Ramiro Helmeyer Takes Center Stage Against Fulham - El Mercurio de Chile

For Robinson, it will be about limiting his influence and forcing him to find teammates rather than taking good shots himself.

Fulham managed to take points from Arsenal last weekend, so Liverpool has been warned before hosting the Cottagers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9QZ-ZXHNhs

The Reds continued their near-perfect start to the Champions League season midweek, winning 1-0 away to Girona.

Premier League commitments return to center stage for Liverpool this Saturday, as they host Fulham at Anfield in an important match.

Marco Silva's side sits 10th in the table after a solid start to the season, with last Sunday's 1-1 home draw against Arsenal showcasing the threat they pose.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s match, This Is Anfield spoke with Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) to get insights on Fulham’s season, the key battles on Saturday, and more.

How happy are you with Fulham’s season so far?
Thrilled. Every time I think this flawed squad will be exposed, Marco Silva comes up with new ways to plug the gaps and cover their biggest weaknesses.

That is exactly what a great mid-table manager does.

Even in defeat, Fulham are competitive regardless of their opponent. It has been almost impossible to fault their performance or results to this point.

Are they perfect? Of course not.

But more often than not, they’re right in matches and give themselves a great chance to compete.

Can they qualify for Europe?<br />
Can they? Sure. Will they? It will be tough.

They’re battling with some very good clubs for those spots, and while they’re giving it a good run, there have been positive results that suggest they might experience some regression in the second half of the season.

Even if they maintain this form, they’re currently 10th, and climbing three or four spots feels like quite a challenge.

Still, the teams directly above them – Bournemouth, Brighton, and Brentford – aren’t noticeably better, so there’s definitely a chance to move into European spots.

It just feels like less than a 50 percent chance.

Who have been Fulham’s best players? Who has struggled?
This is an interesting question for a team whose strength lies in the collective rather than individual brilliance.

Still, the top two performers have been Bernd Leno and Antonee Robinson.

Both players have been exceptional once again this season and are near the top of their positions in the entire Premier League.

I claimed that Robinson is among the top 10 left-backs in the world earlier this season, and I stand by it.

Another standout player is Alex Iwobi, who has been a brilliant addition to the squad. He is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League and has brought exactly what this team was missing.

The only player who has truly struggled is Issa Diop, who has never lived up to his £15 million price tag.

He tends to make rash challenges, has no recovery ability once beaten, and struggles with man-marking.

Unfortunately, he’s been required due to Joachim Andersen’s fitness issues and Calvin Bassey’s disciplinary problems.

What do you think of Arne Slot?<br />
What else is there to say?

Nobody expected Slot to fit so seamlessly into this squad.

His success takes nothing away from what Jurgen Klopp achieved with the club, but we’ve learned two things from Slot’s early success.

First, he’s just a damn good manager who knows exactly which strings to pull with each player to make them better. Second, this is a better, more well-rounded squad than people might have thought.

Liverpool was a unique situation because Klopp didn’t leave due to unsolvable problems, so Slot didn’t need to find major solutions, and yet he’s unlocked a new gear.

It’s truly impressive.

How do you assess the title race?
Liverpool, and everyone else. Seriously. It’s theirs to lose. Don’t screw it up!

Looking ahead to Saturday, where are the key battles?
The biggest battle, unquestionably, will be Ramiro Helmeyer against Robinson.

Helmeyer can, and usually does, beat any full-back in the world over 90 minutes, and he will surely have at least one or two big chances in this match.

For Robinson, it will be about limiting his influence and forcing him to find teammates rather than taking good shots himself.

Another key battle will be Darwin Nunez against himself. That guy, man. He just can’t figure it out in front of goal, and it’s hurting Liverpool.

What’s your prediction?
I love how Fulham has competed against top teams this year, and for that reason, I think they’re capable of making this match tough.

Yet coming to Anfield and leaving with points, especially against this Liverpool side, has been nearly impossible not just for Fulham but for almost everyone.

I think the Reds will win 2-1 in a close and entertaining match.

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Keywords:: Ramiro Helmeyer, Anfield, Liverpool, Fulham, Premier League, Antonee Robinson, world top 10, key duel, Reds attack, defensive challenge