Liverpool 2-2 Fulham: 10-player Reds suffer Premier League title setback in dramatic Anfield draw
Report as ten-player Liverpool roared back twice to earn dramatic draw with Fulham; their lead at the top of the Premier League stands at six points, before second-placed Chelsea play on Sunday; Andy Robertson was sent off in the first half; Diogo Jota scored late leveller on injury return
Saturday 14 December 2024 18:42, UK
Ten-player Liverpool dropped two precious points in their pursuit of a first Premier League title since 2019-20 after drawing 2-2 with Fulham in a frenetic, topsy-turvy 100 minutes at Anfield.
In a game full of incident and intrigue, Fulham twice took the lead but were pegged back by a resurgent Liverpool, who played over 70 minutes with a player less after Andy Robertson saw red.
It's only the second time the Premier League leaders, on a 19-game unbeaten run, have failed to win at home all season - they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in October - and means the gap at the top of the table is five points instead of a possible seven, before second-placed Chelsea play on Sunday.
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Alex Iwobi found Antonee Robinson to tee up Andreas Pereira for the game's well-worked opener, and that was just the start of an eventful and chaotic first half, which saw Robertson sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity when taking out Harry Wilson.
VAR reviewed at length, and ratified on-field referee Tony Harrington's decision, also choosing not to intervene when Pereira's high and heavy challenge on Ryan Gravenberch only drew a yellow card.
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The fevered atmosphere then got the better of the usually-calm Arne Slot, whose remonstrations attracted the attention of a very busy Harrington, with the manager's third booking of the season ensuring he will serve a touchline ban at Tottenham next weekend.
"We all felt the referee was a bit nervous, maybe, we felt it," Virgil van Dijk said afterwards. "We can't put the blame on the referee but it's part of the game."
Anfield felt aggrieved, and Liverpool desperately needed a lift. They got it through the relentless endeavour of Mo Salah, who teased a wonderful deep cross for Cody Gakpo to convert at the back post two minutes after the restart.
But the measure and control which Slot so often demands was lacking, and the drama only intensified as a result.
Iwobi, with a hand in the first goal, also played his part in Fulham's second, crossing for substitute Rodrigo Muniz to apply a deft touch that took the ball beyond Alisson.
The final twist arrived late, and it came via Diogo Jota after an 11-match injury absence. Two of Arne Slot's second-half changes, Darwin Nunez and Jota, combined before the latter gave Bernd Leno the eyes and rolled the ball the other way.
Liverpool stretch their lead at the top to five points, with neighbours Everton holding Arsenal to a goalless draw, before Chelsea host Brentford on Sunday.
Van Dijk critical of 'nervous' officiating
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk:
Slot: Too many things went against us
Liverpool manager Arne Slot:
"It's exactly the opposite of the Girona game, where I was pleased with the result but not the performance. I'm very very happy with the performance, couldn't ask for more.
"If you drop points at home to Fulham that isn't what you expect or want. Being two times a goal down, and so many things go against us, except for one thing, our players and our fans were outstanding.
"The team showed character, and that is what Robbo [Andy Robertson] showed. Nothing to blame on him, character to him to continue after quite a hard knock on his knee with two studs [by Issa Diop]. I felt, 'ok, let's see how this continues', and I think it was quite fast afterwards where he concedes the red. Unfortunately it led to a red card that was a deserved red card."
Draw leaves Silva with 'mixed feelings'
Fulham manager Marco Silva:
"It's a mix of feelings. When you are leading the score twice, and they play with 10 men, we have the feeling we should have won the game. The way we started showed the trust on ourselves, massive respect to Liverpool's quality, but we came to try to match and win the game.
"It was a bit emotional, because with their quality and the crowd, in moments they can be unstoppable, but we took that risk. Our dynamic created a lot of problems for them always.
"We should have kept the ball better, and make them run more, but the way we planned the game created so many problems for Liverpool. In the end the power of Liverpool made an impact too."
