Marco Silva rejects Fulham advantage vs Liverpool as he looks to extend record over Arne Slot

The Portuguese head coach is unbeaten in his three previous matches against the Reds, but he does not think there is any special tactic or plan his side has perfected

Marco Silva has said Fulham does not hold an advantage over Liverpool ahead of Saturday's game

Marco Silva does not believe he and Fulham hold an advantage over Liverpool despite his excellent record against Arne Slot.

Entering Saturday’s trip to Anfield, Fulham is the only side to have played in the Premier League in both seasons and managed to avoid defeat against the Reds since the Dutchman’s appointment. Liverpool has drawn twice and lost once in the three meetings with the Cottagers since Slot took charge.

But Silva, speaking ahead of January’s 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage a particularly bruising encounter, said he mainly attributes his recent successes against Liverpool to hard work and discipline.

“Not advantage,” the ex-Champions League coach said, when asked if he had an edge heading into the match.

“I understand the bad run of Liverpool, and it’s not the best season for them, but you cannot forget they are champions.

“They probably don’t have a chance to fight and is going to be very difficult for them to achieve again the title, but they were the champions and there is a reason behind that. We don’t go in the way that they are bad and this is a different Liverpool.

“We respect their qualities and what they are capable of doing. We have to prepare for the best version of Liverpool and just our best version is possible to achieve a result.

Silva has caused Slot plenty of headaches over the years(Image: Getty Images)

“Looking back at our record against them, it has been good because most of the time we had good performances. We were competitive, brave, played with that courage that is needed to play at Anfield. All of those aspects need to be in the game for us to perform and again get a result.”

Fulham sits ninth in the table and is on the fringes of the Champions League race. A win at Anfield will make that unlikely outcome seem a little more plausible, and Silva acknowledged that Liverpool is dealing with additional pressure given its three-match losing streak.

“I had this conversation with our players in the last few days. I know how hurt we were when we had two defeats in a row in a short period of time before the Nottingham Forest game.

“With other clubs and other managers, it is the same thing as a well, and other fanbases. It is part of a season and it is always the way you react to the bad moments that decides [your fate].

Silva has caused Slot plenty of headaches over the years

“The bad run is true,” he continued. “They lost three games in the different competitions and, of course, if this is going to have an impact on the game, we don’t know.

“All the clubs have ups and downs. In a big club, any defeat probably hurts more.”

Fulham has not played in three weeks, while Liverpool’s game is sandwiched between two mammoth Champions League ties against PSG, and Silva admits his side has used the additional time to rest and implement its tactical approach.

“We have been working very hard this week to prepare the Liverpool game. We knew before, it was going to be three weeks and, of course, we prepare ourselves as best as was possible with the players we had for the Liverpool game.”