Liverpool will try to bounce again from defeat within the Champions League on Wednesday in opposition to a Fulham facet hoping to problem the Reds for a European place subsequent season.
BBC Sport examines a number of the key themes forward of their assembly at Anfield on Saturday.
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After 31 matches of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Liverpool had been 11 factors clear on the prime of the desk. They’d go on to win a second title of the Premier League period, 10 factors forward of second-place Arsenal.
A lot, although, has modified within the subsequent 12 months. Liverpool at the moment sit fifth within the Premier League desk on the similar stage of the present season, 21 factors behind leaders Arsenal.
Their within the quarter-finals of the Champions League at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening signifies that Arne Slot’s facet have misplaced three consecutive matches in all competitions for the third time this season.
It is the primary time that the Reds have had three sequences of a minimum of three straight defeats in a single marketing campaign since 1953-54, after they had been relegated from the highest flight.
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Circumstances should not fairly that dire on Merseyside this season, though the loss in Paris signifies that Liverpool face an uphill job to stay in the one competitors they might but win this season.
A extra sensible purpose for the rest of the marketing campaign is maybe guaranteeing they qualify for the Champions League subsequent season, a goal which at the moment rests on ending within the Premier League’s prime 5.
Liverpool occupy fifth place as issues stand though Chelsea are only a level behind and Slot’s males are winless in three league outings, dropping at Wolves and Brighton and drawing with Tottenham.
If outcomes are to enhance over the following seven video games, Liverpool should merely cease conceding late targets. Andre’s winner for Wolves on 3 March got here within the 94th minute. Richarlison’s equaliser for Spurs at Anfield on 15 March got here within the 91st.
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Total, Liverpool have conceded 15 targets within the last quarter-hour of Premier League video games this season, second solely to Newcastle, whereas the Reds have received simply 5 factors from dropping positions throughout the whole lot of 2025-26.
Liverpool have suffered from conceding late targets within the Premier League this season [BBC]
And guests Fulham are completely positioned to reap the benefits of Liverpool’s second-half frailties. They’ve scored 18 targets within the last 20 minutes of Premier League matches this season, the joint most of any workforce.
The Cottagers have additionally scored 13 targets in seven Premier League video games in opposition to Liverpool since their return to the division in 2022 – solely Spurs (14) and Brighton (15) have netted extra in opposition to the Reds in that point.
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A return to kind in current weeks has reignited Fulham’s personal hunt for European soccer. They opened 2026 with two wins in eight league outings however have since received three of their previous 5 (D1, L1).
One other victory at Anfield on Saturday would transfer Fulham to inside two factors of Liverpool within the desk and strengthen ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League for the primary time.