Second-placed Arsenal could close the gap on Saturday when they travel to Everton. But with Arne Slot’s men now needing a maximum of 13 points to be crowned champions, they are closing in on the title.
Article continues below
Unbeaten away from home all season in the English top-flight, Liverpool will look to extend that record at Craven Cottage. But the Reds will face a couple of late fitness checks before their trip to the capital.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez will both miss the game, with Slot confirming the defensive pair will remain absent for the next few weeks with ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.
Alisson Becker and Conor Bradley are also on Liverpool’s current injury list, with it remaining to be seen if they will be passed fit to make their comebacks away at Fulham.
The pair have trained since the international break, but both missed the midweek victory over Everton. Alisson was absent, having suffered a concussion while away with Brazil, while Bradley has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in February.
“Conor, we have to wait and see if he is ready to be with the squad for Sunday,” Slot confirmed as his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “And with Ali, it is simple: it is a concussion and you have to tick all the boxes.
“The moment he does, he will be in goal. The moment he doesn’t, we are following the protocol.”
While it is currently unclear if the pair will be available, Slot is confident that Alexis Mac Allister will be fit for the trip to Fulham having completed Wednesday’s Merseyside derby despite being on the receiving end of a horror tackle from James Tarkowski early on.
“I hope because Macca finished the game that it is all good with him,” Slot said. “But sometimes adrenaline or just keeping on running can help you, and then when you have a night of sleep you can come back and feel, ‘Hmm, maybe I do feel something now.’
“But I hope and expect everybody is ready to play on Sunday again from the ones that were on the pitch yesterday.”
Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez will be walking a disciplinary tightrope against the Cottagers as he runs the risk of being issued with a Premier League suspension.
The Uruguayan has been booked eight times in the English top-flight so far this season, having been cautioned against Everton in midweek, with 10 yellow cards resulting in a two-match ban.
However, the threshold rises to 15 yellow cards following the completion of the first 32 matches of a club’s league season.
Article continues below
Consequently, if Nunez is booked against Fulham, a further yellow card in Liverpool’s 32nd game of the season at home to West Ham United will land him a two-game suspension. But if he avoids a booking at Craven Cottage, he will sidestep such a threat.
0 Comments