A fantastic fighting performance from Fulham ended Liverpool’s 26-match unbeaten run at a sunny Craven Cottage this afternoon. Marco Silva’s side showed fortitude to put aside the early setback of conceding a stunning strike from Alexis Mac Allister to score three times before half time. The recalled Ryan Sessegnon equalised before Alex Iwobi punished Andy Robertson for a silly square ball and Rodrigo Muniz, who bullied Virgil van Dijk through, added a third ahead of half time. Liverpool did reduce their arrears through substitute Luis Diaz and former Fulham midfielder Harvey Elliott twice came close to rescuing a point late on, but the hosts held on for a famous victory.
Silva made four changes from the side that had succumbed to Arsenal on Tuesday and it took only a couple of minutes for Fulham to get on the front foot. Andreas Pereira pinched the ball from Ibrahima Konate and squared for Muniz, who show his shot blocked by van Dijk. Just as the Whites were looking to forward again, Mac Allister smashed home from 20 yards after robbing Iwobi and sauntering past Sander Berge to send the travelling fans wild. But this wasn’t the day that the Liverpool fans had expected – and Fulham roared back within nine minutes.
It was no surprise that Sessegnon, a livewire in his two recent outings against the north London clubs, squared the contest. The prodigal son’s first Premier League goal back at his boyhood club came at the Hammersmith End to seal the three points against Spurs; here, he scored at the Putney End after a dreadful attempt at a clearance from Curtis Jones, squeezing his shot between Caoimhin Kelleher and the near post.
Four minutes later, Fulham had the lead. Robertson played an inexplicable ball across his back four and Iwobi advanced into a shooting position. The Nigerian international saw his shot deflect in off Robertson to give Fulham the lead. Even better was to follow for the Whites ten minutes later when Iwobi’s miscue sent a ball up into the air above the Liverpool defence. Muniz got there first, brought the ball down delightfully and spun away from van Diijk, before a powering a finish past Keheller.
Both sides had chances early in the second half but Mo Salah wasted a guilt-edged opportunity by blazing remarkably over the bar from close range. That was a let off that Fulham didn’t heed as substitute Diaz brought the league leaders back into the contest by guiding Conor Bradley’s cross beyond Bernd Leno. It was Elliott who had the best chances as Slot’s side surged forward, but the former Fulham trainee curled a shot against the frame of the goal and then shot too close to Leno.
It became a little nervy at the end but this was a deserved win for Fulham and a serious demonstration of their character after last week’s setbacks.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Andersen, Bassey; Lukic (Reed 76), Berge; R. Sessegnon (Traore 82), Iwobi (Tete 82), Pereira (Smith Rowe 76); Muniz (Jimenez 76). Subs (not used): Benda, Cuenca, Cairney, Willian.
BOOKED: Lukic, Leno.
GOALS: Sessegnon (23), Iwobi (27), Muniz (37).
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Keheller; Jones, Robertson (Chiesa 82), van Dijk, Konate (Bradley 67); Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai (Elliott 55); Salah, Gakpo (Diaz 55), Jota (Nunez 67). Subs (not used): Jaros, Tsimikas, Quansah, Endo, Nunez.
GOAL: Mac Allister (14), Diaz (75).
REFEREE: Chris Kavanagh (Greater Manchester).
ATTENDANCE: 27,770.
This is Fulham…!!! 🙂
pretty obvious but why cant we do this every week?
Zippa, because Liverpool don’t play a low block. Can we play them every week?!!
I wonder if Harvey Elliot’s subconscious has a conscience. He just can’t score against us. Or perhaps he can’t face the reception from us if he did.
How on earth did we not get a penalty? If Kelleher had been an outfield player it would have been given. And how did VAR not see Dick van Dyke’s elbow into Berge’s face? It’s a good thing that we didn’t need the ref and VAR to do the job they are paid to do.
Berge and Bassey were immense today, fighting on every ball. A good performance from all, including Pereira, the staium was electric. Get in!
Yes, Berge had a good game – apart from allowing Mac Allister to run on goal and score!
Sess a free transfer EMR overweight and ineffective 34million that says it all. Otherwise a wonderful performance from all the 11 players that started. Good to see Tete again. Keep exactly the same team against Bournemouth
Ha ha!
What a wonderfully descriptive way of describing Iwobi’s “assist” for the Muniz goal: “floated a ball over the Liverpool defence”.
In reality, he mis-kicked and sent the ball into orbit.
Still, the way Muniz controlled the ball and used his strength and skill to hone in on the Liverpool goal was, IMO, brilliant.
He did exactly the same against Crystal Palace in a similar situation but, this time, he finished superbly.
Fantastic to see everybody up for this game and giving everything in a scintillating first half.
Credit, too, to Ryan Sessegnon and the way he finished -sharp as a tack -for getting us back and focussed after Mac Allister’s goal had momentarily taken the wind out of our sails following a great start.
I thought it was impossible to feel any more elated than the victory at Stamford Bridge.
…instead another stunning team performance during this outstanding season…almost unbelievable.
…shame about ESR though, chasing shadows.
AREN SLOTS TACKTICAL NO MORE, ROBERSON, RYAL GREVEBERCH, OUT OFF IN LFC SQUAD
Douglas is spot on, an outstanding season. Looks like we will achieve our highest points total and an outside chance of Europe. The best thing is that there have been so many more highs than lows. Making progress every season under Marco. Been a great journey so far this season