Diogo Jota rescues level for 10-man Liverpool to disclaim Fulham well-known win

Within the chilly gentle of a relentless title race Liverpool could contemplate this a disappointing draw. The truth of a gruelling project towards Fulham, and the environment inside Anfield, advised in any other case. All the way down to 10 males after 16 minutes, and 2-1 down till the eighty fifth minute, Arne Slot’s Premier League leaders fought, pressed and attacked till the final. Victory eluded Liverpool, however the efficiency will maintain them.

Marco Silva’s harmful staff led twice via Andreas Pereira and substitute Rodrigo Muniz. Additionally they had the benefit of seeing Andy Robertson despatched off for denying Harry Wilson a goalscoring alternative, however Fulham couldn’t capitalise totally. Cody Gakpo introduced Liverpool degree early within the second half earlier than the fit-again Diogo Jota confirmed what Slot’s staff have missed throughout his absence with one other scientific strike. It was a breathless, absorbing fixture that each groups will suppose they need to have received.

Fulham’s Issa Diop and Pereira each sailed near a crimson card within the opening seven minutes. Whereas Liverpool might complain over the pair solely receiving yellow, and Luis Díaz additionally being booked for a wonderfully respectable try at an overhead kick, nothing might detract from the excellence of the guests’ breakthrough.

A consummate staff purpose began with a Diop clearance to Wilson. The previous Liverpool winger, a potent risk from the primary whistle, switched play beautifully to Alex Iwobi who launched Antonee Robinson on the overlap down the left. The Fulham captain’s cross to the far publish was met on the volley by the stretching Pereira, and his effort flew into the roof of Alisson’s internet by way of the thigh of Robertson. It was a merited lead.

Misfortune stalked the Liverpool left again for the 16 minutes he was on the pitch. Within the opening seconds he took a heavy blow to the surface of the knee from Diop when chasing a return ball from Gakpo in direction of the Fulham space. An offside flag had already been raised, and Robertson required prolonged therapy whereas VAR checked for a possible crimson card offence. Referee Tony Harrington’s yellow for a reckless problem stood. Pereira quickly adopted the defender into the e-book for leaving his studs in Ryan Gravenberch’s ankle, having made no try and play the ball.

Robertson’s afternoon went additional downhill, in distinction to the duty confronting Liverpool, when he was proven a straight crimson card 5 minutes after the Fulham purpose. There could possibly be no complaints on this event. Trying to chop out one other piercing cross-field move, this time from Sasa Lukic in direction of Wilson, the Scotland captain’s heavy first contact succeeded solely in placing the Wales worldwide via on purpose. His subsequent kick despatched Wilson tumbling and an inevitable crimson adopted after Virgil van Dijk hooked Raúl Jiménez’s follow-up off the road. Solely a prolonged VAR overview for a potential offside towards Wilson might save Robertson. The Fulham man was finally dominated on, and the Liverpool man was off.

Slot responded to the early disaster by pulling Mohamed Salah right into a extra central position alongside Díaz, pushing Trent Alexander-Arnold up into proper midfield and dropping Ryan Gravenberch into defence in a 3-4-2 formation. It was a daring ploy to supply much more house to the harmful Wilson however, but once more, the Liverpool head coach’s tactical tweaks delivered. Fulham might have profited towards the ten males however a poor remaining move, plus an essential block by Joe Gomez on a Wilson shot, allowed Liverpool to flee and to settle. The hosts have been the dominant power as half-time approached. Díaz had an awesome alternative to equalise however headed over from shut vary when picked out by Dominik Szoboszlai’s first time cross.

The interval didn’t interrupt Liverpool’s momentum. Two minutes after the restart Salah floated a pleasant cross to the far publish the place the unmarked Gakpo beat Bernd Leno with a diving header. Anfield went wild as VAR checked a potential foul by Díaz on Kenny Tete because the cross got here in. The celebrations went up a notch when it was confirmed he didn’t, or definitely not sufficient to warrant the Fulham defender’s collapse from a touched arm.

Silva’s aspect have been rattled. Leno saved from Gakpo and Salah struck the side-netting after Szoboszlai had led a counterattack from a Fulham nook. Steadily, nevertheless, the guests regained their composure and finally their lead. Robinson had wasted two wonderful probabilities to search out an unmarked teammate contained in the Liverpool penalty space, first Jiménez after which Wilson, however atoned on the finish of one other incisive transfer down the Fulham left. Wilson and Iwobi mixed to launch the left again behind Liverpool substitute Jarell Quansah, who ought to have been stronger within the duel. When Robinson pulled the ball again from the by-line Rodrigo Muniz was available to flick the ball past the shut attentions of Alisson and Gomez. He had changed Jimeenez solely eight minutes earlier.

Again got here Liverpool, impressed by the cool heads and imaginative and prescient of substitutes Jota and Harvey Elliott. Within the 86th minute Jota collected a move from one other Slot substitute, Darwin Núñez, twisted inside central defender Jorge Cuenca and slotted a wonderful end past Leno. Mayhem ensued within the 9 minutes of time added on. Jota, Núñez and Díaz all had shut vary pictures charged down contained in the Fulham six yard field. Alisson denied Adama Traoré as Fulham broke for the lead as soon as once more. It was a breathless conclusion to an enchanting sport. Liverpool will little doubt rue the lack of two factors on dwelling soil however, within the circumstances, this was additional proof of the league leaders’ skill to discover a manner.