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7 March 2021 1218 comments
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An out-of-form Liverpool face Fulham in the second of four Premier League matches to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off on Merseyside is at 14:00 GMT.

Given that less than 72 hours separated the Reds’ Gameweek 26 clash with Chelsea and today’s game, and with Jurgen Klopp’s side looking jaded in that Thursday night defeat, a change or two to the starting XI always looked likely this afternoon.

We didn’t quite expect the full extent of the rotation, though: Klopp has made seven alterations to his line-up against the Cottagers as he attempts to avoid a sixth straight league defeat at Anfield.

Roberto Firmino (£9.2m) and Ozan Kabak (£5.0m) miss out with minor fitness issues but the other five changes are unenforced, with Klopp explaining ahead of kick-off:

Two changes we had to make because of little injuries, Bobby and Ozan.

We are in an intense period and we have an opportunity now to change some players who had more sessions in their legs. That’s the plan behind it: getting fresh legs back and trying to give Fulham a proper fight.

Sadio Mane (£11.8m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) are among the players to make way, with Curtis Jones (£4.4m), Thiago (£5.6m) and Fabinho (£5.4m) also dropping to the bench.

Diogo Jota (£6.6m) starts a league game for the first time in over three months, while Rhys Williams (£4.0m), Neco Williams (£3.8m) and Nathaniel Phillips (£4.0m) come into a much-changed and youthful defence.

There are recalls too for Naby Keita (£5.2m) and Xherdan Shaqiri (£6.4m).

Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) has been spared the axe, with a half-hour breather after his early substitution against Chelsea perhaps influencing Klopp’s decision to field him from the start today.

The Fulham team news is more straightforward, with Scott Parker making only two changes from the side that started the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) is a surprise omission, with Bobby Decordova-Reid (£5.3m) in for the Chelsea loanee.

The regular rotation continues at full-back, meanwhile, with Antonee Robinson (£4.4m) making way for Kenny Tete (£4.3m).

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 27 SO FAR…

Salah swerves Liverpool rotation as Klopp makes seven changes for Fulham

One of the more predictable results of the weekend saw strugglers West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United play out a goalless draw at the Hawthorns.

The Magpies were without their first-choice front three through injury and there was a predictable lack of conviction when chances fell the way of Joelinton (£5.7m), who was part of a strike duo with an ‘out of position’ Ryan Fraser (£5.6m).

For West Brom, this was a third clean sheet in four and a testament to the influence that new signing Okay Yokuslu (£4.5m) is having on the Albion back four.

A match against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 28 presents Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) with a good opportunity to build on his total of 27 points over his last four appearances.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, N. Williams, Phillips, R. Williams, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri, Salah, Jota.

Fulham XI: Areola, Aina, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Tete, Cavaleiro, Lemina, Reed, Reid, Maja, Lookman.

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  1. Isca Extremadura
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Luckily LP not home in league until 10th April

  2. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    5 minutes left for Salah

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      he will play 90 IMO. he was super annoyed last time for being subbed early

      1. La Roja
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        How’s being annoyed guaranteed to play while game?

      2. Bushwhacker
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Don’t Liverpool have a bug game this week?

        1. Moderately content penguin
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          They have bug games every week 🙂

  3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Started Johnstone over Areola, wipe that CS Liverpool!

  4. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Any early team news? Even rumors are fine for me

    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson starts

    2. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fleetwood Mac starts....

    3. Amey
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Cavani out
      Ederson Dias Stones Cancelo KDB Gundogan Rodrigo starting.
      Bruno Rashford Maguire Henderson Shaw AWB Fred Mctomnay starts for United.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        cheers

    4. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Sheik hs bought City a new $1bn squad for this game

  5. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Any Man City City team sheet leaks yet?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Want to know the same. Are Gundo, KDB and Cancelo starting?

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Yes

        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          I mean no...

          1. Jafooli
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Sorry meant don’t know

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nobody knows

  6. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Auba or Son to replace Salah?

    1. Third Eye Vision
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Son

    2. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Is incredible that we are all looking at Auba as a credible replacement for Salah but that’s just how much Liverpool have slipped ... I’m going Son still of those two ...

  7. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah about to be subbed for Mane ?

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yep

  8. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Still fancy Liverpool to score here

  9. Paqueta Rice
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Brought in Jota as a punt and Areola pulls off that save. As a Salah captainer and Jota owner still wouldn’t mind if it finished like this!

    1. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hidden fan 😉

      1. Paqueta Rice
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Lol not quite Rainer!

  10. SADIO SANÉ
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Phillips is extremely bad

  11. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I want to see Salah being subbed off again, just for his reaction 😀

  12. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    #KloppOut

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Spot the non Liverpool supporter

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        yeah

  13. Ginkapo FPL
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Liverpool could still win the CL with determination akin to Drogba's win

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      For sure

    2. Marvin.
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It would be quite a bizarre season if they did.

    3. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Out come Wednesday evening.

    4. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Istanbul proves that

    5. Danno - Emre Canada
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      And then get automatic CL qualification for next season, job done.

  14. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Surely Salah not subbed

  15. OPTA FPL
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes to Jota or Mount?

    1. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I did Barnes to mount last week ... I’m thinking Jota in for salah this week to free up some serious funds.

  16. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Cannot believe how terrible Pool have become

    1. Marvin.
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Full meltdown.

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Really is, catastrophic level

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Its a b team

  17. sunzip14
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah survives 60'

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      CS point 😎

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Haul!

  18. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah been any good?

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Got an assist

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Haha for Fulham?

  19. ivantys
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah just doubled his points

  20. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Just seen the Fulham goal. Shall we just call Salah Sleeping Beauty because he certainly seemed to be asleep for that opener!

  21. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah survives the chop

  22. Jimmy Boy
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Liverpool so unimaginative in attack

  23. sunzip14
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Mane On

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Salah points to dry up now....

  24. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah 8.5 next year?

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      5.0 hopefully, make a good bench player

    2. Chalobah's Witness
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yep. In La Liga.

    3. TomSaints
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Gone this summer?

  25. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Mane is going to score 2

  26. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Liverpool have cracking fixtures to the end but on this performance they might as well be dark purple!

  27. Yome
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hopefully KDB goes mental after I did Salah to him. Although I capped Gundo...

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Has KDB gone mental even once this season?

      1. Yome
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        KDB has had a lot of injuries this season, he can haul again at anytime especially he has two home fixtures in this DGW

  28. sunzip14
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I predict a Liverpool pen for a boring 1-1

  29. Duke Silver ☑
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fulham are terrible in the final 3rd.

    1. CaptMidnight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Better than Liverpool though.

  30. BenDavies
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What is going on at Liverpool fellas

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Burnout

      1. Tango74
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        No preseason and def burnouts from least year

        Vvd injured played a big part

    2. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Teams sussed out how to play against them a long time ago

    3. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Bad patch, stuck in a rut and lots of rotation

    4. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      No defence, no support

    5. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It's Dortmund all over again

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        #DortmundCrash

    6. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      You’re not playing!

    7. sunzip14
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      same pace and rhythm...Pep recently said in an interview that one will get found out if they only play one way 🙂

    8. Marvin.
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      There is a horrible nagging in the back of my mind reminding me that Dortmund collapsed at the end of Klopp's time there.

    9. Random Name
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      One season wonder like Blackburn Rovers and Leicester. Been saying it for years

      1. Rainer
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        One 😀

        Half deck at most!

    10. Homer21
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Quicksand