Premier League: Fulham 1, Liverpool 3
In the midst of a three-way title race, Liverpool managed to keep their hopes alive by scoring three goals against Fulham in their Premier League match. A win was absolutely crucial for Jürgen Klopp and his ambitions for a grand farewell. The victory seemed unsure when Timothy Castagne responded with an equaliser to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stunning free kick shortly before half-time.
A refreshed Liverpool team took to the field in the second half, landing exactly as Klopp would have envisioned. The team scored consecutive goals courtesy of Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota, then went on to hold the lead. The result puts them at par with Arsenal in terms of points, setting up a juicy derby contest at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
In an attempt to rejuvenate his side, Klopp made five substitutions, hoping that some fresh legs would overturn their recent scoring woes. However, it was clear within a few minutes of kick-off that it wasn’t going to be a smooth ride when Luiz Díaz missed an early chance to score. Fulham then got the chance to stabilise their defence.
Fulham, comfortable in their mid-table position, played their game with less pressure. A good result would keep their chances alive of at least equalling their 10th position finish from last season. Liverpool’s attacks were mostly initiated by Díaz, whose quick runs seemed too fast for Fulham’s Antonee Robinson. A pinpointed pass by Alexander-Arnold in the 23rd minute set up Díaz, who floated in a cross that Jota missed from close range. Perhaps a more match-ready Jota, playing his first match since a knee injury two months ago, would have turned it into a goal.
The audience jeered each time Harvey Elliott, constantly harking back to his Fulham history, tried to outwit the defensive wall with a low free kick that ended up being weakly blocked. João Palhinha conceded the free kick and given Elliott alongside Alexander-Arnold stood over the ball, the Portuguese player could feel fortunate.
Soon, his luck ran out. Palhinha then floored Jota from a position to the left of the “D”, earning him a yellow card. Without delay, it was clear that this time Alexander-Arnold would take the command: a chance from this close range is almost like a penalty for him. His goal curled and dipped sublimely past Bernd Leno’s dive, marking a fitting end to Liverpool’s recent dry spell.
Moments later, Gakpo took advantage of the spirit and compelled an exquisite save from Leno. Liverpool had the opportunity to secure the match, but allowed Silva’s Fulham, ever a contentious opponent, to regain ground instead. It reflected poorly on Liverpool’s game management that the leveller seemed predestined.
Rodrigo Muniz had already taken a shot at Alisson from an angle following swift action from Iwobi, quickly followed by a Pereira free kick that Fulham asserted was tipped over by the keeper. They were finishing the first half on a stronger note and Liverpool failed to heed the warning. Muniz’s header, from Iwobi’s cross and Robinson’s pass, was blocked by Jarell Quansah in the six-yard box. Castagne, seizing the moment, retaliated with a firm strike past Alisson, marking his first score for Fulham.
Elliott was presented with an opportunity to silence his critics five minutes into the second half but to an unsurprising response, his shot went wide. Meanwhile, Gravenberch’s following strike from the next serious attack was fantastic. Iwobi must shoulder part of the blame, with his overzealous cross-field pass intercepted by Elliott and passed to Gravenberch. From 22 yards out and with ample room, Gravenberch’s shot beautifully evaded a diving Leno.
One might argue that Liverpool was unlikely to repeat their previous mistakes. After an intense period of dominance on the pitch, Jota delivered a powerful shot against Leno from a short distance. Gakpo, who had recently sprung into action, wasted a superb dash with a feeble finish. For the first time during the entire game, Liverpool took total command, leaving Fulham to desperately hack and slash their way out of a tough situation.
Shortly after, Calvin Bassey narrowly evaded directing the ball towards his own goal, and Gakpo once more challenged Leno. The prospects of a third goal loomed, and thanks to concerted efforts from Gravenberch and subsequently Gakpo, Jota secured it. Following a deflection off Adarabioyo, it was Gakpo who set Jota up for a precise low shot that slipped past Leno from the left side. Leno might have been able to intervene more effectively, but this was of no concern to Liverpool.
As the game neared its end, Klopp introduced Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez to the field, giving rise to the possibility of a favourable turn of events.
Source: The Guardian