"We understand what they bring to the table" – Bobby De Cordova-Reid sends confident Fulham message before Liverpool showdown

Fulham attacker Bobby De Cordova-Reid has backed his team to beat Liverpool in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg encounter at Anfield on Wednesday (January 10).

The Cottagers, who are 13th with 24 points from 20 league outings, are set to face the Premier League leaders on the back of two back-to-back wins. They triumphed over Everton on penalties in their EFL Cup last-eight match after the scoreline was tied at 1-1 in regulation time.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are currently atop the 2023-24 Premier League table with 45 points from 20 games. They have won nine times, including a 5-1 win over West Ham United in their EFL Cup quarter-final clash, and lost once in their last 13 outings across competitions.

Speaking ahead of Fulham's cup match against the Reds, De Cordova-Reid stated that his side will be wary of their opponents' threat and work hard to record an EFL Cup upset. He told the Mirror:

"We understand what they bring to the table. They're a big club and a good team, but we still fancy our chances and we've got to believe that we can go through. It's a big opportunity for a club to go through. Sometimes, clubs tend to give other players a run-out, and it's an opportunity for us to go out there and showcase our talent against bigger opponents and hopefully go through."

Opining further on Fulham's clash at Liverpool, the 30-year-old added:

"Anything can happen in one game. You can catch them on an 'off' day... but then the second leg [of the semi-final] obviously gives them the opportunity to come back. At the same time, you always have the opportunity to bring it back if the first leg isn't as good."

Liverpool, who have won 21 of their 30 outings this term, have won eight times and lost just once in their last 11 matches against Fulham.

How many players Liverpool are set to miss for EFL Cup home match against Fulham?

Despite their great run of form, Liverpool are currently going through a rough patch due to player availability concerns. They are currently without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo as both stars will participate in this month's Africa Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup respectively.

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp's outfit have a host of injury issues right now. While Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to be out for weeks with a knee problem, Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Kostas Tsimikas, and Stefan Bajcetic will all miss the Fulham encounter.

Due to the current crisis, Klopp could opt to field academy products such as Conor Bradley and Kaide Gordon in their upcoming contest.