By Valentine Ikpoba
Liverpool return to Anfield on Saturday, September 12, for their first home Premier League fixture of the 2026/27 season against Fulham, who have lost their first 3 Premier League fixtures. Kick-off is at 3 pm BST. Andoni Iraola is yet to win a home league game as Liverpool manager, but he has a chance to change that against this Fulham side.
Match Context
Liverpool sit sixth in the table with five points from three games, unbeaten but not where they want to be. Two draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest were followed by a composed 2-0 win at Ipswich, and then Wednesday's Champions League opener produced a 2-1 comeback victory over Atletico Madrid. The momentum is building steadily under Iraola
Fulham, meanwhile, are in trouble early. Alvaro Arbeloa has lost all three of his opening Premier League fixtures, going down to Chelsea, Sunderland and Crystal Palace in quick succession. The Cottagers sit rock bottom alongside Coventry with a goal difference of minus three and no signs yet of the stability Arbeloa is trying to build. The upside is that they don't seem to lack in the scoring department, with 4 goals scored in 3 Premier League games. Former Red Alvaro Arbeloa returns to Anfield as a manager for the first time
Team News
Liverpool head into the game with a notable injury list. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Federico Chiesa are all ruled out. Joe Gomez is doubtful after picking up a knock and will be assessed ahead of kick-off. The positive news is Bradley Barcola, who came off in the Atletico win and sparked injury fears, has been confirmed fit by Iraola. "It is just a cramp; there is no injury," the Liverpool manager said in his post-match press conference on Wednesday. "I think he should be available if everything goes normally."
Fulham travel to Anfield without Tom Cairney and Luc De Fougerolles, both of whom are recovering from knee injuries. The Fulham starting XI is expected to remain the same as the one that lost the last game against Crystal Palace
Key Players to Watch
Alexander Isak arrives in this fixture in hot blazing form. Three Premier League goals in three games, and his movement in behind Fulham's back line will be the biggest threat on show at Anfield. If Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz can continue supplying him the way they have in the opening weeks, Fulham's defence will have a very difficult afternoon.
For Fulham, Joshua King has been their brightest attacking outlet so far this season. The Norwegian forward scored against Crystal Palace last weekend, also scored against Chelsea in GW 1 and is the most likely player to cause Liverpool's backline a problem if Fulham manage to get the ball forward quickly enough.
Predicted XI
Liverpool: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak
Fulham: Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Iwobi, Charles; Bobb, Palacios, King; Garcia
Result
Fulham have shown enough in their few opening games that they don't lack attacking qualities, but coming to Anfield without a point to their name and against a Liverpool side that just beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League is a very hard challenge. Iraola will be keen to secure his first home league win, and with Isak in this kind of form, the goals should come. Fulham are expected to score at least one goal
Liverpool 3-1 Fulham
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