Fulham – Liverpool Preview: Cottagers aiming to maintain formidable home form against resurgent Reds

Mark Hughes – Fulham

Related Links

Teams

Brede Hangeland is set for a return to the Fulham line-up having missed out on the 3-0 win at Sunderland due to illness, and Clint Dempsey may also be fit after being sidelined with hamstring trouble.

Damien Duff has undergone successful Achilles surgery and will therefore not play again this season and Zoltan Gera is also likely to miss out once again for the Craven Cottage outfit.

£35 million man Andy Carroll will be looking to build on his 20-minute cameo against former club Newcastle eight days ago but is likely to start on the bench due to the fine form of striking partnership Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez.

Milan Jovanovic may also be fit for a return from the bench having been plagued with knee trouble in recent months. A run out at the Cottage would be the Serbian’s first appearance since the beginning of February.

• Mark Hughes’ men are top of the Premier League disciplinary table, with only 40 yellow cards and not a single red awarded to his side in the league this season.

• The Craven Cottage outfit have played in more 0-0 draws than any other side this season, taking part in five.

• The hosts have only managed one win in their last seven meetings with the Merseyside giants.

• That said, if the home side were to pick up a win over the Reds, then it would leave both sides with nine victories over the other at Craven Cottage in the league.

• Liverpool have scored in each of their Premier League games in 2011, finding the back of the net in their last 17 games, the best record in the Premier League.

• Martin Skrtel (pictured right) is the only outfield player to feature in every Premier League game for Liverpool this season and has played a full 90 minutes each time.

• Less than 60 per cent of the Reds’ passes have been made in their opposition’s half this season – the lowest in the league.

• Kenny Dalglish’s men have more 3-0 victories than any other side in the division, having secured the result five times in the league this season.

• The impact of Dalglish has been heralded as an absolute triumph and it is easy to see why. The visitors have the second best record in the league since the Scot was appointed in January, picking up 30 points. Only Chelsea have collected more.