Liverpool are 90 minutes away from a return to Wembley, however they nonetheless have loads of work to do to get past Fulham and into the League Cup closing.
Fulham vs. Liverpool
League Cup semi-final second leg | Craven CottageJanuary 24, 2024 | 8pm (GMT)
The Reds had been compelled to come back from behind within the first leg two weeks in the past to provide themselves a bonus at Craven Cottage, with quickfire objectives from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo sufficient to seal a 2-1 win at Anfield.
The return leg awaits on Wednesday evening, when Jurgen Klopp’s facet can be trying to guide their place within the League Cup closing for the second time in three seasons.
Right here’s a take a look at every little thing you’ll have to know forward of Fulham vs. Liverpool
1. Group information
It has been a tough few months on the health entrance for Liverpool, however they give the impression of being set to probably welcome one participant again into the fold on Wednesday night.
Andy Robertson has been declared match to affix the squad for the journey to London, having been out of motion with a dislocated shoulder since October.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold will hopefully not be far behind him, however Wednesday evening is about to come back barely too quickly for each.
2. Gakpo eyeing historical past
Cody Gakpo might write his identify into the membership’s document books needs to be get on the scoresheet at Craven Cottage.
The Dutchman would change into the first-ever Liverpool participant to register a objective in 5 successive matches within the competitors, having netted in each spherical of the competitors to date this season.
He actually appears to love the League Cup!
3. No away objectives – penalties attainable
As is now the case in Europe, away objectives don’t apply within the League Cup semi-final, which means any win by one objective for Fulham would lengthen the competition into additional time.
The match is not going to go straight to penalties, because it does after 90 minutes within the earlier rounds, however we might see spot-kicks if the combination rating stays stage after two hours.
Let’s simply hope it doesn’t come to that!
4. Not a foregone conclusion
Followers are naturally starting to dream of one other journey to Wembley, however the rating is under no circumstances settled on this cup tie.
The hosts knocked Tottenham out of the competitors within the second spherical again in August and have gained six of their 10 house video games within the Premier League to date this season.
5. Optimistic away fortunes
That stated, Liverpool themselves boast a powerful document on the street this season, topping the league when it comes to away type with six wins from 11.
It was one other spectacular outing away to Bournemouth on the weekend, and the Reds can be trying to proceed that pattern on Wednesday evening.
It’s a far cry from final season’s away fortunes, with Liverpool having already picked up as might league wins on their travels as they managed in the entire of the 2022/23 season.
6. Hunt for double figures
Liverpool are bidding to change into the primary crew within the competitors’s historical past to achieve 10 League Cup triumphs, having re-established their place because the cup’s most profitable crew by lifting the trophy in 2021/22.
The opposite finalists that 12 months had been Chelsea, however they should overturn a 1-0 deficit towards Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening if they’re to arrange the potential of a re-run.
The Reds have reached the final 4 a powerful 19 instances in 58 makes an attempt, and have gained 13 of their 18 semi-final ties to date.
7. Craven Cottage document
Solely a win will suffice for Fulham if they’re to have a chace of reaching their first-ever League Cup closing, one thing they haven’t achieved on this fixture at Craven Cottage in over 12 years.
The hosts had been 1-0 winners over the Reds again in 2011 with a facet that included Danny Murphy, when a late Clint Dempsey strike was sufficient for Martin Jol’s facet to choose up all three factors.
That drought does solely account for 5 matches, nonetheless, with the Lilywhites having had plenty of spells within the Championship during the last decade.
8. Probability for six in a row
Liverpool are quietly placing collectively one other spectacular successful run, with an ideal document in 2024 to date and 5 consecutive victories in all competitions.
A draw could be sufficient to make sure the Reds are within the Wembley showpiece on the finish of subsequent month, however a victory and one other assertion efficiency would do confidence no hurt for what remains to be to come back.
9. Unpopular referee – and no VAR
Simon Hooper – the person within the center for Luis Diaz’s wrongly disallowed objective at Tottenham in November – is in control of this one, and he’ll accomplish that with out the help of VAR.
It had been deliberate for the expertise to be launched at this stage within the competitors, however Middlesbrough’s development to the final 4 means that we’ll now have to attend till the ultimate because of the lack of VAR at Championship stadiums.
Hooper can be assisted by Adrian Holmes and Simon Lengthy on the touchlines, with Tony Harrington on fourth official obligation.
10. Preserve up to date with us!
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Let’s get again to Anfield south!
