Liverpool could not recover from a porous first half versus Fulham, ceding ground to Arsenal with a 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage on Sunday that ends a 26-match Premier League unbeaten run.
WATCH – Fulham vs Liverpool full match replay
The Reds took an early lead on a wonderful goal from Alexis Mac Allister but conceding three goals before the break as Rodrigo Muniz, Ryan Sessegnon, and Alex Iwobi staked the Cottagers to a two-goal lead.
MORE — Arne Slot reacts to poor first-half
Substitutions helped, as Luis Diaz pulled Liverpool back within one, but a third goal did not arrive for Arne Slot’s men. Liverpool’s lead over second-place Arsenal shrinks to 11 with seven matches left in both teams’ seasons.
The win pulls Fulham into eighth place with 48 points, right on the precipice of the top-four (or -five) race.
Error-prone Reds missing that little something
The loss itself is down to the first half with its three goals conceded, but Liverpool fans may want to lament some second-half misses from their men and they’ll be forgiven for doing so. Fulham are a confident team but they have not been great with the lead this season and Liverpool really could’ve scored a memorable comeback win in underscoring their title credentials. Mohamed Salah is still off his game and was one of the players missing a big opportunity. Also, don’t let Arne Slot off the hook for his lineup. Luis Diaz should almost always be in the 18 and showed it off the bench, while Curtis Jones at right back was an unnecessary experiment with Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, and even left back Kostas Tsimikas on the bench. This was likely down to Bradley’s fitness, but he was quite good upon entering the game and underscored what might’ve been on another day.
Fulham vs Liverpool player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Fulham vs Liverpool player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Fulham vs Liverpool player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Liverpool host West Ham United at 9am ET Sunday, and Fulham go to Bournemouth on Monday, April 14
How to watch Fulham vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9 am ET Sunday
Venue: Craven Cottage — London
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock Premium
Fulham vs Liverpool final score: 3-2
Alexis Mac Allister 14', Ryan Sessegnon 22', Alex Iwobi 32', Rodrigo Muniz 37', Luis Diaz 72'
Fulham vs Liverpool live updates — By Nick Mendola
Full time — Fulham 3-2 Liverpool
Didn’t see that coming.
More subs
Sessegnon and Iwobi leave the game. Adama Traore and Kenny Tete are into it.
Federico Chiesa replaces Robertson for Liverpool. 83rd minute.
Harvey Elliott pummels the cross bar
Liverpool finally looking like Liverpool.
Robertson’s cross from the left takes a turn to cue up Harvey Elliott.
The ex-Fulham man smashes the bar.
Into the 80th minute now.
Fulham subs
Muniz, Pereira, and Sasa Lukic exit, with Raul Jimenez, Emile Smith Rowe, and Harrison Reed entering the game.
Fulham up one in the 76th minute.
Luis Diaz goal — Fulham 3-2 Liverpool (72nd minute)
A long ball from the right is settled by Bradley, who quickly finds Luis Diaz for a composed low finish.
Reds back within one.
Van Dijk gets away with elbow
It’s a Fulham corner, and the referees miss Virgil van Dijk throwing an elbow into Sander Berge’s jaw following a prolonged tussle.
Very, very fortunate to dodge discipline in his own box.
More Reds changes
Konate and Jota come off. Darwin Nunez and Conor Bradley are into the game.
Still 3-1 Fulham, now in the 67th minute.
Liverpool subs
Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott will look to change Liverpool’s fortunes, as Cody Gakpo exits along with Dominik Szoboszlai in the 55th minute.
There’s Salah
A quiet first half is gone, as the Egyptian takes the ball off Calvin Bassey.
Salah drives toward the middle of the pitch and gets the ball through three bodies to Diogo Jota, who is 1v1 with Leno.
The Fulham keeper makes the save.
Halftime — Fulham 3-1 Liverpool
And exhale. Wow.
Liverpool look shellshocked. The back line has been poor, Kelleher has not shone, and Mohamed Salah is a bystander with none of his 18 touches truly memorable.
Fulham are out-attempting Liverpool 9-2 and the Reds have 0.06 xG. And it’s not like they’re distracted and peering off at a midweek in Europe. It’s like Mac Allister’s amazing opener made Liverpool think this was over after 14 minutes.
Arne Slot hasn’t had too many halves like this to discuss with his team.
Rodrigo Muniz goal — Fulham 3-1 Liverpool (37th minute)
A Fulham corner is cleared but quickly gathered by the Cottagers, who send the ball back toward forward Rodrigo Muniz.
The forward has his back to goal and just cooks Virgil van Dijk with a touch and turn, shrugging off the Dutchman’s late shove to roll a ball past Kelleher.
Absolute madness from three of the Reds defenders on these three goals, and the one who hasn’t made an error is the deputizing right back Curtis Jones!
Alex Iwobi goal — Fulham 2-1 Liverpool (32nd minute)
Andy Robertson can take almost all the responsibility for this — a school boy’s mistake compounded by bad luck.
The Liverpool left back crosses from deep in his third directly to Iwobi, who is barely beyond the arc.
Iwobi’s gathers the ball after a first effort goes awry, then smashes a shot toward goal.
The ball is headed for three red jerseys, the last of which is a desperate Robertson. The ball turns off the Scot to beat Kelleher.
Fulham ahead!
Ryan Sessegnon goal — Fulham 1-1 Liverpool (22nd minute)
Terrific finish!
Sander Berge drives up the middle before laying out wide to a driving Andreas Pereira.
The Brazlian smashes a first-time cross toward the back post and Konate nods it back but not outside the 18.
Sessegnon is there and keeps his technique proper to bounce a pretty difficult goal inside the near post.
Alexis Mac Allister golazo! Fulham 1-1 Liverpool (14th minute)
Mac Allister darts in front of Alex Iwobi to collect a ball, and he drives forward with vigor.
The Argentine shrugs off a challenge on his left shoulder and absolutely pummels the ball.
Does it spin more than a couple of times while screaming past a helpless, flying Bernd Leno? Maybe.
Goal of the year candidate.
Fulham penalty shout!
Ibrahima Konate is caught on the ball by Andreas Pereira, who passes past Caoiminh Kelleher before being caught by the sliding keeper.
Virgil van Dijk collides with another Fulham defender as the ball rolls absent receiver to the other side of the box.
No penalty on the field. VAR decides no further intervention will come to this fifth-minute incident.
0-0.
Fulham lineup
Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Lukic, Sessegnon, Pereira, Iwobi, Muniz
Liverpool lineup
Kelleher, Robertson, Konate, Van Dijk, Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota, Gakpo
Fulham vs Liverpool preview — By Andy Edwards
Arne Slot’s side has lost just once in the Premier League all season — to Nottingham Forest back on Sept. 14 — and has run off 26 straight games without a defeat since then (19W-7D-0L). Their current run is the 4th-longest single-season unbeaten run in PL history, just four games short of passing themselves (2019-20) and Chelsea (2004-05) for the 2nd-longest, behind only Arsenal in 2003-04. Unsurprisingly, the other three all won the title. Slot, of course, is preaching the mantra of taking it one game at a time. “In theory, so many things can happen. We felt [on Wednesday, against Everton] how hard it is to win a Premier League game … It tells you that with eight games to go, every game is a challenge — starting with Fulham, who are having a very good season as well.”
A very good season, indeed, as Fulham (9th - 45 points) still find themselves with a chance to qualify for European competition. Three points is all that currently stands between Marco Silva’s side and a place in next season’s Europa Conference League (provided the PL is awarded a fifth UEFA Champions League place as expected). The run-in will be incredibly difficult for Fulham, though, with 1st-place Liverpool, 4th-place Chelsea, 7th-place Aston Villa and 5th-place Manchester City still to play between now and season’s end.
Fulham team news
OUT: Harry Wilson (foot), Kenny Tete (knee), Reiss Nelson (hamstring)
Liverpool team news
OUT: Trent Alexander-Arnold (foot), Joe Gomez (thigh - MORE), Conor Bradley (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Alisson Becker (head - MORE)
Fulham vs Liverpool prediction
Much like Nottingham Forest, Fulham excel at playing games where not very much happens over the course of 90 minutes. They don’t give up many chances and they don’t make many mistakes, but they’re hardly prolific in attack themselves. Quality over quantity typically favors Liverpool, but it will be tight. Fulham 0-1 Liverpool.
