How are you all feeling this morning? The second leg of Fulham’s first ever League Cup semi-final is delicately poised and nobody seems to give Marco Silva’s side much chance of overturning a slender deficit and setting up a meeting with their near neighbours at Wembley next month. But the Whites have been underestimated since they returned to the top tier two summers ago, surprising the doom mongers by slipping into the top half by the end of an impressive season and they have survived the summer departure of their most potent goalscorer to be moored comfortably in mid-table again.

No-one really saw a Cup run coming, which was a point Silva emphasised in his pre-match press conference yesterday. He was so dissatisfied with the meek capitulation at Crawley Town, which handed former Fulham forward Kevin Betsy his only win in senior management, that he delivered a dressing down both in the dressing room that left the first team squad in no doubt as to the importance of cup competitions. Silva made his intentions clear this term by naming a strong side to face the unbeaten Tottenham Hotspur, who like Everton, were eliminated on penalties, which is another yardstick to measure the growth of his team.

Fulham, who scored the very first goal in the League Cup when Maurice Cook opened the scoring in a 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers in 1960, had only ever reached the last eight before. There was some symbolism in the fact that they progressed on spot-kicks at Goodison Park because their last League Cup adventure had ended with three horrendous penalties by Chris Coleman, Paul Trollope and Geoff Horsfield at Leicester City. Silva’s adventurous approach contrasted starkly with the conservatism of Paul Bracewell, who took off Paul Peschisolido with his Division One outfit leading the Foxes 2-0, and paid the penalty. The Portuguese head coach aspired to write a new chapter in the club’s history when he succeeded Scott Parker in 2021 – and he has already done that.

Silva’s most celebrated purchase, the priceless Joao Palhinha, has ruminated about the prospect of making history in the build-up to this game. No-one in the Fulham camp has shied away from the enormity of the occasion or the size of task – but the Whites won’t die wondering either. Just like at Old Trafford in the FA Cup last year, Fulham surprised their illustrious hosts and took a shock lead – this time through Willian’s wondrous feet – but were undone by a couple of minutes of madness. It wasn’t three red cards, but a pair of avoidable goals mean that the Whites will have to make the running tonight.

Both sides will miss their AFCON absentees as in the first leg, but Fulham are only otherwise without Adama Traore, whose hamstring injury will keep the winger out of action until next month. That leaves Silva will a number of selection dilemmas: whether to pair Palhinha with the mercurial Tom Cairney or opt for the insurance of Harrison Reed in central midfield, to go with Harry Wilson, who scored on his last start against his old club, or stick with Bobby De Cordova-Reid on the right wing. The Jamaican international was criticised for failing to make the most of several second half openings at Anfield – but no Fulham fan will need reminding just how invaluable he has been to this side.

De Cordova-Reid stuck away the winner against Arsenal on New Year’s Eve with as much as aplomb as Zoltan Gera managed from a corner in front of the Hammersmith End back in 2010. What a night that was. In order to make more magical memories, a group of players who have propelled London’s first professional football club back into the big time will need our backing. If there was ever a time to reprise ‘Stand up if you still believe,’ then this would be it.

Liverpool are far from infallible. They will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas, whose crude challenge on De Cordova-Reid cost Fulham a point on Merseyside before Christmas. Curtis Jones, who scored the equaliser in the first leg, should be available again after being withdrawn as a precaution at Bournemouth on Sunday while Andy Robertson looks set to return at left back. Jurgen Klopp’s squad is packed full of talent, but it is no exaggeration to say that the Whites could easily have been beaten them twice already this season. Neither of those fixtures were within the tight confines of Craven Cottage, where Fulham have occasionally sprung a surprise or two.

How about in 1966, when inspired by some sturdy Stan Brown challenges, Vic Buckingham’s bottom of the league outfit beat the Reds through a pair of Steve Earle goals? That win inspired a remarkable run of five straight wins as the Cottagers kept their place in the top flight against all the odds. Then there was the poignant victory in 2005, days after the death of Johnny Haynes, when Chris Coleman’s side paid a fitting tribute to Fulham’s finest ever footballer with a wonderful win. Clint Dempsey’s first Fulham goal kept the Whites up in 2007 before Bobby Zamora, Erik Nevland and Dempsey – once again – fashioned a famous win for Roy Hodgson’s side over a bedraggled Liverpool two years later.

It can be done and this side are more capable than most in Fulham’s storied past of making something special happen.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Diop; Palhinha, Cairney; Wilson, Willian, Pereira; Jimenez. Subs: Rodak, Castagne, Ream, Reed, Francois, Lukic, De Cordova-Reid, Vinicius, Muniz.