Liverpool team vs Fulham confirmed as Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz decisions made

Liverpool has confirmed its starting XI to take on Fulham in the Premier League, with Arne Slot making decisions on Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz ahead of the game

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has a minor fitness issue and is therefore absent as the Reds take on Fulham in the Premier League, while Alexis Mac Allister comes back into the starting XI and Florian Wirtz starts.

Alisson Becker is in goal for Arne Slot's side, with Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez lining up in defense. Kerkez returns to the team having been rested for the goalless draw with Leeds United, where Andy Robertson played.

Mac Allister is joined by Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones in midfield. Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo complete the starting team. Wirtz, who has been managing a hamstring injury, is in the side, while Federico Chiesa, Jeremie Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha are among the options from the bench.

"I expect a different game against Fulham because of their manager," Slot said ahead of the game. "When we've played them and what I've seen from them, and they play a home game, I think they will try to attack a lot and want to have the ball a lot.

"At least that is how I know their manager, so it probably will be a much more open game and so then we have to show in games like that we don't concede a lot as well.

"Maybe, maybe it will help us create more chances as well, but it's a difficult one because last time I went there we lost against a good Fulham team.

Liverpool heads to Craven Cottage in its first away game of 2026

"They had a draw against [Crystal] Palace [on Thursday]. I expect a different game, but let's see.

"I don't expect five defenders but I didn't expect five defenders [against Leeds] as well, but they did."

Slot also feels that not much would have had to go differently for Liverpool to be higher up the table.

"The margins are small," he said. "I've said a few things already in this press conference, so that could have influenced us having three, four, five, six points more maybe.

"Like [against Leeds] and like so many other games, if we would have done a bit better in set-pieces then we would have had five, six, seven points more as well, so that could have changed it a little bit.

"But from open play, from where we are if I look at Arsenal, look at [Manchester] City and look at us, I think it's fair we are not above them.

"That we are many points behind them, there are reasons for that, which I just explained. But it wouldn't have been fair if we were above them for the way we've played."

Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo. Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Ramsay, Nyoni, Robertson, Chiesa, Frimpong, Ngumoha.