A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s comprehensive and much-needed win at Fulham in Premier League action.

Fulham 1 - 3 Liverpool

Fulham: Castagne 45+2’

Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold 32’, Gravenberch 53’, Jota 72’

Pre-Match

Last week, Liverpool hoped to end their run of troubling form against a struggling Crystal Palace side. We know how that turned out. Now, off of a mid-week win in what was essentially a dead rubber against Atalanta, Liverpool hope their visit to Craven Cottage will be the cure to turn things right.

First Half

Interesting lineup for the Reds with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nuñez both making way for Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Gakpo is nominally slotted on the left with Luis Díaz slotting in the Egyptian’s typical role on the right. Almost immediately, a chance is created with Trent Alexander-Arnold picking out Díaz for a flick that goes just wide.

It looks pretty clear from the early goings that Liverpool are looking to play their forwards through via lengthy passes over the top. It’s nearly come off twice for Luis Díaz who has the freedom to roam and appears to be an early target for a mismatch against Antonee Robinson. At the moment, Marco Silva’s men look content to concede that space behind Robinson, who has been given license to push up, and ask their other defenders to pull-together to address the threat of the Colombian winger.

Liverpool craft another chance with Díaz and TAA involved in a pretty give-and-go before the Colombian cuts it back to Jota in the middle of the box, where the striker puts it wide. The replay shows that the cutback is deflected on the way to Diogo, creating a bobbling effect and making the chance that much harder. Good work by the Reds, but still scoreless.

I think that Fulham’s defense do deserve some credit here, managing to hold Liverpool to no shots on goal through 25 minutes despite conceding 75% possession. The defense has remained organized and resolute. In fact, Fulham are the team to record the first shot on goal in the match.

GOAL!!! Trent Alexander-Arnold makes Fulham pay for Palhinha’s second foul in a row, which also yielded its second free-kick in dangerous territory mere minutes from each other. The Scouser made the Fulham wall irrelevant by placing a truly exquisite ball that dipped and curled into the top corner of the goal. Bernd Leno had no chance. Liverpool up one.

Goal. Timothy Castagne smashes a goal in after Liverpool fail to clear multiple times. Liverpool’s inability to keep a cleansheet continues and Fulham are level.

Second Half

Liverpool continue their struggle to score from open play as well as their inability to keep other teams off the scoresheet. Adjustments to break Fulham’s organized defense would go a long way not just to winning this match, but also to showing that Klopp and Co. have figured out ways to strategize out of the traps that teams have been setting for them. Luckily, for Liverpool, reserves exist in the name of Darwin Nuñez and Mohamed Salah.

GOAL!!! Ryan Gravenberch notches his first Premier League goal with an absolute smash from just outside of the 18! Liverpool had already played the ball to that spot - just inside the arc, centere of goal - three times in the last 5 minutes or so, including a scuffed chance from Harvey Elliott. So it’s not a surprise save who from Liverpool would come good on the chance. Elated for the Dutch midfielder to have opened his league account at such a vital moment.

GOAL!!! Diogo Jota puts one past Bernd Leno after being played through by Cody Gakpo. Great goal and helps make the scoreline better reflect what the flow of the match has felt like.

The match has settled since Diogo’s goal, which was coincidentally the Portuguese striker’s last involvement in the match as he made way for Mohamed Salah. Chances have come for Darwin Nuñez and Harvey Elliott in the time since. Liverpool continue to impose themselves and it feels like there could be another goal on offer for the visitors.

The match ends at 3-1 Liverpool with the Reds back level on points at the top of the table with Arsenal.

Final Thoughts

Liverpool win handsomely and it’s nice to see the scoreline match the viewing experience given that Liverpool generally dominated the match. Liverpool have hovered near two-thirds possession for most of the match and it felt like one-way traffic for large pockets of the game. Credit to Fulham for their committed defending but it’s a gift to see the second-half Reds return. Also worth noting that whatever changes tactically occurred in the second half, it yielded chances from similar spaces - namely, at that spot inside of the arc just outside of the 18 yard box. So many passing movements ended near that place, including Gravenberch’s big strike. Lastly, the presence of Trent Alexander-Arnold in our team cannot be overstated. He is a special player and the team look that much more dangerous and cohesive when he’s on the pitch and pulling the strings.

Next up, the Reds have a midweek date with Everton in the Merseyside Derby. Get some rest, it’s gonna be a barn burner.