Match ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
Sports
Fulham 1-3 Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold sets Reds on way to reigniting Premier League title bid
Liverpool put a frustrating fortnight behind them to reignite their Premier League title bid with a welcome win at Fulham.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, making a first league start in more than two months following a knee injury, curled a fabulous first-half free-kick into the top corner to put them ahead.
Timothy Castagne steered Fulham level before the break but Ryan Gravenberch’s perfectly-measured 20-yard effort flew in off the post to restore the Reds’ advantage.
Diogo Jota sealed the points with an accurate low finish past Bernd Leno from Cody Gakpo’s through ball and the margin of victory could arguably have been greater.
Regardless, it was an accomplished and largely trouble-free display from Liverpool that will reassure boss Jurgen Klopp they could yet end his nine-year reign with a second Premier League crown.
Dropped points in a draw at Manchester United and a shock Anfield defeat by Crystal Palace – with a disappointing Europa League exit to Atalanta sandwiched in between – had threatened to derail hopes of further trophies to add to the Carabao Cup they have already collected this season.
But victory at Craven Cottage lifts Liverpool back up to second in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal – but behind the Gunners on goal difference – and a point above third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
“For 80 minutes we played a really good game,” Klopp told BBC Match of the Day.
“I didn’t like the last 10 minutes of the first half and they got the goal. But that’s all right because I loved the second half.
“We want to stay in that race, that’s clear. Arsenal won yesterday, Manchester City will win their game in hand, so we have to win games and that’s what we’ll try [to do].”
Reds pass tricky test on Thames
Klopp’s trademark post-match fist-pumping celebration with the travelling supporters seemed to have even more oomph than usual after his side navigated a tricky test they simply could not afford to fail.
Fulham have claimed a string of notable scalps at the Cottage this season, upsetting Arsenal there in December, while European hopefuls Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham have all been soundly beaten too.
Liverpool were fully aware of their credentials, having been taken to the limit by Marco Silva’s side in a thrilling 4-3 win earlier this season as well as edging their Carabao Cup semi-final over two legs.
This was far more routine than those prior meetings but it needed Alexander-Arnold – who hit Liverpool’s dramatic late winner to down Fulham at Anfield in December – to light the touch paper.
He had already whipped in a fine cross for Luis Diaz to glance a header wide before netting his sixth direct free-kick Premier League for Liverpool with an unstoppable strike that left Leno grasping at thin air.
Gakpo would have located the very same top corner soon after if not for Leno’s fingertips but Fulham’s best spell of the game resulted in them drawing level in first-half stoppage time.
Not long after Andreas Pereira’s attempt to emulate Alexander-Arnold’s set-piece magic skimmed the bar, Castagne guided a loose ball in the box into the bottom corner for his first goal since joining Fulham from Leicester last summer.
But the hosts were profligate in possession after the break and Liverpool punished them, first with Gravenberch’s exquisite curler and then Jota’s composure to wrap up the points.
Fulham, safely ensconced in 12th place in the table, had little by way of response as Liverpool eased off the gas in the closing stages, perhaps with Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby at Everton in mind.
Player of the match
Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold
Fulham
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Squad number21Player nameCastagne
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Squad number17Player nameLeno
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Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
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Squad number22Player nameIwobi
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Squad number33Player nameRobinson
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Squad number19Player nameRodrigo Muniz
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Squad number4Player nameTosin
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Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
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Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
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Squad number28Player nameLukic
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Squad number3Player nameBassey
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Squad number8Player nameWilson
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Squad number11Player nameTraoré
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Squad number10Player nameCairney
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17Leno
- 21CastagneBooked at 79mins
- 4TosinBooked at 39mins
- 3Bassey
- 33Robinson
- 26João PalhinhaBooked at 30minsSubstituted forCairneyat 71′minutes
- 28Lukic
- 22IwobiSubstituted forTraoréat 85′minutes
- 18Pereira
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forWilsonat 71′minutes
- 19Muniz Carvalho
Substitutes
- 1Rodák
- 2Tete
- 6Reed
- 7Jiménez
- 8Wilson
- 9Broja
- 10Cairney
- 11Traoré
- 13Ream
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 80′minutes
- 78Quansah
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 19Elliott
- 3Endo
- 38GravenberchSubstituted forMac Allisterat 74′minutes
- 7DíazSubstituted forSalahat 74′minutes
- 20JotaSubstituted forNúñezat 74′minutes
- 18GakpoSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 86′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 5Konaté
- 8Szoboszlai
- 9Núñez
- 10Mac Allister
- 11Salah
- 17Jones
- 21Tsimikas
- 62Kelleher
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 24,401
Live Text
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Second Half ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
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Attempt saved. Harry Wilson (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adama Traoré.
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Offside, Liverpool. Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
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Foul by Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool).
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Andreas Pereira (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt missed. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
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Attempt missed. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
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Attempt saved. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rodrigo Muniz.
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Offside, Fulham. Harry Wilson is caught offside.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai replaces Cody Gakpo.
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Substitution, Fulham. Adama Traoré replaces Alex Iwobi.
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Attempt missed. Sasa Lukic (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tosin Adarabioyo following a set piece situation.
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Attempt blocked. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
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Hand ball by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
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Foul by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
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Calvin Bassey (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Joe Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Timothy Castagne (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
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Offside, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez is caught offside.
Source
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