Fulham

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For part one of week 21 - due to the Premier League's winter break - he takes on singer-songwriter and Tottenham fan Declan McKenna.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Where do I even start with this one?

Chelsea had won three games in a row in all competitions and were showing a bit of consistency before they lost to Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

I've backed them, and been wrong, many times already this season so do I make the same mistake again?

It doesn't help me much that there's not too many reasons to go with Fulham here, either. Their last league game was their excellent home win over Arsenal, but their form away from Craven Cottage is poor.

Marco Silva's side always seem to carry a threat when I watch them but they have won only one out of 10 games on the road.

Declan's prediction: 2-2

Fulham are feeling more together this season. It's hard to say which Chelsea will turn up, and I'd love to back Fulham over those 'orrible boys in blue, but I can still see them bagging a few goals.

I can taste a score draw but will be rooting for Fulham.

Read the full predictions list

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Fulham head coach Marco Silva says Chelsea must be patient with manager Mauricio Pochettino after an inconsistent start to his tenure at the Blues.

Fulham would move one point behind their 10th-placed west London rivals with a win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but Silva says overhaul on and off the pitch at the Blues is contributing to their form.

On whether Pochettino needs patience, Silva said: "Of course when you make many changes inside a football club. What I can see from the outside is that the changes are there and they have a manager who knows the Premier League really well.

"I think what he's done already in his career speaks for itself.

"I have huge respect for him as well. We have a very good relationship and a good connection. They're a very good side with a very good manager as well and I'm sure it will be a very tough game for us."

Brazil winger Willian will return to the ground where he spent seven years on Saturday, having scored in the 2-1 home win against the Blues last season.

"The connection between him and the club (Chelsea) is huge," Silva added. "It is huge for him and the fans. We felt it last season when he was substituted and the ovation he got.

"The respect they show for him is huge and it's deserved as well because what he's doing in our club at 35-years-old makes you think what he can do at 37 or 38."

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media ahead of Saturday's Premier League match away at Chelsea.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Midfielder Harrison Reed "should be OK" after illness this week: "He didn't feel well on the morning before the Liverpool match and wasn't perfect today, but we have some more hours to prepare for the game."

• When asked about Willian, who made more than 200 appearances for Chelsea, Silva said: "The connection between him and the club [Chelsea] is huge. We felt that last season when he got substituted [for Fulham at Stamford Bridge] - the ovation he got from the whole stadium and the respect they showed for him is huge."

• On west London rivals Chelsea: "In London you have a big number of derbies, but you always have one or two more special ones for the fans. We play for the fans and we know it's important for them."

• For Silva, the recovery time between Wednesday night's defeat at Liverpool and the early kick-off at Chelsea on Saturday is "not an excuse but not a normal time between games": "Not even 72 hours to prepare and we know how important that is. It is what it is - it's not for us to take these type of decisions. "

• He wants to see an improvement in performance from the 2-0 home defeat to the Blues earlier this season: "At home, it wasn't our best game. We want to do something different against a very good side. We have to be at a very, very good level because it's going to be an intense game."

Follow the rest of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Manager Marco Silva continues to show his capabilities at Fulham as they deliver in his attractive style and look at home in the Premier League after a fine 2022-23 season. Silva is showing why he is so highly regarded and has guided the Cottagers to the EFL Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Joao Palhinha continues to be a player of real influence after the collapse of his move to Bayern Munich. Fulham will be desperate to keep him this month. There has also been delight at the rejuvenation of Raul Jimenez after the striker struggled to regain his best form following a serious head injury while playing for Wolves.

Current position: 13th.

McNulty's pre-season prediction: 13th.

What McNulty said in August: "Fulham's place (10th in 2021-22) may not be so lofty this season, although I don't expect a relegation struggle either."

• Chelsea are unbeaten in their past 18 home league games against Fulham (W11 D7), since a 2-0 loss in the second tier in October 1979.

• Fulham have won just one of their past 23 Premier League games against Chelsea (D8 L14), beating them 2-1 at Craven Cottage in January 2023.

• Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has won all five of his Premier League meetings with Fulham. He only has a better win rate in the competition against Hull City (six out of six games).

• The Cottagers have lost their past four away league games, conceding three or more goals in each. Only two sides have lost five in a row on the road in the Premier League while letting in three or more goals each time (Ipswich Town in April 1995 and Barnsley in November 1997).

• Some 40.4% of Fulham’s shots in the Premier League this season have come from outside the box (93/230), the highest share in the division. However, just one of their past 19 league goals has come from longe range.

• Cole Palmer has scored eight league goals this season, more than any other player for Chelsea. The only player to score more in a Premier League campaign for the Blues while aged 21 or younger was Christian Pulisic in 2019-20 (nine).

Image source, Reuters

Former Fulham defender Stephen Kelly believes his former club will feel slightly frustrated to have left Anfield with a 2-1 first-leg deficit in their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

"You would taken that result, but on the night when you watch how the game went, the way they played and with the people Liverpool are currently missing, you feel it's a missed opportunity," Kelly told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"There are not many chances you get to go to Anfield and come away with a win. I think Fulham would feel last night was definitely one.

"They're in a position where they're only 2-1 down. It was a decent performance and they know Liverpool have to go to Craven Cottage, where at times it can be a place where Fulham play some wonderful football."

Goalkeeper Bernd Leno made important saves in the closing minutes of the first leg to ensure Fulham retain a decent chance of progressing to the final against either Middlesbrough or Chelsea.

"It's important that they've not ended up coming away from that, on what was such a positive performance, 3-1 or 4-1 down and thinking 'how did that happen?'," Kelly added.

"There are still a lot of positives to take from it."

We asked for your thoughts on Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg between Liverpool and Fulham.

Here are some of your responses:

Liverpool fans

Dan: Wow. What a chaotic game. It was thrilling, end-to-end stuff, but in the end - with the amount of chances that we had - we deserved to win. Darwin and Curtis were super, especially because Curtis was playing with a dead leg for the final 15 minutes or so. Good performance overall from the lads.

Ethan: Given the amount of players unavailable, that was a great win. But, we must improve our first-half performances - it’s been a trend all season! Also, Harvey Elliot is not a winger and Luis Diaz should be covering for Mohamed Salah. But it’s clear Klopp has the best attacking squad depth since he joined Liverpool. Second leg will be tricky but we are favourites now.

Andrew: I was really impressed by Conor Bradley! Klopp could save a fortune by including him as the regular sub for Trent. Jones goes from strength to strength - it’s great to see!

Joel: I don't want to hear people criticise Darwin. The goals haven't come yet but his presence on the pitch is immense. He's fierce, gets in dangerous positions and creates plenty for others. Let's stick with him - he's a Red, no doubt.

Fulham fans

David: We would have taken a one-goal deficit before the game so it is not too bad. If we had taken our chances, it could have been a draw. Fulham fans will remember that we were 3-1 down to Juventus in our 2010 Europa League campaign and won that round. Watch us at the Cottage to see what happens...

Sue: We were so good for so much of this game that it feels disappointing to have a deficit to overturn at the Cottage. However, we’d have snapped your hand off for a one-goal loss before the game so perspective is needed. Still very much in the tie.

D: Good first half but delayed making changes in the second half. It's usually easy to say that from the stands but literally the whole away end was begging for fresh legs, especially for Andreas Pereira who looked as though he had lost his head a little. Still, on to the second leg with hope!

Image source, Reuters

Ex-Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer expects his former club to be "more aggressive" in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on 24 January.

Willian gave Fulham a first-half lead in the first leg at Anfield, but Marco Silva's side ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1 result.

"It's 2-1, they're still in it and they've got everything to play for at Craven Cottage," Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Fulham have to come out - they have to be a little bit more aggressive. I don't see Liverpool being the reverse and they are going to go and play their game. With that, there are going to be opportunities for Fulham and they're going to have to be more clinical."

Schwarzer, who played in Fulham's run to the 2010 Europa League final, added: "Craven Cottage is going to have to have that atmosphere again in cup competitions, which we've experienced so many times before in the past and not so long ago. Hopefully that can be recreated.

"I'm sure the fans will be right behind their team to put in a performance and create some history."

More analysis of the semi-final on BBC Sounds

Image source, PA Media

Fulham manager Marco Silva said his team "struggled a bit more" in the second half of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool.

The Cottagers will need to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the second leg at Craven Cottage if they are to reach the final.

"Two different halves. It wasn't our best performance but even so, in the first half we had a plan. We were ruthless from the first moment and it was really good from Willian when we scored.

"The second half was different and we struggled a bit more. We should manage them in a different way.

"They were a bit lucky [with] the first goal. It was a deflection that changed the game completely, and the only thing that is disappointing is the way we managed the next 10 minutes.

"In a competition where we are playing two legs we cannot concede a fast attack like that. Liverpool had one or two chances to score the third and the reality is that Bernd Leno kept us in the game."

Image source, Getty

BBC Sport's Gary Rose at Anfield: "For the second time in just over a month, Fulham gave Liverpool a scare in their effort to maintain their unbeaten home run so far this season.

"Marco Silva's side lost 4-3 at Anfield in the Premier League on 3 December, having led 3-2 after 80 minutes, and here they took a deserved lead in the first half thanks to Willian's good footwork and finish inside the area.

"They had more chances than Liverpool in the first 45 minutes but struggled to contain their opponents when they stepped it up in the second half.

"But they head into the second leg trailing by just the one goal and will fancy their chances of putting up a strong fight on home soil.

"Fulham are looking to win the League Cup for the first time and that could be the drive they need to get a result."

Liverpool staged a second-half turnaround to beat Fulham at Anfield in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.

The visitors had taken the lead in the first half when Willian showed great control inside the area to slot in.

It was no less than Fulham deserved after an impressive first half, but Liverpool stepped it up after the break and fought back with two goals in three minutes.

First, Curtis Jones equalised when his 68th-minute strike from distance took a big deflection off Tosin Adarabioyo to wrong-foot Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.

Substitute Cody Gakpo then drove in a Darwin Nunez pull-back to send the home crowd wild.

It was the second time in just over a month that Liverpool had denied Fulham success at Anfield. Marco Silva's side had led 3-2 in the final 10 minutes of their Premier League clash on 3 December but lost 4-3.

The two sides will meet again in the second leg at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, 24 January, with Jurgen Klopp's men now in the driving seat as they look to keep alive their hopes of a record-extending 10th League Cup win.

Were you at Anfield or following the match from elsewhere?

Reds fans, tell us what you made of the performance

Fulham supporters, submit your post-match thoughts

Follow all the reaction here

Liverpool welcome Fulham to Anfield in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final this evening.

Kick-off is less than an hour away so follow all the build-up over here

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Former Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes "anything can happen" in the Whites' Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on Wednesday.

The Cottagers, who last reached a major final in 2010, are aiming to repeat that famous run to the Europa League showpiece.

"I am hoping for lots of goals and an entertaining game," Schwarzer, who played in the defeat by Atletico Madrid in 2010, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Obviously, Liverpool are the favourites but it is a cup semi-final and we saw on Tuesday [when Middlesbrough beat Chelsea 1-0] it doesn’t matter who the favourite is. If you go out there without the right mindset and right intent and don't take your chances, then you can lose the game.

"Marco Silva will be looking at the game thinking his side have a great chance. It is a semi-final of a cup and anything can happen. I am hopeful Fulham can get through."

Listen to the interview on BBC Sounds from 02:23:00

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Liverpool v Fulham at 20:00 GMT on Wednesday

Feeling daunted by the trip to the Premier League leaders, who are one of the most in-form teams in Europe?

Well, along with Mohamed Salah being absent, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai being injured, and Alisson likely to be rested, there are other reasons for optimism for Cottagers.

In the last six meetings, there has not been more than a single goal between the teams.

So why don't we remind ourselves of how Fulham have proved awkward opponents for Liverpool, even when they have been flying at their highest - and just note who have been the Reds' key players in this period...

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool 4-3 Fulham

3 December 2023

Fresh in the memory this one.

Fulham led 3-2 in the 87th minute thanks to goals from Harry Wilson, Kenny Tete and Bobby De Cordova-Reid before Wataru Endo and Alexander-Arnold agonisingly denied Marco Silva's side in a seven-goal thriller. Caoimhin Kelleher, filling in for the injured Alisson that day, was at fault for two goals.

He is likely to play on Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool 1-0 Fulham

3 May 2023

Salah won it for the Reds but who remembers that wonder save by Liverpool's Alisson in the 77th minute to keep out Carlos Vinicius? And then Bobby De Cordova-Reid going close to an equaliser in the 94th minute?

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham 2-2 Liverpool

6 August 2022

Opening day of the 2022-23 season, a warm sunny afternoon and Aleksandar Mitrovic running amok against the team that had nearly done the quadruple two months previously. Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score one and create another as ragged Liverpool happily left London with a point.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool 0-1 Fulham

7 March 2021

No Fulham fan is struggling to recall this ray of light deep in Covid times. It is not three years since Mario Lemina's goal on the stroke of half-time - after the Gabon midfielder had dispossessed Salah - earned Fulham a first win at Anfield since 2012.

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham 1-1 Liverpool

13 December 2020

Decordova-Reid put Fulham ahead in a first half the home side dominated and Liverpool were thankful to Alisson for keeping them in the game. Salah equalised late on with a penalty after Aboubakar Kamara leapt in the wall and blocked a free-kick with his arm.

And why don't we round off with a reminder of 2012, when a Martin Skrtel own goal earned Fulham their first win at Anfield...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin says Fulham are "capable" of beating Liverpool over two legs and reaching the Carabao Cup final.

The sides play each other in the first of two legs at Anfield on Wednesday in what is the Whites' first semi-final in the competition.

The Reds narrowly beat Fulham 4-3 in December in the Premier League, with two late goals completing a dramatic comeback.

"Semi-finals are special. The tension is different from just about any other game you play as nobody remembers the losing semi-finalists. It's the most horrible game to lose," Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.

"You have to go for it. Fulham have been a bit up and down this season. They they have come out with these results from absolutely nowhere and, other times, you expect them to win and they really disappoint.

"They are capable of doing it but I think they would rather it was over one leg.

"It is not beyond the bounds of possibilities, especially with Liverpool missing one or two important players."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Sammy James, Fulhamish, external

The anticipation for Fulham's semi-final against Liverpool on Wednesday is huge. For me, it is the biggest set of matches since our Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in 2010.

Of course, the definition of 'big' is ambiguous. Our two Championship play-off finals against Aston Villa and Brentford were probably more vital given the financial prize that was at stake, but ultimately football is about winning trophies, and this is a golden chance to snag one.

Fulham, famously, have never won a trophy. Alongside Crystal Palace, we are probably the most successful club in England to have never won one. For Fulham fans, it really is the ultimate dream.

We will almost certainly never compete at the very top table of English football because of the size of our fanbase and limited scope for stadium development - so really, getting any silverware is the golden goose.

Trying to beat Liverpool in a one-off tie is difficult enough, but doing it over two legs is an enormous challenge. Fulham are just going to have to take advantage of the marginal gains such as Mohamed Salah's involvement at Afcon and the longer rest periods before the games.

In Fulham's previous matches against Liverpool they have shown that they are competitive against the Reds. Here is hoping for a history-making result.

Image source, Getty Images

Find out who your team has been drawn against in the FA Cup fourth round with the full list of ties below.

• Watford v Southampton

• Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham

• Bournemouth v Swansea City

• West Brom v Brentford/Wolves

• West Ham/Bristol City v Nottingham Forest/Blackpool

• Leicester City v Hull City/ Birmingham City

• Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City

• Chelsea v Aston Villa

• Ipswich Town v Maidstone United

• Liverpool v Norwich City/Bristol Rovers

• Tottenham v Man City

• Leeds United v Plymouth Argyle

• Crystal Palace/Everton v Luton Town/Bolton

• Newport County/Eastleigh v Wigan/Man Utd

• Sheff Utd v Brighton

• Fulham v Newcastle United

The matches will take place over the weekend of 27-28 January.

Watch all the goals from the third round

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Fulham boss Marco Silva says it is "more of an ambition than a dream" to get the club to the Carabao Cup final.

It is the first time the Cottagers have reached the semi-final stage of the competition, having lost in the quarter-finals on four previous occasions.

After beating Everton on penalties in the last round, they now face a tough challenge against 2022 winners Liverpool in the two-legged tie beginning at Anfield on Wednesday.

"It is going to be a remarkable situation for this football club," Silva said in his pre-match news conference.

"For our fans, we love that they are able to dream, which means we are doing something really good.

"For me, it is much more of an ambition than a dream. For me, it is an aim because we worked so hard to be there and we want to take another step by facing Liverpool and getting to the final."

The west London side ran the Reds close in their 4-3 defeat in the Premier League just over a month ago.

Silva will be hoping for a similar level of performance if they are to reach the final at Wembley and give themselves a chance of lifting their first major piece of silverware.

"That's the ambition [to make final]. We are going to play and understand the quality of Liverpool and the huge challenge we have ahead of us.

"From that moment where we beat Tottenham [in the second round], we have been so serious with the approach.

"If you get to this stage [semi-final], you want to win more and have the ambition to be at Wembley."

Nicola Pearson, BBC Sport

Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Fulham's League Cup semi-final first-leg against Liverpool on Wednesday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva confirmed that defender Tim Ream is "getting closer" to a return from injury and could be involved in the squad against Liverpool depending on how he responds after training on Tuesday.

• He said Fulham's first League Cup semi-final will be a "big challenge", adding he is "proud for us to be there to achieve something that hasn't been achieved before - but we want more".

• On opponents Liverpool, he said: "We have huge respect for Liverpool and the quality they have, the season they have had, they are top of the league. They showed against Arsenal yesterday how they can be strong with seven changes, they have the quality. If you have the chance to play in the semis it is because you have worked so hard to do it."

• He said the 4-3 defeat by the Reds in December has given them "belief", adding: "The players trust and understand really well the process. You face all these great sides and if you are not at your best level they can be really difficult."

• He added: "In December we have a great game against them, we didn't get the result we probably deserved."

• Asked how he feels about his current squad, he said: "I'm really happy with the squad. I cannot hide how happy I am. We make some changes last summer and lost a player really important to us [in Aleksandar Mitrovic]."

• He added: "For us to try and sign someone it has to be someone who can add quality to our squad or to be at a level that can make an impact. When I say it is quiet [in January] it is because from a financial point of view it probably won't be possible."

• On winning silverware in England, he said: "All managers want the same. If you have chance to do it or fight for it, it is something that we want - to win important things and fight for important things. Depending where you are and what club you are can give you more chances to fight for important things. When you are in a cup and have resources to do it, it is the aim of any manager and I am no different."