Fulham Vs Liverpool Betting – Saturday 31st October

 

Fulham V Liverpool

 

Kick-off: Saturday 31st October – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Craven Cottage

 

 

 

Fulham

 

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: LLDWD

  

Fulham are becoming your typical awkward team under Roy Hodgeson and this was evident at the City of Manchester stadium on Sunday. To gain a point at what has become a tough venue to play in is one thing but the manner in which they earned their point was staggering. Fulham went 2-0 down against a City side that appeared to have the points wrapped up. However, Fulham showed their fighting spirit once again as they clawed the two goal deficit back to hold City to a 2-2 draw, a point Roy Hodgeson will be delighted with.

  

Fulham fans had to endure an indifferent start to the season, watching on as Fulham lost four of their opening six games. There was two wins in the mix of those defeats and they did face some stiff opposition, as well, losing against both Chelsea & Arsenal at Craven Cottage whilst falling to defeat at Aston Villa. However, the fans have kept the faith and they are starting to reap the rewards as Fulham aim to stretch their three match unbeaten run after a morale boosting draw away at Man City.

  

Home is generally where the heart is for Fulham as the main bulk of their main points of last season came at Craven Cottage and that should be the case this season. Fans and pundits alike are expecting the Cottage to be a happy hunting ground for them once more this season but some tough opening home fixtures hasn’t enabled them to reform Craven Cottage back into the fortress it was last term. The Cottagers have already succumbed to two home defeats in three games, although, those were both against two of the country’s toughest teams in Arsenal & Chelsea. However, they didn’t waste their first glorious opportunity to secure a home win when faced with one of the poorer sides in the league with Fulham dispatching Hull City 2-0 two weeks ago in a comfortable manner.

  

Fulham’s three match unbeaten run should fill the lads with confidence but it’s their surprising form in front of goal which has surprised us the most as Fulham have never been that prolific in past seasons. Fulham’s previous three outings in the league has resulted in the side scoring six goals, two in each encounter. What’s more intriguing is that two of those three games were on the road, considering travelling isn’t one of Fulham’s strong points, that’s some achievement.

  

The bad news for Fulham fans is that Liverpool now come to town. Fulham have already been beaten by two of the top four at home this season so it doesn’t bode well as a Liverpool side buoyed by their weekend heroics over Manchester United come to the Cottage seeking out all three points. However, Fulham did hold Liverpool for 90 minutes at Craven Cottage last season, albeit a 92^nd minute Yossi Benayoun strike sending the Fulham celebrations to an early bath. Maybe Roy Hodgeson has a plan to keep Liverpool at bay for the full 90+ minutes and beyond this time around.

 

 

 

Liverpool

 

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: WWLLW

 

 

All is forgiven on Merseyside after Liverpool’s weekend triumph over Manchester United. The game with their bitterest rivals was being built up as a make-or-break game for the Merseyside title contenders as defeat would have left them ten points a drift of United at the top. However, that win, a vital one at that, has put Liverpool right back in the hunt but we hope that stunning display won’t be in vein as we back Liverpool to build on their most recent euphoric success and make it back-to-back wins in the league for the month of October.

  

Where do we start on Liverpool’s performance at the weekend. The amount of pressure Liverpool were under was tremendous and to pull out a performance of that magnitude was nothing short of staggering. They flew out of the blocks and showed United that they meant business from the off and they certainly meant it. They controlled and bossed the midfield from the word ‘go’, they won all the 50/50 battles and they took their chances when they came along, although, Liverpool did have to play a patient waiting game. However, what was most impressive about their performance was that didn’t give Man Utd a sniff. In fact, a United venture into Liverpool’s half was rare enough but seeing a goal bound effort from the Red Devils was virtually non-existent. The Red’s, of Merseyside that is, were sensational and the fans did their part, also, rallying their side from start to finish.

  

However, how will the players cope without the electric support of their home fans this weekend? Well, if their performance against Fulham last season was anything to go by then Liverpool could come a cropper. Fulham will cause Liverpool problems, mainly be frustrating them with plenty of men behind the ball, but Liverpool should create plenty more chances then their opponents and they will be relying on their Spanish hero from Saturday to deliver again. Fernando Torres stole the show last Sunday, scoring the opener after out-muscling Rio Ferdinand despite being injured and Rafael Benitez will be hoping his Spanish sensation won’t need a painkilling injection ahead of the trip to Fulham in order to get the Spaniard on the pitch and strutting his stuff.

  

It’s safe to say that Sunday was the best we’ve seen Liverpool play for quite some time. However, that result will count for nothing if they don’t replicate it at Craven Cottage this Saturday. The return of Alberto Aquilani from injury should spark the players into action and excite the travelling fans. Kopites did get a brief viewing of what the Italian has to offer on Wednesday night and he looked lively in his short 15 minute spell at The Emirates. We don’t think he will start from the off but we expect him to be called upon for the second half, hopefully when the game is dead and buried by then.

 

 

 

 

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

 

Fulham W: 2 Liverpool W: 7 Draws: 1

  

Liverpool have completely dominated proceedings in recent meetings, with the reds winning three of the previous four. However, Fulham bridged the game somewhat last season when they not only held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at Anfield but they were mere minutes away from achieving the same feat in front of their home fans. It was Yossi Benayoun who broke Fulham hearts a year ago but will Fulham’s recent fightback away at Man City stand them good stead as a resurgent Liverpool come to town?

  

Fulham’s last success at Craven Cottage over Liverpool came back in the 2006/2007 season when they recorded a 1-0 victory. They also beat Liverpool the year before at home so they do boast back-to-back home wins over the reds, albeit with that run three seasons ago.

 

 

 

 

Key Player:- Fernando Torres

 

Liverpool struggled to convert the many chances they created when they last paid Fulham a visit so the classy Spaniard will need to come good for Rafael Benitez for the second week running, hopefully without the aid of an injection. Liverpool’s main striker has already reached double figures in the league this season and is primed and ready to claim his first golden boot award. However, he will need to fend off injuries and seize the chance to score goals whenever he does get a game. He should start from the of at Craven Cottage and we can’t see Fulham stopping an inform Fernando Torres.

 

 

 

Match Verdict:- Liverpool to WIN – 1.91 Bet365

 

It would be foolish of us to oppose Liverpool after their stunning display against the Red Devils last Sunday. Fulham will and always have been stern opposition on their home turf and that shouldn’t change as Liverpool come to London on Saturday. However, Liverpool’s win over the current champions should have lifted the mood in the camp after a dire run of defeats and they look set to carry on their recovery by claiming all three points at the Cottage, probably by the slimmest of margins, perhaps another narrow 1-0 victory like last season.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Fulham – 4.5 SkyBet

 

Draw – 3.5 SkyBet

 

Liverpool – 1.91 Bet365

 

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Alberto Aquilani Last Goal Scorer – 16/1 Boylesports

 

 

 Update: The result of Fulham vs Liverpool was 3-1 (goals by Zamora, Nevland, Dempsey for Fulham and Torres for Liverpool)