For the second time in as many league matches Fulham look to hold the destiny of the Premier League title in their hands and following their 2–0 defeat of Manchester United by the banks of the Thames they may have unnerved Sir Alex Ferguson a bit more with the revelation from Roy Hodgson, on the eve of Liverpool's visit to Craven Cottage, that two of his key Fulham players had returned from international duty only in the morning.
The Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and United States striker Clint Dempsey attended training, though, with Hodgson saying neither was displaying any ill-effects from his travels. "They both arrived in the early hours and they both came to training," said Hodgson. "Mark even went out and did a session with the goalkeeping coach and Clint was kept behind by the sports science people to do a warm down.
"The good thing about Clint and Mark is they're experienced, they have been doing it for several years now," said Hodgson. "So they develop a routine and they get better and they learn how to use the time on board the plane wisely and how to get some sleep and rest. I'm pleased with that."
Schwarzer, an outstanding performer for Fulham this season and the only player to play every minute of every Premier League game so far, is sure to start against Liverpool, who have scored 13 goals in their last three games. Liverpool will be hoping to face a jetlagged goalkeeper following his transcontinental return from Australia's 2-0 home win over Uzbekistan.
Dempsey, who played in both the United States' draw away to El Salvador and their comfortable home win over Trinidad and Tobago, has been another Fulham player to shine in Hodgson's first full season in charge, with two of his five league goals coming in the 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea.
While Hodgson has no injuries to concern him, neither does he have a squad the size of Liverpool's to choose from. Hodgson's 38-man squad pales in comparison with the 62 players Rafael Benítez has to choose from and the Fulham manager could not hide his surprise when told of the scale of Liverpool's squad. "Really, is that right? Sixty-two professional players, not counting the academy? That's interesting news, especially considering the number of players we have," he said, before instinctively reining in his sense of wonderment.
"Liverpool are a vastly different club to us. They have a very big stadium and very big crowds every week. They have a fantastic tradition of winning championships, European Cups and, of course, they have a wage bill that we could only dream of," he said.
"So, in actual fact, the number of players that people at that club think is right for them is their business. It would be stupid of me working at a different club, with different parameters, to start saying this is a good thing or a bad thing."
