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Image source, BBC Sport

Sammy James, Fulhamish

The anticipation for Fulham's semi-final against Liverpool 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.

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.

Mark Schwarzer
Former Fulham keeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

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We saw in the lead up to this game Liverpool speaking about showing Fulham respect and I think that has come about from that performance at Anfield last month.

I think Fulham potentially caught them out - Liverpool won the game - but I think they were quite surprised by it.

Fulham have made huge strides under Marco Silva. This season was always going to be a challenge for him, to see if he could continue that form from last year and so far the signs are there.

There have been hiccups, which is normal, but overall they have done really welll. To be in a position to contest a semi-final of a cup is great and they've got everything to play for.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport at Anfield

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You have to give full credit to Fulham fans who have travelled in midweek to spend a cold Wednesday evening at a ground no away team has managed to win at so far this season.

It isn't like they have a particularly impressive away record either, with their only two wins on road in all competitions this season being a 1-0 win at Everton in the Premier League back in August and a 3-1 victory at Championship highfliers Ipswich in the League Cup.

They did, however, have some joy in this neck of the woods just last month to reach the League Cup semi-finals, having beaten Everton 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

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Ian Kennedy, BBC Radio Merseyside

The injury news concerning Trent Alexander-Arnold is not ideal, and Liverpool will be without Mo Salah and Wataru Endo for a while too. So will the team be able to navigate themselves through this tricky period and come through it still fighting on all fronts?

My guess is they will – they won at Arsenal without Salah and Endo, and the squad certainly has players who can step up to the challenge.

After Wednesday's match against Fulham, Liverpool don't play again until 21 January. So, although there's no good time to miss such quality players, at least there's a gap before the Premier League resumes for Jurgen Klopp's men.

The challenge in this Carabao Cup semi-final against the Cottagers will be to take a lead down to west London for the second leg. Liverpool will know that Fulham scored three at Anfield recently - even though the Reds won the game.

Away goals don't count double, so it's just a case of winning on aggregate, but they'll still want to make home advantage count. The second leg at Craven Cottage could be tough if they don't. That said, you wouldn't bet against Liverpool anywhere at the moment.

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The absence of injured full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will be a "big blow" to Liverpool, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has said, but he is confident that the Reds will be able to "find solutions" to the issue.

"He was one of our most important players. He creates a lot of dynamics and was always decisive," said Lijnders. "We will have to find new dynamics without him because he made our game flexible so [it's a] big blow."

Lijnders added: "He creates a lot of flexibility from the back and he can play passes that forwards really like to receive. He always sniffs when to put balls where.

"The squad has a lot of other qualities, in my opinion. But, for sure, we need to find new dynamics - but we always do that. It's a difference if Wataru Endo or Alexis Mac Allister plays as the six [a defensive midfield role]. You find different dynamics. We always search to become better, evolve the game and become a more complete team. You see the players you have and try to build around that.

"Now we have to find solutions without Trent as well, but this squad has so much talent and power. As long as counter-pressing is there, everything else is replacable."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport at Anfield

Liverpool hand a start to 20-year-old right-back Conor Bradley as the Reds make five changes from the FA Cup win against Arsenal at the weekend.

Virgil van Dijk has recovered from illness to start but as expected Trent Alexander-Arnold misses out through injury.

Caoimhin Kelleher, Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper for League Cup games, starts in goal, while Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota also come in.

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Bradley, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Elliott, Jota, Diaz

Subs: Alisson, Nunez. Gakpo, Clark, Gordon, McConnell, Beck, Quansah, Nyoni

Image source, .

Fulham, meanwhile, also make five changes to the side that edged Rotherham in the FA Cup last Friday.

Bernd Leno comes into goal while Antonee Robinson, Joao Palhinha, Willian and Raul Jimenez start.

Fulham XI: Leno, Castagne, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson, Palhinha, Reed, De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian, Jimenez

Subs: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Lukic, Francois, Cairney, Wilson, Muniz, Vinicius

Image source, .

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

With this leg of the tie in particular I just feel like Fulham need to try and stay in it as long as possible.

I have been here at Anfield many, many times playing under the lights and it is a tough place to just stay in games let alone get something from it.

First 15-20 minutes they just have to stay concentrated, don't concede. Warm into the game, give yourself a chance. They've got some good players that can do damage to Liverpool.

As always we want your thoughts on all the action tonight.

The ways to contact us are listed above.

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea and Scotland winger on BBC Football Daily podcast

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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.

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.

BBC Radio 5 Live

The Liverpool v Fulham match is live on BBC Radio 5 Live and our commentary team is John Murray and ex-England striker Dion Dublin.

We'll be live with the build-up shortly and you will be able to listen along by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport at Anfield

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It is not easy to win at Anfield as an opposition team, indeed no team has managed it so far this season, but Fulham came mightily close when these two faced each other there at the start of December.

In a seven-goal encounter, Marco Silva's side led 3-2 with 10 minutes to go before Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold struck to seal a 4-3 win for the Reds.

Fans will be hoping for a similar amount of drama tonight to keep their minds off the cold conditions.

Callum Matthews
BBC Sport

Image source, Reuters

Last night...

Chelsea missed a host of chances as Championship side Middlesbrough earned a slender advantage in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at a boisterous Riverside Stadium.

Hayden Hackney scored the only goal, opening up his body to slide home an Isaiah Jones cross in the first half.

Cole Palmer missed three presentable opportunities as Chelsea failed to score for the sixth time this season.

The second leg takes place on Tuesday, 23 January at 19:45 GMT.

Liverpool face Fulham in the other semi-final, with the final taking place at Wembley on Sunday, 25 February.

Hello and welcome along to BBC Sport's coverage of the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg as Liverpool entertain Fulham.

It's a 20:00 GMT kick-off and we will have live radio commentary on 5 Live in this very page.

Yesterday, Championship side Middlesbrough gained a shock win against Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final...

Image source, Reuters

...and today it is the turn of Liverpool and Fulham to play the first leg of their semi-final at Anfield.

Image source, Reuters