Babel is preparing to face former club Liverpool on Sunday — he spent three and a half years at Anfield

At Craven Cottage tomorrow, a winger with bright red hair will be hoping for recognition from the travelling Liverpool fans. Ryan Babel spent three and a half years at Anfield, but was denied a meaningful farewell. The Fulham and Holland player would like to rectify that.

“I left Liverpool and people had to find out through the press, there was no goodbye, not even to my team-mates,” the 32-year-old says. “I’m positive about getting applause.”

Babel joined Liverpool in 2007 after making his name as a teenage prodigy at Ajax. It was a culture shock. “There is a lack of a certain mentality in Dutch football,” he says. “When I went to Liverpool I quickly found out it was about winning and not so much