Five weeks ago, Fulham suffered second half heartbreak at Anfield when two goals in the space of two minutes denied them a famous win over Liverpool. It happened again tonight, although the difference is that the two goals conceded in three minutes midway through the second period are not terminal. Marco Silva’s side produced another professional performance display on Merseyside, even eeking out an advantage through a first half moment of magic from Willian. The Whites wasted good chances to make it two on the counter-attack, but they remain in the tie with a mouthwatering second leg at Craven Cottage to come in a fortnight.

Fulham’s frustration will stem from what might have been. Boyhood Liverpool fan Bobby De Cordova-Reid found oceans of space in behind the Liverpool defence after Jurgen Klopp sent on Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo early in the second period with his side still behind. The Jamaican international, a scorer here last month, couldn’t quite pick out the right pass from the first Fulham break and saw his shot from an acute angle saved by Caoimhin Keheller with other white shirts up in support. Silva seethed on the touchline at one of his most dependable players choosing the wrong option.

There was even an element of fortune about the Liverpool leveller. Fulham had absorbed plenty of pressure before going in front in the nineteen minute and were under the cosh for the first twenty minutes of the second half as the red shirts roared forward. They were on the back foot when the lively Diego Jota bit into a tackle to recover possession, but there was little danger of Curtis Jones’ shot extending Bernd Leno until it deflected off Tosin Adarabioyo, who had committed the cardinal sin of his turning back on the ball, and flew into the top corner.

The goal immediately reawakened the home crowd and revived Liverpool’s spirits. Klopp could have waited for the second leg to be ultra-attacking, but the German was rewarded for throwing caution to the wind when his two substitutes linked up along the left flank. Nunez carried the ball into the box and delivered a low cut back that Gakpo, who had ghosted between Issa Diop and Adarabioyo, converted from close range. There was still enough time for Liverpool to construct a more commanding lead to take to SW6 but Leno twice denied Nunez in the closing stages. The German first repelled a powerful header and then made a magnificent reaction stop to keep out side-footed attempt from Connor Bradley’s cross. The latter save felt crucial.

A compelling contest closed in much the way it had started with the hosts on the front foot, but Leno was distinctly underemployed in the first 45 minutes despite Liverpool enjoying plenty of possession. He did field an early strike from Jones and cut out a cross from Bradley, but Fulham gradually grew into the contest and took the lead from their first attack. The goal arrived from a throw in Liverpool failed to deal with, as Virgil van Dijk misdirected a header whilst challenging Raul Jimenez. Andreas Pereira raced onto the loose ball in a flash and squared it for Wllian. The Brazilian veteran had plenty to do, but made it look outrageously easily, hurdling the prone Bradley and switching the ball onto his right foot before squeezing a shoot between van Dijk’s legs and beating Keheller at his near post.

The visitors might easily have been two goals to the good at the break but De Cordova-Reid couldn’t quite bring a deep cross from the rampaging Antonee Robinson under his spell at the back post. Liverpool pushed for an equaliser before the break but were restricted to efforts from distance, with Joe Gomez’s drive from well outside the area in stoppage time coming closest – but flying a couple of yards wide,

Klopp’s charges made a frenetic start to the second period. Ryan Gravenberch dragged a shot past the post having found a pocket of space 25 yards out and Jones hit one straight at Leno from distance shortly afterwards. Fulham fashioned openings of their own once Klopp had introduced further firepower, but uncharacteristically De Cordova-Reid was unable to profit having exploited the space with Gomez caught up field. Those missed chances came back to haunt Silva’s side – but the tie is still delicately poised.

Fulham have forged famous comebacks at the Cottage in semi-finals before. Think how Simon Davies and Zoltan Gera stunned Hamburg to send Roy Hodgson’s men into an European final – or recall when Ryan Sessegnon and Denis Odoi dashed Derby’s dreams of reaching a play-off final. This team have demonstrated that they can put the top teams to the sword at home, just ask Mikel Arteta – and they have earned a chance to write more history by the banks of the Thames.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, van Dijk, Konate; Gravenberch (Nunez 56), Mac Allister, Jones; Diaz, Elliott (Gakpo 56), Jota. Subs (not used): Alisson, Beck, Quansah, Clark, Nyoni, McConnell, Gordon.

BOOKED: van Dijk.

GOALS: Jones (68), Gakpo (71).

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno, Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop, Adarabioyo; Palhinha, Reed (Lukic 83); Willian (Wilson 72), De Cordova-Reid, Pereira (Cairney 72); Jimenez. Subs (not used): Rodak, Tete, Ream, Francois, Vinicius, Muniz.

BOOKED: Lukic, Wilson.

GOAL: Willian (19).

REFEREE: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).