Anfield
Saturday, 9 December
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
BIG-MATCH FACTS
LIVERPOOL will run out against mid-table Fulham with an air of optimism at Anfield. On the verge of a £450 million takeover, in the last 16 of the Champions League despite the midweek loss in Turkey to Galatasaray, the Reds look to build on last Saturday's first League away win (0-4 at Wigan) and their biggest Premiership victory since last March, in Rafael Benitez' 150th match in charge.
The Merseysiders, who lead the Premiership's "home" table, are eager to extend the second longest unbeaten home run in the highest League to 25 games with a 50th Premier League victory under the current manager.
The Reds are defending an unbeaten home Premiership record against Fulham of three wins and two draws. They've won the last two corresponding fixtures with an aggregate of 8-2.
FULHAM are looking for a 950th post war League win, but hold the joint weakest defence in the highest League.
They've only managed three clean sheets in this League season - one more than West Ham, who have the fewest, and face a Liverpool side who've kept seven, four in a row, and need one more to register 200 in Premier League history.
The Cottagers have never won in any competition at Anfield.
REFEREE
Uriah Rennie (Sheffield, Yorkshire)
Premiership referees' table
Uriah Rennie's 2006-07 Premiership card count
LIVERPOOL
Club stats
Fixtures
5th 25 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could realistically fall: 9th
1. Unbeaten in four Premiership matches (draw, win, draw, win).
2. Lost one of the last seven Premiership matches (3-0, away to Arsenal on 12 November).
3. Not conceded in five of the last six League matches, including the last four in succession. Not shipped a goal in 370 minutes (six hours 10 minutes) of top flight soccer since William Gallas scored Arsenal's third at the Emirates on 12 November.
4. Not lost in any competition at home this season (11 wins, two draws).
5. Unbeaten in 24 home Premiership matches, winning 20 and drawing four since losing 1-4 to Chelsea on 2 October 2005. Won six and drawn two of the eight home League games this season.
6. The goaless draw with Portsmouth in the last home game, is the first time Liverpool failed to score at Anfield this season.
7. Holding a 100% record when opening the scoring in Premiership matches this season. Won six of six, against Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Reading and Manchester City (all at home), and Wigan (away).
8. Won all five Premiership matches in which ahead at half time.
9. Both pre-Christmas fixtures are against London clubs (away to Charlton and home to Arsenal).
FULHAM
Club stats
Fixtures
13th 20 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 10th
Lowest could fall: 13th
1. Won one of the last five Premiership matches
2. Lost three of the last four League games.
3. Failed to score in two of three in the top flight, and managed only one clean sheet in 11.
4. Gone 28 League matches since winning by more than a single goal. (6-1, home to West Brom on 11 February).
5. Conceded the opening goal in 10 Premiership matches. Only West Ham have allowed their opponents to take the lead more often (11).
6. Conceded 23 goals in the Premiership this season. Only bottom-but-one Charlton have also leaked that many.
7. Conceded more goals in the first quarter (22 minutes) of Premiership matches than any other club (seven), and scored more in the last 10 minutes than any other with the exception of Manchester United (five each).
8. Recorded only one away League victory this season (2-1 at Newcastle on 9 September) and two in 27 since the start of last season.
9. Home fixtures against Middlesbrough and West Ham are scheuled before Christmas.
KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES
LIVERPOOL
Squad profiles
Peter CROUCH is Liverpool's top scorer with nine goals.
Jose Manuel REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of the Reds' Premiership matches this season.
REINA and Steven GERRARD are the only players to have figured in at least a part of each of Liverpool's Premiership games this season.
If he plays, REINA will be making his 50th Premiership appearance in a Liverpool jersey.
If he figures, Craig BELLAMY will be making his 250th career English League appearance (Norwich, Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool).
BELLAMY is a double shy of 50 Premier League goals (Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool).
If he plays, Steve FINNAN will be facing a former club. FINNAN scored six goals in 172 Premiership appearances for Fulham.
If selected in the 11, Sanz LUIS GARCIA will be making his 50th Premiership start - all for the Merseysiders.
FULHAM
Squad profiles
Brian McBRIDE is Fulham's leading scorer, with four goals.
Only Liam ROSENIOR has been on the field for every minute of every one of Fulham's Premiership matches this season.
Mark PEMBRIDGE needs one more appearance to total 400 in his English League career (Luton, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Everton and Fulham).
If he figures, NICLAS JENSEN will be making his 50th Premiership appearance (Manchester City and Fulham).
If he plays, Ian PEARCE will be making his 50th League appearance for the Cottagers.
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Liverpool 5-1 Fulham
15 March 2006 - Ref: Alan Wiley
Liverpool scorers: Fowler 16, Brown 34 og, Morientes 71, Crouch 89, Warnock 90
Fulham scorer: John 25
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
Home and away
League: Liverpool 21 wins, Fulham 6, Draws 11
Prem: Liverpool 6 wins, Fulham 2, Draws 2
at Liverpool only
League: Liverpool 14 wins, Fulham 0, Draws 5
Prem: Liverpool 3 wins, Fulham 0, Draws 2
Saturday, 9 December
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
BIG-MATCH FACTS
LIVERPOOL will run out against mid-table Fulham with an air of optimism at Anfield. On the verge of a £450 million takeover, in the last 16 of the Champions League despite the midweek loss in Turkey to Galatasaray, the Reds look to build on last Saturday's first League away win (0-4 at Wigan) and their biggest Premiership victory since last March, in Rafael Benitez' 150th match in charge.
The Merseysiders, who lead the Premiership's "home" table, are eager to extend the second longest unbeaten home run in the highest League to 25 games with a 50th Premier League victory under the current manager.
The Reds are defending an unbeaten home Premiership record against Fulham of three wins and two draws. They've won the last two corresponding fixtures with an aggregate of 8-2.
FULHAM are looking for a 950th post war League win, but hold the joint weakest defence in the highest League.
They've only managed three clean sheets in this League season - one more than West Ham, who have the fewest, and face a Liverpool side who've kept seven, four in a row, and need one more to register 200 in Premier League history.
The Cottagers have never won in any competition at Anfield.
REFEREE
Uriah Rennie (Sheffield, Yorkshire)
Premiership referees' table
Uriah Rennie's 2006-07 Premiership card count
LIVERPOOL
Club stats
Fixtures
5th 25 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could realistically fall: 9th
1. Unbeaten in four Premiership matches (draw, win, draw, win).
2. Lost one of the last seven Premiership matches (3-0, away to Arsenal on 12 November).
3. Not conceded in five of the last six League matches, including the last four in succession. Not shipped a goal in 370 minutes (six hours 10 minutes) of top flight soccer since William Gallas scored Arsenal's third at the Emirates on 12 November.
4. Not lost in any competition at home this season (11 wins, two draws).
5. Unbeaten in 24 home Premiership matches, winning 20 and drawing four since losing 1-4 to Chelsea on 2 October 2005. Won six and drawn two of the eight home League games this season.
6. The goaless draw with Portsmouth in the last home game, is the first time Liverpool failed to score at Anfield this season.
7. Holding a 100% record when opening the scoring in Premiership matches this season. Won six of six, against Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Reading and Manchester City (all at home), and Wigan (away).
8. Won all five Premiership matches in which ahead at half time.
9. Both pre-Christmas fixtures are against London clubs (away to Charlton and home to Arsenal).
FULHAM
Club stats
Fixtures
13th 20 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 10th
Lowest could fall: 13th
1. Won one of the last five Premiership matches
2. Lost three of the last four League games.
3. Failed to score in two of three in the top flight, and managed only one clean sheet in 11.
4. Gone 28 League matches since winning by more than a single goal. (6-1, home to West Brom on 11 February).
5. Conceded the opening goal in 10 Premiership matches. Only West Ham have allowed their opponents to take the lead more often (11).
6. Conceded 23 goals in the Premiership this season. Only bottom-but-one Charlton have also leaked that many.
7. Conceded more goals in the first quarter (22 minutes) of Premiership matches than any other club (seven), and scored more in the last 10 minutes than any other with the exception of Manchester United (five each).
8. Recorded only one away League victory this season (2-1 at Newcastle on 9 September) and two in 27 since the start of last season.
9. Home fixtures against Middlesbrough and West Ham are scheuled before Christmas.
KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES
LIVERPOOL
Squad profiles
Peter CROUCH is Liverpool's top scorer with nine goals.
Jose Manuel REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of the Reds' Premiership matches this season.
REINA and Steven GERRARD are the only players to have figured in at least a part of each of Liverpool's Premiership games this season.
If he plays, REINA will be making his 50th Premiership appearance in a Liverpool jersey.
If he figures, Craig BELLAMY will be making his 250th career English League appearance (Norwich, Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool).
BELLAMY is a double shy of 50 Premier League goals (Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool).
If he plays, Steve FINNAN will be facing a former club. FINNAN scored six goals in 172 Premiership appearances for Fulham.
If selected in the 11, Sanz LUIS GARCIA will be making his 50th Premiership start - all for the Merseysiders.
FULHAM
Squad profiles
Brian McBRIDE is Fulham's leading scorer, with four goals.
Only Liam ROSENIOR has been on the field for every minute of every one of Fulham's Premiership matches this season.
Mark PEMBRIDGE needs one more appearance to total 400 in his English League career (Luton, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Everton and Fulham).
If he figures, NICLAS JENSEN will be making his 50th Premiership appearance (Manchester City and Fulham).
If he plays, Ian PEARCE will be making his 50th League appearance for the Cottagers.
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Liverpool 5-1 Fulham
15 March 2006 - Ref: Alan Wiley
Liverpool scorers: Fowler 16, Brown 34 og, Morientes 71, Crouch 89, Warnock 90
Fulham scorer: John 25
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
Home and away
League: Liverpool 21 wins, Fulham 6, Draws 11
Prem: Liverpool 6 wins, Fulham 2, Draws 2
at Liverpool only
League: Liverpool 14 wins, Fulham 0, Draws 5
Prem: Liverpool 3 wins, Fulham 0, Draws 2
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