Liverpool hope to keep hold of their lead atop the Premier League table as they steam towards the holiday fixtures with a home match against Fulham on Saturday.
The Reds hold a four-point lead atop the standings plus a game in hand, but will see Chelsea and Arsenal over their shoulders and know there’s not much room for error.
Mohamed Salah has been at his very best the last few months, pulverizing the rest of the top flight and helping Liverpool also top the Champions League table as well.
Fulham have been competitive with nearly every big club they’ve played so far this year, to mixed overall success. The Whites sit 10th in the table, in the hunt for a European place, and could be even higher if they had a few late results go their way.
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Liverpool vs. Fulham prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Liverpool (-300 on BetMGM)
- Score prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Fulham
While Fulham have been up to the challenge against anyone and everyone regardless of venue this season, the absences at the back are working against them in this particular fixture.
A suspension for Calvin Bassey and injury to Joachim Andersen have pressed the struggling Issa Diop and sparsely-used Jorge Cuenca into action at center-back, which Liverpool will certainly look to exploit. Mohamed Salah has a tough matchup against Antonee Robinson, but the Reds have more than enough attacking talent to make up for that if Salah has a quiet day.
An otherwise tricky game for the league leaders will be made a bit easier thanks to the lack of depth Fulham are experiencing at the moment, and they should prevail. However, given the lopsided odds and propensity of Fulham to present a difficult challenge for top clubs this year, looking elsewhere for better value than the moneyline options would be an advisable choice.
Interestingly, the late line movement the morning of the match didn’t involve the moneyline nearly as much as it did the expectation of goals, which saw the total move higher towards 3.5, as well as both teams to score which plummeted to -150 near kickoff.
| BetMGM (USA) |
|
| Liverpool win | -300 |
| Draw | +475 |
| Fulham win | +725 |
| Both teams to score |
Y: -150 N: +105 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals |
O: -110 U: -130 |
| Liverpool -1.5 goals |
-130 |
| Fulham +1.5 goals |
-110 |
Liverpool vs. Fulham match facts
- Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. local (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT)
- Location: Anfield Stadium (Liverpool, England)
- Referee: Tony Harrington, VAR: Stuart Atwell.
- Last meeting: Fulham 1-3 Liverpool (Apr. 21, 2024 | Premier League)
MORE: How to watch Liverpool vs. Fulham in Premier League
Liverpool vs. Fulham best bet
- Best Bet: Cody Gakpo anytime goal scorer
- Odds: +145 on BetMGM
Cody Gakpo was rested midweek, but should return to the Liverpool left wing, either as a straight swap with Luis Diaz or to replace the struggling Darwin Nunez with Diaz moving up front.
The Dutchman has been one of many to benefit from Arne Slot’s arrival, especially since the start of November when he has scored two Premier League goals and two more in the Champions League. Liverpool are likely to have a ton of joy up front, and Gakpo will have the better full-back matchup against either Kenny Tete or Timothy Castagne.
Given the absences at the back for Fulham, and their likely attempt to lock Mohamed Salah down, Gakpo will have plenty of joy in this game. At the very least, he should put Bernd Leno to work, and while the former Arsenal netminder is one of the best in the league, a high volume always gives a forward a good chance to cash in.
MORE: A complete guide to betting on soccer in the United States
Liverpool vs. Fulham prop bet
While the overall card total from this match shouldn’t get out of control, especially with Tony Harrington on the whistle who has a propensity to keep a lid on games, there is one Fulham player who could be at risk of a booking.
Issa Diop has struggled for form since joining Fulham from West Ham a few summers ago, but will be pressed into action today as the Whites are thin at the back. With Antonee Robinson likely to be stuck on Mohamed Salah, it will be up to Diop to handle the feisty combination of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz. Diop has been booked in half of his six career games against Liverpool, including his most recent appearance, with Fulham last season in the EFL Cup semifinals.
With Harrington having issued six bookings to Liverpool opponents in his last two games involving the Reds, both at Anfield, Diop will have a target on his back.
