English Premier
2026-09-12 - Liverpool vs Fulham
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 12th September 2026 - Kick Off 3pm
Liverpool
The Andoni Iraola era in charge of Liverpool Football Club will feel it is truly underway having backed up an opening Premier League victory with a success in the Champions League on Match Day 1. It was not the perfect night as Liverpool still need to tighten up defensively, while big money new signing Bradley Barcola picked up a calf issue, although it has been suggested it was a cramping problem rather than an injury.
The Premier League table has not really formed fully right now, but Liverpool have been able to move back up to 6th in the standings thanks to the victory at Portman Road. They are unbeaten in all competitions under Andoni Iraola, but Liverpool have a 0-1-0 record at Anfield in the Premier League and have earned 5 points from a possible 9 available.
Liverpool's opening couple of Premier League draws extended the winless run to 6 games in all competitions, but they have beaten Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid since then. Each of the last 3 Premier League games played at Anfield have ended in draws following the 2-2 result against Nottingham Forest at the end of August.
Cody Gakpo missed out on Wednesday and is considered a doubt for this weekend, as is Joe Gomez. Federico Chiesa has been ruled out until after the September international break.
Fulham
Any time a club moves on from a successful manager, the next appointment feels like it is going to be really important and that was the challenge set out for the Fulham board. Marco Silva has departed, but the appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa raised some eyebrows, which is apparently a concern shared by some of the squad members.
Losses in all 3 Premier League games will lead to unrest and concern, but Fulham have to be seriously worried if players continue to make their own feelings clear. They are 19th in the Premier League table and only Coventry City remain pointless alongside Fulham, but it is suggestions and outright statements from unhappy players that have created unnecessary headlines for the new manager.
Fulham have beaten Wimbledon in the League Cup Second Round, but the Third Round tie is next weekend and that has allowed Alvaro Arbeloa to have a full week to work with his team. The 2-3 loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League follows defeats to Chelsea and Sunderland, while Fulham have not won any of the last 6 away Premier League games and been beaten in half of those matches.
Luc De Fougerolles could be available this weekend, but Tom Cairney is expected to miss out. Kenny Tete, Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin have all been alleged to be very unhappy so it will be interesting to see how many are involved this weekend.
Head to Head
Liverpool took four points from Fulham last season and the majority were earned in a 2-0 win at Anfield.
It is a result that means Liverpool have won 4 of the last 5 when hosting Fulham on Merseyside.
Prediction
While Fulham were resting and preparing for this next Premier League game, Liverpool were beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and positive momentum is very important at this time of any season.
Andoni Iraola has settled into the job much better than Alvaro Arbeloa has been able to do at Craven Cottage and this can matter.
There is still plenty of room for improvement from Liverpool, but the manager will be happier with the underlying defensive numbers from the last two games compared with the first two. The more clean sheets Liverpool can manage, the more wins they will pick up simply because they have an attack capable of hurting most.
In form Cody Gakpo is a doubt, which would hurt, but Liverpool have options and they will certainly be encouraged by what they have seen from Fulham in defensive areas.
Alvaro Arbeloa will be pretty content with the attacking displays in both games played at Craven Cottage, but Fulham have to defend a lot better if they are going to start picking up positive results.
Some of the squad have already begun to voice discontent, which is really not going to help a relatively inexperienced manager like Arbeloa, while those on the pitch have to show more intensity. The Spaniard was really unhappy with Fulham's performance in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in August and replicating that will likely lead to yet another loss at Anfield and by another comfortable margin.
Liverpool's lack of clean sheets makes it difficult to back them to clear any handicap line, but they will certainly feel this Fulham defence is going to offer up some big chances. It has been the case in all 3 Premier League defeats and Liverpool's attacking players are in the kind of form where you would expect them to give the home team a clear margin of victory.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Liverpool 3-1 Fulham
