Fulham will be without three injured first-team players as they travel to face Liverpool on Saturday evening, Marco Silva has confirmed.
The Cottagers will fancy their chances at Anfield having watched the Reds lose their past three matches.
They are also unbeaten against Liverpool in the past two meetings between the teams, with Harrison Reed’s wonder-goal securing them a point at Craven Cottage in January. Three months on, Silva has declared that Reed will play no part on Saturday, along with Kenny Tete and Kevin.
Wirtz needs a rest, but who on earth is going to play right-back?
It surely won't be Gomez or Frimpong 😬
Liverpool's Predicted XI vs Fulham
Liverpool’s Predicted XI vs Fulham
Reed will not have a chance to repeat Liverpool heroics
Reed was the unlikely hero for Fulham during January’s draw, scoring a last-gasp equaliser which Liverpool fans will not be forgetting any time soon.
Arne Slot was certainly impressed, hailing the ‘incredible’ nature of the strike immediately after the game.
But speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Silva confirmed that Reed had picked up a knock leading up to the game and would therefore not get a chance to repeat his heroics.
“Harrison Reed is going to be out,” the Portuguese said. “He got a knock two days ago in the session, in his knee. Doesn’t look like anything really serious, but he’s going to be out of the Liverpool game.”
Harrison Reed and Antonee Robinson celebrate after Reed scores against Liverpool for Fulham in the Premier League at Craven Cottage.
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images
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Silva also ruled out right-back Tete and Kevin, who provided the assist for Reed’s stunner in January.
“Related with the [Liverpool] game, Kevin is going to be still out,” he said. “Kenny in the same situation, too. There’s something there, the foot, let’s see.
“When he’s going to be without pain, he’s going to start to work with the team, and he’s going to be, after a matter of time, back in a good fitness way and good physical condition, to be in contention for the games.”
For Liverpool, they are slowly returning to better shape in terms of availability, but will be without long-term absentees Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo and Conor Bradley, along with Alisson Becker.
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