Premier League betting – Fulham v Liverpool

Fulham v Liverpool betting odds, tips & free bets

Fulham: League Position: 10th, League Form: WLDWW

A Fulham team who limped through the season, never far from the relegation places but never in them either, have come to life and burst away from the pack in recent months, coinciding with the return of strikers Dembele, Johnson and Zamora, let alone the contribution of American Clint Dempsey, with 12 goals, who deserves the kind of praise Tim Cahill of Everton continues to get.

Now they have hit form, with options going forward and goals in the team. Back to back 3-0 victories with scorers all outside of their strikeforce shows they can score across the pitch, and Mark Hughes has clearly grown into the job as time has gone, his influence proving stronger and stronger as the season lasted.

They have drawn the joint most games in the league and conceded only two more goals than Manchester United, clearly they are not any easy team to beat. Brede Hangeland is crucial at the back, and surely this summer a real transfer bid for the towering centre back will come in to test Fulham’s resolve.

Liverpool: League Position: 6th, League Form: LWDWW

Doubters of the Dalglish effect have been put in their place recently, with vibrant attacking displays and the progress of youth prospects delighting the fans. Luis Suarez has settled into English football without a worry, whilst Andy Carroll had clearly learned to deal with pressure wearing the iconic Newcastle number 9 shirt before moving to Liverpool as he has continued his fine form into the Reds squad. Even much maligned players like Maxi Rodriguez and Dirk Kuyt have become vibrant goal threats, as if unleashed by the legend of King Kenny.

The fans will now be thinking of taking fifth spot from under the noses of Tottenham, who have the harder remaining fixtures, and another year of Europa League football, which they would not have imagined after their horrible start, although the tournament is a nuisance in the eyes of many. This season is one to put behind them, and they’ve set about leaving everyone with a reminder of the good old days of attacking football home and away.

To push back into Champions League contention next season they will need to sort out their away struggles. Poor showings and results away from home still deter many away from too much of a stake on the side.

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.3 ToteSport, BoyleSports, Victor Chandler, Coral

Both sides have built a rather impressive momentum as of late, the shackles of a season of struggle have come off and they each seem to have relaxed. Two clean sheets in a row for each side and plenty of goals (Liverpool have scored eight and Fulham six) will lead the fans into this game confident.

Andy Carroll seems set to return to fitness, and it’s hard to see the increasingly influential Luis Suarez not playing. This little and large combination looks set to shine, although Carroll’s fitness issues as of late have hampered it so far. The relatively stress free end to the season may have untold benefits for next season as the pair learn to play off of one and other.

Fulham themselves have plenty of options up top, with Johnson, Zamora, Dembele, Gudjohnsen and Dempsey all capable and fighting for positions. Their solid style, raised by former manager Hodgson and further enhanced by Hughes, sees them hard to put many past too.

The only problem in a fixture like this, at least in terms of predicting the outcome, is that the end of the season has a strange affect on sides. Both teams have gone after goals lately, and whilst Liverpool are a better side, home advantage for Fulham puts it back to a level playing field. Both teams to score as goals become more important than the result.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.1 Paddy Power
First Goalscorer: Dirk Kuyt – 9.00 William Hill
Correct Score: 2-2 Draw – 17.00 William Hill
Both Teams To Score: 1.83 Stan James

By Chris Wilkerson

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