The festive period is upon us, but Arne Slot is hardly going to be feeling merry as he prepares for a thick catalogue of fixtures that could define the narrative surrounding Liverpool as they head into the new year.
Admittedly, other teams are in worse positions. Liverpool sit atop the Premier League pile with a four-point advantage over second-placed Chelsea, holding a game in hand too.
Liverpool team photo
Hosting hard-working Fulham in the top flight this afternoon, the Reds will be confident in their ability to get the job done, though Fulham are indeed industrious and capable of leaving higher-profiled opponents unstuck.
Slot has made a masterful introduction to life on Merseyside, taking Jurgen Klopp's team and working on its mechanics to create something astounding.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
The injuries have been mounting, however, and the Dutch coach will need to be careful when naming his team after fielding a strong line-up for the 1-0 win at Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool's only summer signing, Federico Chiesa, has only made three appearances since his £15m move from Juventus in the summer due to injury, but he's been back in training - as has Diogo Jota - and could make Saturday's matchday squad.
Unfortunately, Liverpool's defence is still hampered by the continued absences of Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley, though all will be hopeful of reappearing before the month's end.
Alisson Becker will be looking to reprise his role after making his anticipated comeback in the Champions League in midweek, keeping a clean sheet against lively Girona in a busy performance.
Alisson
At the other end of the pitch, Darwin Nunez toiled once again, and perhaps he should be dropped for the visit of the Londoners.
Why Slot must drop Darwin Nunez
Nunez is such a polarising figure, agonisingly wasteful but tenacious as they come and with a personable charm that arrests you even after an ineffective effort at number nine.
darwin-nunez
But with just three goals and two assists across 19 matches under Slot's wing, the Uruguay international, 25, needs to up his game or face an uncertain future at Liverpool.
He led the line on Tuesday but was unable to offer little of note, missing a few chances and fading. The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle's 5/10 match rating reflected this, and he was withdrawn after 70 minutes.
With Jota having returned to first-team training this week, it might be that the Portuguese moves straight back into the starting line-up, with his clinical edge sure to cause a threadbare Fulham backline a weight of problems.
Diogo Jota could feast on Fulham's defence
Jota has missed the past 12 matches in all competitions for Liverpool with a muscular injury. The £140k-per-week ace is back now, and though starting him from the outset might feel like something of a risk - indeed, Slot may opt against it - if he is green-lit, it could be a difference-making decision for the title-chasing Redmen.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
As per FBref, Jota ranked among the top 1% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for goals scored (0.79) per 90, making a firm comment on the level of goalscorer that Liverpool have at the front of the ship.
With Mohamed Salah having already chalked up 12 assists from 22 appearances this season - as well as scoring 16 goals - Liverpool will only improve with him in the mix, always clinical and able to pounce on the brilliance of his Egyptian teammate.
Diogo Jota: Liverpool Statistics by Season
Season
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see, he's not always going to be fully fit, but when he is, the dynamic striker will invariably bring goals and assists to Liverpool's team.
He's almost Nunez's inverse, in several ways, for he's not the flashiest, nor is Jota endowed with the pace and athleticism that his Uruguayan peer possesses, but instead, there's an express focus to his playing style that has made him one of the Premier League's deadliest marksmen since he joined the Anfield side from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £41m fee in 2020.
That's not to say that he's a statue. In fact, Jota is actually very clever with his movements and hungry to turn over possession, hailed as a “pressing monster” by assistant coach Pep Lijnders.
Against Fulham, such incisiveness could be crucial, especially since the hosts must make sure that they take full advantage of Marco Silva's selection woes.
marco-silva-fulham-premier-league
In his pre-match conference, the Portuguese manager confirmed that Joachim Andersen has not yet completed his rehabilitation, which is good news for the Merseysiders given that the £30m summer signing has won 59% of his duels and averaged 5.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.
Moreover, Calvin Bassey, the Cottagers' other usual centre-half, is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards, and the "monster", as journalist Josh Bunting has called him, having played every minute of the Premier League season so far.
Fulham picked up a point against Arsenal last weekend and have lost only one of their past nine matches in the division, speaking highly of their togetherness and tactical understanding within Silva's carefully constructed squad.
Liverpool will need to be on their a-game, must not be lulled into a false sense of security.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Chalkboard FFC
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Likewise, they must be ferocious in attack and pounce on any openings that present themselves to Slot's men. Jota's something of a master at taking what comes his way, and that is exactly why, fitness providing, he must start over Nunez for this one.
Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz celebrate Related
[Slot needs to sell Liverpool "problem" who earns more than Gakpo & Diaz](https://www.footballfancast.com/liverpool-need-to-sell-problem-darwin-nunez-whos-earning-more-than-gakpo-diaz/ "Slot needs to sell Liverpool "problem" who earns more than Gakpo & Diaz")
Arne Slot's side have been brilliant this year, but Liverpool could still upgrade one or two positions.