LIVERPOOL are flying high at the top of the Premier League but still have a bit of work to do if they're to see off Fulham and reach the final of the Carabao Cup.
Sunday's 4-0 battering of Bournemouth sent Jurgen Klopp's side five points clear of champions Manchester City on a day when two bets landed for our man Mark.
Losing talisman Mo Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations doesn't seem to have knocked the Reds off their stride and Klopp will be relieved an injury picked up by the winger on international duty doesn't seem to be too serious.
The Anfield boss will need to keep most of his key men fit as Liverpool have a demanding schedule as they chase another potential quadruple this season. The first piece of silverware they can pick up is the League Cup and they hold a 2-1 advantage over Fulham after a thrilling semi-final first leg,
I thought we would see goals at both ends in that Anfield clash and that's how it played out, with only a rousing second-half comeback helping Liverpool get their noses in front.
Fulham followed that up by losing 1-0 at Chelsea in the Premier League but have now had 10 days to prepare for their date with destiny in the Carabao Cup. The Cottagers have never reached the final of this tournament before and may not have a better chance with this semi-final on a knife edge.
Marco Silva's side caused Liverpool problems in the first leg and if they play at their best they are capable of pulling off an upset, given Klopp's side always give you chances to score.
How the bookies view it
Liverpool are heavy favourites to reach the final at a best 1/8 with Bet365 but the odds increase to 10/13 at VBet for a win on the night. Fulham could be worth a punt to qualify at generous odds of 11/2 with 888Sport while Unibet price them at 7/2 for a win in 90 minutes. The stalemate in this second leg pays 3/1 with most firms.
Recent head to head
Liverpool have dominated this fixture in recent years, losing just one of their last 12 meetings. That defeat came at Anfield and you have to go back to 2011 for Fulham's last victory over the Reds at Craven Cottage.
Players to watch
Raul Jimenez is a man reborn at Fulham and Silva will need the Mexican to be at his best if they're to reach the final. The former Wolves striker has eight goals for the season and is a generous 3/1 at Bet365 to add to that tally.
Darwin Nunez will head into this game with his tail up after scoring a weekend double. The Uruguayan is always in the thick of the action and Bet365 have him at 13/8 for anytime scorer.
Anything else catch the eye?
Fulham should come out with all guns blazing with a raucous crowd behind them so I'd expect a repeat of a thrilling first leg. Combining BTTS with over 2.5 goals paid just over evens at Anfield but the odds aren't quite as good here at a best 10/11 with Bet365. Over 1.5 first-half goals is better value at 6/4 with Coral.
Liverpool won 8-2 on the corner count in the first leg and although that contest should be tighter at Craven Cottage, the Reds still look good value at -1 in the corner handicap (23/20, BetVictor).
Cody Gakpo scored the winner off the bench in the first leg and might start here if Klopp decides to freshen things up a little. The Dutchman is 49/50 at Unibet just to have a shot on target and that looks worth a punt, even if he just comes on as a sub again.
This EFL Cup match between Fulham and Liverpool will be played on Jan 24, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Fulham vs Liverpool prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
Gakpo wont start ?