In what was a much lively contest in the English Premier League, Liverpool and Fulham shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Anfield, a result that drew mixed feelings from either camp. Surprising as it is, Liverpool dominated the game for the most part but allowed Fulham to exploit their counter-attacking pace as well as set pieces throughout the match. The match had brilliant moments, moments of frustration, as well as drama, which only goes to show how the unpredictability of the Premier League is at times, its essence wholly.
Starting Period : Complete Control From Liverpool
As Liverpool sounded the first whistle one could say it was evident that they looked the better side, controlling possession and attacking with great width. The attacking trio composed of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez spearheaded the attack and caused trouble to Fulham’s backline right from the start. Liverpool remained persistent but so were the hosts, who had their sights set on attacking Fulham and at points even forcing them to retreat.
On the contrary, Fulham was witnessing problems of their own as their first few attempts at making clean passes were thwarted and more often than not they were looking at clearing the ball instead. Yet Marco Silva’s side was robust in deploying a deep block with Tim Ream and Issa Diop doing well to contain the threats posed by Salah and Núñez. Even though Fulham struggled heavily throughout the match, their goalkeeper Bernd Leno made important saves including a fierce shot by Trent Alexander Arnold that he should have never saved.
Eventually Liverpool was able to take the lead by scoring their first goal of the match in the 26th minute.
The level of skill that was displayed by Salah in the previous play was impressive considering the fact that he was directly involved in passing the ball to Darwin Núñez, who smoothly slotted home past Leno and therefore gave Liverpool the lead. The goal was well deserved after the pressure that dominated Liverpool, and Núñez scoring goals gave massive confidence to the reds as they looked hungry to score more goals.
Fulham Responds: A Set Piece for Equalization
While Liverpool looked in control, Fulham started finding their momentum and started to look like a real threat. Andreas Pereira controlled the midfield and spread things for does Aleksandar Mitrović who always looked like a threat upfront. In the 41st minute, Fulham got awarded a corner, Pereira curled in the perfect kick that met with Tim Ream’s head as he jumped above Liverpool’s defenders and made it 1-1.
However, due the failure of Mané to track a runner and an assist from Roberson complemented a shambolic Liverpool defense, the goal was scored. Even though this would have been a perfect opportunity for Mitrović to score a hat trick which was inevitable, Liverpool were itching to go and took their chances just before half-time, but Garry O’Neil’s organized back line managed to keep the heads level.
Second Half: Theatricality and Dispute
Whatever Liverpool had left to display in the second half, both teams believed they were in for a shock as the 56 minute created a spark and made Liverpool reclaim their lost possession.
Salah had once again shown everyone what he is made of after picking a through pass from Jordan Henderson. The pace of the Egyptian winger got past Fulham’s defenders comfortably. He then calmly slotted the ball past Leno which took the score to 2-1 in Liverpool’s favor once again.
On the other hand, Fulham lent a shoulder to Liverpool on their apparent run to win the game by scoring another beauty in the 67th minute. A well worked move by Fulham led to Mitrović being found inside the 18 yard box. The Serbian striker had been a nuisance for Liverpool’s defense throughout the match and with extreme skill and calmness, he shrugged off the defenders and slotted the ball past their keeper in a well executed goal taking the scores to 2-2.
Mitrović’s goal was further proof to the claim that he can take on any player physically and finish every opportunity given to him with efficiency. There is no denying that Fulham’s fighting spirit was clearly visible as they were unbothered time and again by Liverpool’s offensive attacks.
Stand By Realization And Missed Opportunities
Now with both teams having the same score line, the search for a deciding factor had begun. Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp’s approach was a masterclass, he played multiple new players who were skilled in offense and could easily break the structure that Fulham had built. Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz were able to provide the offense with more pace and creativity; however, not for long, Leno was there to make crucial saves.
Late in the game, Liverpool could have snatched the victory but Fulham’s defense remained solid.
Leno expertly saved the header which Virgil Van Dijk executed in the 88th minute from a corner kick. Salah’s attack at the end of the game was once again denied, this time by Fulham’s defense. As the match went on, Liverpool began to lose their patience and when the referee blew the final whistle, the score remained a 2-2 tie.
Analysis
Jürgen Klopp was very displeased with the overall result of the match especially since Liverpool controlled the pace of the match in the beginning, having taken the lead on two occasions. As a German manager, he was clear about the need for his side to work towards being more defensively stable. According to him, the set-piece goal conceded against Fulham and Mitrović’s presence were threats for his team. He appreciated his attacking players for what they contributed, but quickly called out for the defense to tighten their structure in order to be able to win matches comfortably without dropping crucial points.
Marco Silva, the manager for Fulham underscored the importance of the singular point gained at Anfield as the other teams around them are strong and competitive. His team also did well to show character, after twice going one goal behind. Silva praised his players for defending well, especially in the second half when the team was heavily under pressure from Liverpool’s attackers.
Final Verdict: A Match Which Could Be Remembered For Mixed Feelings.
The 2-2 stalemate witnessed between Liverpool and Fulham certainly was a treat for fans as it displayed clinical attacking style from both the teams.
Liverpool’s forwards Salah and Núñez were undoubtably impressive but their fragilities in defense were, once again, the focus in this encounter. On the contrary, Fulham had a belief and composure about them and managed to return with a valuable point from one of the most difficult stadiums in the Premier League.
The result means that Liverpool loses out on important points in the championship race while Fulham, on the other hand, will comfortably take pride in their performance as well as the away point claimed. Both sides will get ready for the next competition in which Liverpool will be doing all they can do to bolster their back line whereas Fulham would wish to carry on their strong start to the season well.
If you are interested for more: Liverpool versus Fulham ended in a 2-2 draw: English Premier League – event summary “Arsenal and Everton Share the Spoils in a Thrilling Premier
