Liverpool visit Fulham on Sunday with contrasting pressures, as Arne Slot plays down any Premier League title chase while Marco Silva warns his side not to dismiss the reigning champions. Liverpool sit fourth, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal, while Fulham lie 11th yet only six points back from Slot’s team before kick-off at Craven Cottage.
Slot’s side start 2026 on an eight-game unbeaten streak in all competitions and seven in the league, though three of those Premier League fixtures finish level. A goalless draw against Leeds United at Anfield keeps Liverpool fourth, while recent away form shows improvement, with seven points taken from the last three league trips.
Slot plays down talk of chasing Arsenal and Manchester City, stressing the current
gap. "Realistically, I think there are two teamsby the way, with [Aston] Villa being really close to them but because Arsenal won against Villa they created a bit of a gap towards Villa as well," said Slot. "Realistically those two teams are quite far away from us and we should not look at those two at this moment in time. "
Slot reflects on how Liverpool’s season has shifted through different phases. "We've had our struggles throughout. We started really well in terms of results, [the] games were really close. Then we had a phase of the season where the games were still really close but we were constantly unlucky. Now I think we are seven or eight games in a row unbeaten, but if you say this you feel like, 'They are flying through the league' but that is not what we are doing. "
Next up, a trip to West London #FULLIV pic.twitter.com/D7Y2ofS65hLiverpool FC (@LFC) January 2, 2026
Fulham enter the match in strong domestic form, unbeaten in four Premier League fixtures with three wins and a draw. A 1-1 result against Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day keeps momentum, and Silva’s side have claimed five victories from their last eight home league matches, keeping four clean sheets at Craven Cottage during that run.
Silva highlights how Liverpool’s difficult spell contrasts with earlier dominance. "They had a bad run that made a massive impact in their season so far," Silva said. "Because if you go back for the beginning of the season, after the way they were champions last season, they started with five wins in a row. And everybody was talkingokay, they are the same, with some changes, but they are the same, they kept the same winning mentality, they kept the same quality, and they kept winning football matches. And [then] comes a bad run, and a bad run that is not normal for them, and it made a massive impact in the points, position on the table and all that stuff. We all agree that is not a normal run for them, not usual for them. "
Marco Silva knows that on Sunday Fulham will be facing a Liverpool side which is more than capable of reacting to disappointment.Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 2, 2026
Liverpool vs Fulham key Premier League players to watch
Harry Wilson stands out as Fulham’s major attacking threat at home in recent months. Wilson has been involved in four goals in the last seven Premier League appearances at Craven Cottage, with three goals and one assist. That tally already surpasses his previous 20 home league outings, and Wilson also scored against Liverpool in a 4-3 defeat in December 2023.
For Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike provides a timely scoring boost on away grounds. Ekitike has scored three goals across the last two Premier League away games, after managing only one in the first six league trips for Liverpool. The forward last recorded a longer away scoring streak in December 2021, when Ekitike netted in four consecutive away league matches for Reims.
Liverpool vs Fulham Premier League statistics and prediction
Recent head-to-head numbers still favour Liverpool, especially when facing the defending champions. Fulham have won only one of the last 19 Premier League matches against the reigning title holders, drawing three and losing 15. That lone victory, however, did come against Liverpool in March 2021, when Fulham claimed a 1-0 success at Anfield.
Liverpool’s away record against London clubs has shifted lately. After losing five straight Premier League away fixtures in the capital, Liverpool now have two successive wins there. Slot’s team have also scored in 20 consecutive league games in London since a 0-0 draw at Chelsea in April 2023, underlining their attacking consistency on those trips.
Fulham’s recent home strength contrasts with last season’s record at Craven Cottage. Silva’s side have already kept four Premier League home clean sheets this campaign, twice as many as across the whole of last season. Fulham have also won five of their last eight home league matches, though Liverpool were one of three sides Fulham avoided defeat against last season, alongside Nottingham Forest and Arsenal.
Across those meetings in the previous Premier League campaign, Fulham drew one and lost one against Liverpool, matching a D1 L1 record versus Nottingham Forest and a D2 record versus Arsenal. Despite Fulham’s progress, statistical models still tilt slightly towards Slot’s side. MATCH PREDICTIONLIVERPOOL WIN reflects recent away improvement, alongside the champions’ experience in high-pressure league fixtures.
OPTA’s win probability model for Fulham vs Liverpool in the Premier League provides the following projected chances of each outcome.
| Team / Result | Win Probability |
|---|---|
| Fulham | 29.2% |
| Draw | 24.6% |
| Liverpool | 46.2% |
The meeting at Craven Cottage brings together a Liverpool side quietly rebuilding momentum and a Fulham team improving at home. Slot aims to close the gap to the top without fixating on Arsenal and Manchester City, while Silva prepares a confident Fulham, aware that Liverpool’s status as reigning champions still carries significant weight in this Premier League clash.
