Cottagers Enjoy Red Visit

Fulham headache for Dalglish at Anfield

Liverpool v Fulham - Preview

Liverpool head into Tuesday evening's Premier League meeting with Fulham at Anfield with one eye firmly fixed on Saturday's FA Cup final, but Reds boss Kenny Dalglish has warned his players not to hold back.

Dalglish's side currently sit eighth in the Premier League table and are two points behind Merseyside rivals Everton, with opponents Fulham three points behind Liverpool.

With Saturday's Cup final against Chelsea on the horizon Dalglish is likely to rest key players Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, but he has told his squad that taking it easy against Fulham could easily be to the detriment of their hopes of playing in Saturday's showpiece.

"The more careful you are, the better chance you have of getting injured. The most important thing is to be yourself and play as you always do, that's common sense," said the Scot in the lead-up to Tuesday's game.

"Obviously the final is the game after this but we will be picking a team we think is capable of beating Fulham first and foremost. We have 20-odd players, all of whom we would have no hesitation in putting out on the pitch. Whatever is most beneficial to make them fit and available for the weekend, we will do.

"Players can get injured in training just as easily as they can in a match. But we'll do what is best for everybody, not just Stevie and Luis.

"The first priority, though, is to win. It's a big match for Liverpool, irrespective of who plays. That is the way we have looked at it."

Fulham have failed to score in their last five visits to Anfield and come into this game off the back of a 4-0 thumping by Everton, whilst Liverpool will aim to secure their first back-to-back league wins of 2012 after a 3-0 victory over Norwich last time out.

OSM news service

Fulham v Chelsea - Preview

Fulham are without forward Bryan Ruiz after he suffered a suspected broken foot against Bolton.

They will again assess the fitness of Pavel Pogrebnyak, while Danny Murphy could also return after illness.

Chelsea will again be without left-back Ashley Cole, so Ryan Bertrand will deputise.

Michael Essein is also missing, but Frank Lampard and John Terry, who all missed the win over Wigan, are fit again.

The performances of these two teams on Saturday would suggest that Fulham could be set for only their second victory against Chelsea in 32 league and cup meetings spanning 32 years.

The Cottagers looked very impressive at Bolton in their joint best ever Premier League away victory, while Chelsea were labouring to their win against Wigan courtesy of two poor calls from the assistant referee.

They've already pushed Chelsea hard twice this season and if Pavel Pogrebnyak is fit they will have enough goal threat to worry Chelsea, who will have tired legs as their busy fixture list takes its toll.

Clint Dempsey scored in the Boxing Day draw between the sides at Stamford Bridge and now has a career best 21 goals this season. He is now attracting the attention of top European sides. Chelsea will need to be wary of his movement off defenders in the box.

Roberto di Matteo, with eight wins from 10 games in charge, will make changes to freshen up his side. Fernando Torres is set to replace Didier Drogba but if Fulham stick to surely their best back four (Stephen Kelly, Aaron Hughes, Brede Hangeland and John Arne Riise) he won't find it any easier to score.

Branislav Ivanovic, with three goals in their last two league games, has scored as many as Fernando Torres has all season.

His form is turning though and if Frank Lampard, who has netted eight Chelsea goals against Fulham, returns from injury the visitors will also carry real scoring threat.

They simply can't afford defeat. It would put a serious dent in their hopes of a top four place. Fulham's need isn't as pressing, but their home form is solid with just two defeats in twelve games.

Fulham Pay Penalty at United

Fulham manager Martin Jol says everyone inside Old Trafford expected his side to be awarded a late penalty.

The Cottagers were denied a spot kick when United's Michael Carrick tripped Danny Murphy in the 87th minute.

"I think everyone in the stadium expected a penalty to be honest," said Jol. "You have to be brave to give a penalty away at Manchester United.

"I thought it was a difficult decision. If he had given the penalty he would have had to send Michael Carrick off."

Jol added, of 27-year-old Michael Oliver's decision: "A few years ago, the ball was a metre over the line and they did not give it. Maybe the linesman was not quick enough that time.

"But tonight the referee was there in line. It needed a brave decision because it was either a dive and he should book someone or he has to give Carrick a red card.

"I don't want to see Carrick sent off but it needed a brave decision and I think it was a penalty kick."

Manchester United recorded a narrow 1-0 victory over Fulham to move back to the top of the Premier League, opening up a three point gap over rivals City thanks to Wayne Rooney's 29th goal of the season.

“Our form is good, it is a good position to be in but not a decisive position”Sir Alex Ferguson

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his side had been lucky not to concede a late penalty but were worthy winners. Ferguson also sounded a word of warning for his side, saying their three-point advantage was not decisive.

"For an hour we played very well and we made some decent opportunities but you have to give credit to Fulham," said Ferguson.

"They had more left than we did in the last 15 minutes. I think they had a claim [for a penalty], there's no doubt. We had a claim in the first half. Maybe the referee was thinking about that, but certainly Michael Carrick caught Danny Murphy's heel. But we deserved that bit of luck as we dominated the game."

Ferguson added: "Our form is good, it is a good position to be in but not a decisive position.

"They are all challenges from here on in. Teams will be battling and won't want to be lambs to the slaughter. When teams sit back like Fulham did tonight they are hard to break down and we nearly paid the penalty."

Ferguson Hopes for Jol's Points

Manchester United will attempt to continue to keep the pressure on Manchester City in the Premier League title race when the defending champions host Fulham on Monday night.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team are not exactly producing dazzling performances, but they have characteristically hit resolute, confident and ruthlessly efficient form at the perfect time of the campaign.

Eight wins from a nine-game unbeaten run has reeled in City and Roberto Mancini's wobbling side now only lead the table on goal difference after drawing at Stoke at the weekend.

Victory over Martin Jol's Fulham could therefore move United three points clear of their derby rivals as another masterly season-long plan from Ferguson appears close to coming to fruition.

To accompany United's run without a defeat, the legendary Old Trafford manager has been playing his trademark mind-games to unpick his rival's confidence and has suggested Mancini is feeling the pressure.

Fulham will as a consequence know they are facing a tough task and they will be wary of suffering a repeat of the 5-0 thrashing they experienced at the hands of United at Craven Cottage in December.

A factor behind United's strong finish to the season has been the performances of Wayne Rooney, who has scored 16 goals in his last 16 appearances in all club competitions.

The striker has also netted five goals in his last four appearances against Fulham at Old Trafford.

Ominously for Jol, United have also won their last seven home Premier League games against Fulham, with the Londoners failing to score in their last four and their only goal in the previous match was an own goal by Rio Ferdinand.

Ferguson will be picking from strength for his starting line-up and Nani (ankle), Anders Lindegaard (ankle) and Michael Owen (thigh) along with long-term casualties Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher are the absentees.

Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverley, Fabio da Silva, Paul Pogba and Phil Jones all came through a reserve outing on Thursday unscathed.

Fulham have no new major concerns after coming through last week's defeat by Swansea without any new injuries.

But they will be without third-choice goalkeeper Neil Etheridge for at least the next couple of weeks with a wrist problem.

Zdenek Grygera (knee), Steve Sidwell (hernia) and Orlando Sa (hamstring) are expected to be the only notable absentees.

Jol's hopes of an unlikely win will be built around Pavel Pogrebynak, who has scored five Premier League goals from five shots on target.

Diarra Moves to Fulham

Fulham have announced the signing of former the Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, pending the successful completion of a visa.

The 30-year-old, who once cost a reported £22m, will join on a free transfer for the season, with the option of extending the deal by a further year.

Diarra has been without a club since leaving Monaco last summer. A Mali international for more than a decade, he left the principality following the club's shock relegation from Ligue 1.

He had spent less than half a season there after joining on a free transfer from Real, where he spent four and a half years, winning two Primera Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and one Super Cup.

He cost the Madrid club a reported £22m from Lyon in the summer of 2006, having won four successive Ligue 1 titles.

While at Lyon he formed a formidable midfield partnership with Michael Essien and had been linked with Manchester United before Real pounced.

Diarra began his senior career with the Greek side OFI Crete before moving to the Netherlands to play for Vitesse Arnhem.