After disappointment on the final day last season, Liverpool will be looking to start the new Premier League campaign with a win as they face Fulham on Saturday.
Following their Community Shield victory over Manchester City last weekend, Liverpool will be in high spirits for their Premier League opener. New signings Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho both featured in the 3-1 victory, and the duo are expected to play a part on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp 's side came agonisingly close to a Premier League trophy last season, but a late comeback at the Etihad on the final day saw Man City lift the trophy. Ahead of the Fulham trip, the Reds have been handed a major injury boost in one position, but a few players are also set to miss out.
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Alisson will return for Liverpool on Saturday after missing the Community Shield through injury, though Caoimhin Kelleher will still be absent. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Ibrahim Konate will also be missing out through injury, whilst Naby Keita has suffered from illness over the past few days.
So, what will the score be this weekend between Liverpool and Fulham? We used FIFA 22 to get a score prediction...
Fulham vs Liverpool score predicted by simulation
To complete this simulation, we used FIFA 22 and updated the squads with the latest transfers. Due to FIFA 22 not having the latest kits, both sides lined up in the kits from the 2021/22 season.
We predict that Marco Silva's side could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Leno; Mbabu, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Paulinha; Kebano, Pereira, Reid; Mitrovic.
We predict that Klopp's side could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Diaz.
Liverpool started extremely slow, allowing Fulham to push high and create chances of their own. Mitrovic hit the post twice in the opening 20 minutes, and the hosts were punished for missing their chances as Roberto Firmino scored the opener.
With five minutes left in the half, Thiago spotted Firmino's run forward and threaded a perfectly-weighted pass for the Brazilian to latch on to. Once inside the box, Firmino took aim from a difficult angle, but the 30-year-old caught it sweetly as it nestled into the top corner.
The Reds came out in the second half a much-improved side, with the goal lifting a weight of nerves off their shoulders. Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and substitute Fabio Carvalho were all denied goals as Bernd Leno was on top form for the Cottagers.
The German limited the score to one, and his best save came five minutes from time to deny Darwin Nunez off the bench. A quick break saw Salah drill a ball across goal for Nunez, and Leno managed to stretch and push the Uruguayan's shot wide of the post.
FIFA 22 predicted final score: Fulham 0-1 Liverpool
Here are the full-time match stats.
FIFA 22 predicts that Liverpool could edge past Fulham with a narrow win on Saturday, with Fulham's 'keeper Leno putting in a fantastic performance. The Reds were slow starters in the simulation despite taking the lead, but their defensive solidity saw Klopp's side hold out for the three points.
What do you think the score will be between Liverpool and Fulham on Saturday? Let us know in the comments!
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