Liverpool twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Fulham at Anfield on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League.
The Cottagers took the lead in the 11th minute when Andreas Pereira converted from Antonée Robinsonwith an effort aided in the goal by Andrew RobertsonThe block. THE Scotland The international played an important role in the opening 17 minutes, but his involvement ended when he was sent off for a careless foul on Harry Wilson deny a scoring opportunity.
Liverpool maintained control of the match despite being down to 10 men, although they only created one promising chance when Dominik SzoboszlaiThe instinctive cross found Luis Diazwho could not disturb the goalkeeper.
The Reds looked improved after the restart and did not take long to equalize. Mohamed Salahthe cross found Cody Gakpo at the far post, the Anfield crowd helping Arne Slot’s side maintain their momentum. Fulham came back in front when Jarell Quansah should have been stronger against Robinson before he was allowed to bring the ball back to Rodrigo Muniz.
Slot responded by introducing Diogo Jota three minutes later, and it was Portugal international who equalized with a well-placed goal in front Bernard Leno. Nine minutes of added time gave a chance for a late winner, but Díaz couldn’t get it as he added the finishing touches to a promising late attack, which was the final big moment of the match.
Positive points
Liverpool showed determination after falling twice to get back level and were the better team despite the numerical disadvantage. A performance from which the Reds can draw positives.
Negative points
The chance creation in the first half needed to be better, although the red card meant Slot didn’t have time until the break to properly tweak his system.
Manager rating (1-10; 10 = best)
Location Arne, 9 — Slot’s side never lost control of the game despite going down to 10 men, and there were clear signs of a game plan in the second half as Liverpool began to create a steady stream of chances. Slot’s 58th minute booking means he will now serve a sideline suspension for the upcoming Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur.
Player Ratings
G.K. Alisson Becker 6 — Alerted to the danger and commanded the area well. There wasn’t much Alisson could have done about either goal he conceded.
D.F. Andrew Robertson 1 — Seventeen minutes to forget for the Liverpool left-back saw him face a daunting challenge Issa Diop early on, assist Pereira’s effort past Alisson, then get sent off for a foul on Harry Wilson as the last defender.
D.F. Virgil van Dijk 7 – Assured at the back and impressed with transitioning the ball to midfield areas to help Liverpool overcome the numerical advantage. Showed impressive awareness when defending counter-attacking phases to limit Fulham’s opportunities.
D.F. Joe Gomez 7 — A crucial block denied Fulham a dangerous chance with the 27-year-old passing through at left-back. Looked to support the attacks moving forward, but could have been better with his last ball on a cross into the box.
D.F. Trent Alexander-Arnold 7 — Forced to work hard with many Fulham counter-attacks on their flank and constantly pressing on the right angles to deny shooting opportunities. Deployed in a midfield role later in the match and helped Liverpool maintain control following the introduction of Darwin Nuñez saw the Reds change form.
MF Ryan Gravenberch 7 — Deployed at centre-back when Liverpool went down to 10 and linked up well with Van Dijk to help get past Fulham’s initial press. He moved back into midfield and advanced the ball impressively alongside Alexander-Arnold.
MF Curtis Jones 7 — Worked tirelessly in midfield alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and applied pressure to regain possession. Reserved for overzealous challenge on Alex Iwobi.
MF Dominik Szoboszlai 8 – A standout for Liverpool on the day, impressing both with his work rate to help defensively and with his decision-making in the final third, where he used his pace to break into space before unlocking the game for the front line.
FW Cody Gakpo 7 — Brought Liverpool level by connecting on Mohamed Salah’s cross, and showed his intelligence on counter-attacks, holding the ball to put others into play and choosing the right moments to directly challenge defenders.
FW Luis Díaz 5 – Booked harshly for a harmless overhead kick attempt, but disappeared from the game when Liverpool went down to 10, apart from a chance with a header that they should have done better with. I struggled to make an impact on the game as a whole. He should have hit his shot for the first time in the 94th minute.
FW Mohamed Salah 7 — Always got the better of the duels against Robinson and was a withdrawal for Liverpool by staying wide on the right flank. Played an important role in his team’s return to level with an excellent ball to help Gakpo equalize.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no ranking)
Darwin Nuñez (Gakpo, 70″) 6 — I entered positive central areas and pressed well from the front. Assisted Liverpool’s second equalizer with a ball to Jota.
Jarell Quansah (Jones, 70″) 3 — Allowed Robinson to pass him too easily eight minutes after coming on before Fulham’s second goal. A crucial mistake at the wrong time.
Harvey Elliott (Szoboszlai, 79″) N/R — Unlucky with a curled effort inside the box that went just wide of the post.
Diogo Jota (Alexandre-Arnold, 79″) N/R — Provided an instant spark to Liverpool’s attack and capped his performance with an excellent finish to level the score.