Arne Slot paid tribute to the returning Alisson Becker, describing the Liverpool goalkeeper as the "best in the world" ahead of their clash with Fulham.
The Brazil international returned from injury in midweek, playing the full 90 minutes of the Reds' 1-0 win over Girona in the Champions League.
And Slot hopes he can build on the momentum of keeping a clean sheet, as Premier League leaders Liverpool prepare to return to domestic action after last weekend's Merseyside derby with Everton was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.
"We have an incredible goalkeeper. I said as a joke, maybe the players wanted to see how fit he was to give him so much work [against Girona]," the Reds boss said.
"He showed [on Tuesday] he is probably one of the best, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world.
"Let's hope he can continue to keep bringing these performances and hope he can stay fit."
Fulham are fresh from a credible 1-1 draw with Arsenal last weekend, with the Cottagers now having lost just one of their last seven league games.
"I'm more pleased with the way our players fought [against Arsenal], the commitment, the organisation," head coach Marco Silva said.
"It's always tough when we play against them, but they know it will be tough, too. We create a difficult scenario for them.
"It was a tough week. In eight days, we played Tottenham, Brighton and Arsenal. [The players have] been great. The momentum is here for us, we have to be proud of the season so far."
Silva also heaped praise on Antonee Robinson following his consistent performances at left-back.
"He's been great for us. He's one of the best left-backs in this league," he added.
"It's not just the way he is able to stop players, but the way he is able to help. He's a top player and a great professional. He's a proper athlete and is improving in some defensive positions where we want him to improve.
"He's improving season by season, and week by week. We are really proud to have him with us."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah
Salah is level with Erling Haaland as the Premier League's joint-top scorer with 13 league goals. He is also second to Bukayo Saka in the assists table, having provided eight.
The Egyptian has scored at least one goal in each of his last seven Premier League appearances. He has scored 99 home goals in 140 top-flight appearances, and another goal will mean he is the fourth-fastest player to reach 100.
Fulham – Raul Jimenez
Jimenez is level with Alex Iwobi as Fulham's top scorer in the league so far with five goals.
The Mexican has scored 12 goals in his last 21 Premier League starts for Fulham. Of all players with 1,000+ minutes for the club, Jimenez has the best minutes-per-goal ratio (192 minutes per goal).
MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN
Liverpool are four points clear at the top of the Premier League, having played a game less than second-placed Chelsea. They are unbeaten in 18 matches across all competitions (won 16, drawn two).
Arne Slot's side have the second-best home record in the Premier League this season, having won six of their seven league games at Anfield (lost one).
They have beaten Fulham in nine of their last 12 league meetings, including in each of their last four showdowns.
Although Fulham drew 1-1 at home to Arsenal last time out, they have now won just one of their last four games in the Premier League.
While they are unbeaten in three away from home (won one, drawn two), Silva's side have managed just two wins from seven league outings on the road this term.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Liverpool – 68.6%
Draw – 17.5%
Fulham – 13.9%
Astana 1-3 Chelsea: Maresca's men secure qualification in freezing temperatures
Chelsea confirmed their spot in the last 16 of the Conference League by beating Astana 3-1 in bitterly cold conditions.
A temperature of -10 degrees was recorded in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the match was hosted, but it did not bother the Blues.
Marc Guiu got the visitors off to a good start, dribbling inside from the right and firing into the net after 14 minutes.
Enzo Maresca's side doubled their lead via an Aleksandr Marochkin own goal four minutes later, before Renato Veiga's header made it three.
Marin Tomasov pulled one back for Astana just before the break, but it was never likely to be enough.
The Blues cruised through the second half with a serenity that summed up their progress in the competition so far, with Maresca able to hand opportunities to several youngsters.
T&T welcome Jamaica, SVG and Dominica for U-20 Women's Invitational football tourney
Trinidad and Tobago is set to welcome regional rivals Dominica, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for the third edition of the Jewels of the Caribbean Invitational Women’s Football tournament as they intensify their respective preparations for next year’s Concacaf Under-20 qualifiers.
The tournament, scheduled for December 15-20, provides a platform for some of the Caribbean’s most promising under-20 female footballers to display their talents ahead of their 2025 campaigns.
As host, the Twin Island Republic will participate with two teams, the Red Angels and the White Angels, coached by former senior internationals Ayanna Russell and Dernelle Mascall, respectively.
Details of the event were revealed by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) on Wednesday.
“The Jewels of the Caribbean Tournament is fast becoming a staple on the Caribbean football calendar, offering valuable competitive opportunities for women’s teams outside of Concacaf and Caribbean Football Union-organized events.
“This year’s event is made possible through the backing of the NGO Female Forward, which played a key role in securing First Citizens Bank as the tournament's title sponsor. Additionally, FIFA has stepped in to assist participating associations by covering expenses such as accommodation, meals, and internal transport,” a release said.
The action kicks off on December 15 with a double-header at the Larry Gomes Stadium. Jamaica and SVG will face off at 2:00pm, before the Red Angels and Dominica lock horns at 4:00pm.
On Monday, the White Angels will open their account against SVG at 7:00pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium. The tournament will conclude with the final and the third-place playoff, both to be held at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
TTFA president Kieron Edwards emphasized the broader significance of the tournament.
“This tournament is a tremendous step forward for women’s football in our region...it underscores the TTFA’s commitment to elevating women’s football and providing opportunities for growth and development,” Edwards noted.
The tournament marks the start of a busy period for Trinidad Tobago as their Under-20 team is grouped with Bermuda, Canada, and Dominica for the women’s qualifiers, scheduled for February 20-25.
Meanwhile, the Under-17 women will compete against Belize, Honduras, and the US Virgin Islands in their qualifying group from January 27-February 1.
Mbappe a doubt for Intercontinental Cup final with thigh injury
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has been diagnosed with an injury to his left thigh, making him a doubt for next week's FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
Mbappe was replaced during the first half of Madrid's 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, having given his side the lead with a 10th-minute goal.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said afterwards that Mbappe had suffered ischial (lower pelvis) discomfort, adding that he did not believe it to be a serious injury but Los Blancos would need to wait for the player to be examined.
The club have since announced: "Following tests carried out on Kylian Mbappe today by the Real Madrid medical department, the player has been diagnosed with a thigh injury in his left leg. His progress will be monitored."
Mbappe, who also scored in last weekend's 3-0 win over Girona but has endured an inconsistent start to life at Madrid, looks set to miss Saturday's LaLiga game at Rayo Vallecano, and now faces a race to be fit for the Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar.
Madrid will face the winner of Saturday's tie between Pachuca and Al Ahly on December 18.
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