game will come down to who stays more disciplined. Liverpool usually keep the ball, but they struggle to finish chances without Salah or Isak. Midfielders like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai need to chip in with goals and find gaps in Fulham’s defence.

Fulham will likely sit back, take the pressure, and try to hit on the break. They will use Adama Traoré’s speed or Raúl Jiménez’s smart movement to try to get behind Liverpool’s high-defensive line.

History says this will be a close one. These two teams usually put on a show with late goals and a lot of drama. Playing at home helps Fulham even the odds, and Craven Cottage is always a tough place for the “Big Six” to visit. Liverpool have the talent to win, but if they don’t move the ball quickly, they might struggle to score again.

Sunday’s game is interesting because of the points, but also because of how the managers handle all these forced changes. A win for Liverpool keep them in the title race and the top four. A win for Fulham put them right in the mix for a European spot. The Cottage is ready for a tough, tactical battle.

Kick-off Details:

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Craven Cottage
• Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
• Kick-off Time: 8:30 p.m. IST / 15:00 GMT
• Referee: Chris Kavanagh
• VAR: Officials are using VAR

Form:

• Fulham: D-W-W-L-W
• Liverpool: D-W-W-W-W

Players To Watch:

Emile Smith Rowe – Fulham

Emile Smith Rowe finds those small gaps between the midfield and defence. He is the one who sets the pace for Fulham. His sharp turning radius and instinctive one-touch passing allow Fulham to transition rapidly. They can move from deep defensive blocks into dangerous counter-attacks.

If he gets going against Liverpool’s press, he will be the link that gets Fulham’s attackers into the game. Rowe is their best bet for an upset. He has scored three goals in 18 Premier League matches so far this season.

🎯 Emile Smith Rowe🎯 Calvin BasseyIn our last #PL meeting with Nottingham Forest. ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/fDUCYdpXoY

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 20, 2025

Hugo Ekitike – Liverpool

The French striker has to step up as the main threat while Salah is out on national duty. Fulham will have to build their whole defensive plan around stopping his mix of power and skill. Ekitike is big but surprisingly quick. He is great in the air and a good target for through balls. Ekitike is very good at finding space in the box and usually reacts faster than the defenders when a cross comes in.

Arne Slot is counting on Ekitike to finish chances when the pressure is on. He’s already got eight goals and two assists in 17 games this season, showing he can deliver when it matters. With his directness, he is the most likely player to break the tie in what should be a tight game.

Match Facts:

• Fans going to the game should expect plenty of goals. This usually isn’t a boring tactical stalemate. Lately, games between these two have been wild. They’ve scored 21 goals between them in their last five meetings. It’s become one of the most entertaining games in the league.
• Liverpool usually struggle to keep a clean sheet at this stadium. Their keepers haven’t had a shutout here in six straight league games going back to 2019. Fulham’s attackers will definitely try to keep that streak going this Sunday.
• This fixture often changes in the final minutes. The result is rarely settled until the very end. Liverpool barely won their last 4-3 thriller, and stats show that the team scoring first has actually failed to win in two of the last four games. No lead is safe until the final whistle.

Fulham vs Liverpool: Betting Tips and Odds

• Liverpool to Win & BTTS: 2/1 (Bet365)
• Hugo Ekitike Anytime Goalscorer: 7/4 (Sky Bet)
• Total Goals Over 3.5: 15/8 (William Hill)

Injuries and Team News:

Fulham:

The injury list is looking pretty bad for the home side. Fulham are definitely without Giovanni Leoni, who is out until August with a serious knee injury. Rodrigo Muniz is also out with a hamstring problem and likely won’t be back until February. There’s a big doubt about Ryan Sessegnon, too; he’s still a few days away from returning. On top of that, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze are all away playing in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool:

Liverpool have plenty of their own players missing. Their biggest loss is Alexander Isak, who broke his leg and won’t be back until late April. Joe Gomez, Stefan Bajcetic, and Wataru Endo are all dealing with minor injuries. They might be back in early January, but they probably won’t be ready for this game. Plus, they are missing Mohamed Salah while he captains Egypt at AFCON.

Also Read: Manchester City vs Chelsea Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds

Head-To-Head:

• Total Matches: 77
• Fulham Wins: 14
• Liverpool Wins: 44
• Draws: 20

Fulham vs Liverpool Predicted Starting Lineups: 

Liverpool Predicted Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1): 

B. Leno; K. Tete, J. Andersen, J. Cuenca, A. Robinson; S. Lukić, S. Berge; H. Wilson, E. Smith Rowe, Kevin; R. Jiménez 

Liverpool Predicted Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1): 

Alisson; J. Frimpong, V. van Dijk, Lucky, A. Robertson; Mac Allister, R. Gravenberch; D. Szoboszlai, F. Wirtz, C. Gakpo; H. Ekitike

Match Prediction:

Liverpool should edge this one. They have more depth even without Salah. Their attackers will likely be too much for a Fulham defence that’s missing Calvin Bassey. Expect Liverpool to find a way to win a close one. 

Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Liverpool.

Telecast Details

India: JioHotstar, Star Sports Network

UK: Sky Sports and TNT Sports

US: NBC Sports

Nigeria: SuperSport

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