Marco Silva admits that Fulham will need to be ‘close to perfection’ in order to inflict Liverpool’s first away league defeat of a season that seems destined to see Arne Slot lift the Premier League trophy.

Silva lauded his opposite number’s impact since taking over Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and knows that Sunday’s Craven Cottage clash will challenge his side – especially after two disappointing defeats against Crystal Palace. The Fulham head coach told his pre-match press conference:

“The impact of [the manager] the manager is always important. t wasn’t just any manager that left them, it was a manager who was there 10 years with a massive, massive impact on almost everything that was built in the football club. Jürgen [Klopp] was a very, very important piece, and when the club went in a different direction, the impact of the manager is always going to be important. Slot has made that impact.

For me, one of the main things about Liverpool so far this season is how they have been consistent. They have been really consistent in the Premier League. You don’t see them have too many down moments, and when they do, they are always able to react. It’s not a coincidence that they have spent most of the time on top of the table. We can all agree, that if nothing very special happens, then they are going to have a celebration at the end of the season

They are consistent, they haven’t lost an away Premier League game so far this season, which shows what I am talking about. They haven’t dropped many points at home so far this season, but we were one of the teams who took points from them at Anfield. It’s going to be a game that demands us to be close to perfection. From our side, we need to fight really hard for the three points. We are in our own battle too. They want the three points to be closer to the title, we want our three points for our own battle. We respect them, but let’s try to create the same environment that our supporters created last Saturday at home. That type of environment will be more difficult for Liverpool and help us too.”