Match Preview
Fulham v Liverpool
Premier League Match Day 20 25/26 at Craven Cottage
Sunday 4th January 2026 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)<
Live on Sky Sports
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Fulham welcome Liverpool to Craven Cottage on Sunday hoping to repeat last seasons performance, beating Liverpool 3-2 at The Cottage.
Fulham boss Marco Silva can empathise with Liverpool's coach over winning runs ending on New Year's Day, as Fulham had taken down Burnley, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in three straight Premier League games before pitting their wits against Palace.
Jean-Philippe Mateta's strike almost condemned the Cottagers to a London derby defeat, but the long-serving Tom Cairney came up with a crisp leveller in the final 10 minutes to at least preserve Fulham's unbeaten run for a little while longer.
Not completely out of the Champions League picture by any stretch, the 11th-placed hosts are just three points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea, and they will cut the gap to Liverpool down to an identical amount with victory on Sunday.
That will be easier said than done if recent history is anything to go by, though, as Silva has suffered defeat in all 11 of his Premier League games against reigning champions, the worst 100% loss rate for a manager in the competition's history.
However, Fulham took four points from their two meetings with Liverpool last season,
Mohamed Salah's absence has not been heavily felt by the Premier League champions since his departure from the Africa Cup of Nations, but how Arne Slot and co could have done with a little Mo magic against Leeds on New Year's Day.
?Liverpool generated almost two Expected Goals against the newly-promoted Whites but could not break down Daniel Farke's defence for neither love nor money, raising fresh questions about their Champions League credentials.
The Reds remain in control of their UCL destiny in fourth place in the Premier League table, but they missed the opportunity to build up a healthy lead over Chelsea and Manchester United, who are only three points adrift of the Merseyside mammoths.
However, for a side that lost nine of their 12 games during a two-month period earlier in the season, eight matches unbeaten is a marked improvement, even if the bar has been drastically lowered for Liverpool in 2025-26.
The Reds now go in search of a fourth win from their last five away matches across all competitions, and they have scored at least twice in five of their last seven on the road, the exceptions coming against Manchester City and Inter Milan.
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Fulham won this exact fixture 3-2 last season, last winning consecutive home league games against Liverpool in May 2007.
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Fulham were one of just three teams Liverpool failed to beat in their Premier League title winning campaign last season (D1 L1) along with Nottingham Forest (D1 L1) and Arsenal (D2).
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Fulham have won just one of their last 19 Premier League games against the reigning champions (D3 L15), though that victory did come against Liverpool in March 2021 (1-0 at Anfield).
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The last four Premier League games between Fulham and Liverpool have produced a total of 20 goals, with both teams scoring at least twice in three of those four matches.
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Fulham have won five of their last eight Premier League home games (L3), keeping a clean sheet in four of those. Those four clean sheets are already twice as many as they kept at Craven Cottage last season.
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Fulham boss Marco Silva has lost 11 of his Premier League games against the reigning champions, the highest 100% loss rate of any manager in the competition.
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Fulham’s Harry Wilson has been involved in four goals in his last seven home league appearances (3 goals, 1 assist), more than he had in his previous 20 at Craven Cottage (3 goals).
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After losing five consecutive Premier League away games against London sides, Liverpool have now won their last two. Meanwhile, the Reds have also scored in their last 20 league games in the capital since a 0-0 draw at Chelsea in April 2023.
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Liverpool have earned seven points from their last three Premier League away games (W2 D1), more than they had in their previous eight on the road (6 – W2 D0 L6).
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Hugo Ekitiké has scored three goals in his last two Premier League away games, having scored just once in his first six on the road for Liverpool. He last scored in more consecutive away league games in December 2021 (4 with Reims).
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Source Ben Knapton at SportsMole/BBCSports