Liverpool FC Team News vs. Fulham: 6 Players Out but Wirtz Concern Avoided

Liverpool head into their Premier League clash against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, January 4, 2026, with six players confirmed unavailable, but a major scare over Florian Wirtz has been averted. Manager Arne Slot provided updates in his pre-match press conference, confirming the German star's hamstring issue requires only careful management rather than a lengthy absence. Wirtz is expected to feature, boosting Liverpool's attacking options despite recent struggles, including a goalless draw against Leeds on New Year's Day.[3][2]

Liverpool Absences and Predicted Lineup

The Reds will be without Alexander Isak (ankle), Giovanni Leoni (ACL), Mohamed Salah (AFCON), Wataru Endo (ankle), and potentially Joe Gomez (muscle), marking six key absentees. Despite generating strong expected goals against Leeds, Liverpool's Champions League credentials face scrutiny amid these injuries.[2][3]

Predicted Liverpool lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson Becker (GK); Conor Bradley/Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones; Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo/Florian Wirtz; Hugo Ekitike. Alisson and Giorgi Mamardashvili have shared clean sheets recently, with Ekitike (5 goals) leading the scoring charts.[1][2]

Fulham Team News

Fulham, sitting mid-table with 26 points from 19 games (8 wins, 3 draws, 8 losses), face their own issues. Josh King (knee), Kenny Tete, Rodrigo Muniz (hamstring), and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) are out, while Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey remain on AFCON duty. Harry Wilson (4 goals, 4 assists) is in form with four goal involvements in his last seven home games.[1][2][4]

Predicted Fulham lineup (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno (GK); Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson; Sasa Lukic, Sander Berge; Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, Kevin; Raul Jimenez.[1][2]

The match kicks off at 07:00 UTC, with Liverpool favored despite absences. Over 2.5 goals is tipped as a strong betting angle given both teams' scoring trends.[1]