A place in the Carabao Cup final will be up for grabs on Wednesday evening when Fulham lock horns with Liverpool in the second leg of the semi-finals at Craven Cottage.
The Reds travel to west London with a narrow 2-1 advantage from the first leg at Anfield, with two goals from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo in three second-half minutes cancelling out Willian’s opener.
Jurgen Klopp’s side warmed up well ahead of the crucial cup tie with a 4-0 hammering of Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday, while Marco Silva’s troops were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
With a mouthwatering second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on offer, here are the key battles on the pitch to watch out for.
#Willian vs Conor Bradley
Conor Bradley gave a good account of himself when dealing with Willian in the first leg at Anfield, although the Fulham winger had the final laugh with a goal. With his speed, movement and shoot-on-sight policy, Willian could cause Bradley and his fellow Liverpool defenders problems.
Since deputising for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bradley has dished out impressive performances at right-back, and having helped the Reds keep a clean sheet against Bournemouth on Sunday, his confidence will be high heading into this cup fixture. If the teenager can keep Willian quiet, Fulham’s chances of overturning the deficit against Liverpool may consequently fade.
#Alexis Mac Allister vs Harrison Reed
Alexis Mac Allister put in a superb display in the middle of the park against Bournemouth. He was everywhere on the pitch, pulling the strings for the visitors as well as breaking up plenty of Bournemouth’s play.
The Argentinean World Cup winner is more than justifying his return to the first XI since recovering from injury. Given his passing expertise and vision to unlock tight defences, Fulham cannot afford to give Mac Allister time and space on the ball.
Marco Silva could employ Harrison Reed to take care of the Liverpool midfielder. Busy and tigerish, Reed was excellent in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final before going off with an injury in the second half. Having been an unused substitute in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, the 28-year-old will be fresh to face Klopp’s side.
All in all, whoever wins this midfield battle could have a big say in the outcome of the game.
#Diogo Jota vs Joao Palhinha
In Mohamed Salah’s absence, Klopp has used Luis Diaz on the right and Darwin Nunez on the left, with Diogo Jota leading the attack. The troika of Diaz, Jota and Nunez have clicked well, helping Liverpool beat Arsenal in the FA Cup, Fulham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup last four and Bournemouth in the league on Sunday.
Jota scored a fine brace against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, exhibiting his ruthless finishing skills in front of goal. His ability to position himself and link up play in the final third is commendable, so the Cottagers have to be extra cautious of the Portuguese forward.
The job of keeping Jota quiet will fall on the shoulders of his compatriot, Joao Palhinha. Arguably Fulham’s most important player under Silva, Palhinha helps Fulham tick over with his combative presence in the middle of the park. If the hosts are to neutralise Jota’s influence and beat the Reds, the Portuguese enforcer has to produce a top performance in midweek.
