Fulham vs Liverpool result: Five things we learned as Reds fail to capitalise on rivals’ dropped points

Fulham 1-1 Liverpool: Decordova-Reid hit the opener before Salah’s late penalty shared the points

Salah scores for Liverpool (Getty Images)

Liverpool were held by Fulham in a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.

The home side started fast and Alisson was called into action three times in the opening minutes, before beating beaten by a thunderous strike by Bobby Decordova-Reid.

A Sadio Mane header off-target was the best that Liverpool could drum up in a first half which saw Fulham far brighter, harder-working and committing players forward at speed, while Jordan Henderson missed a great chance to equalise on the hour mark.

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Liverpool were entirely dominant throughout the second half but it took a 79th-minute Mohamed Salah penalty to level matters following a handball, while Curtis Jones’ dribble and shot, saved by Alphonse Areola, was the closest either team came to a winner.

Here are five things we learned from the game at Craven Cottage.

Fast-start Fulham

One of the big issues this season Fulham have faced has been starting Premier League matches at the requisite speed and intensity.

Against Arsenal, Leeds, Villa, Palace, Everton and most recently Man City, a goal has been conceded inside the first 10 minutes - it leaves them playing catch-up in the match and mentally struggling with the step-up in class, no doubt.

Here it was the complete opposite: from kick-off they were aggressive, quicker in the challenge, more inclined to get men forward and very fast in exchanging passes in the final third.

The home side were rewarded with a goal in the end but even beforehand they had seen two or three chances saved and had a penalty appeal turned down after a pitchside monitor check - they were simply better in every regard in that first 45 minutes and it made a huge difference to their game plan. 

Salah still on course

It took a penalty, and he was due to be subbed just beforehand, but Mohamed Salah did score and took himself to double figures for the season in the Premier League in the process.

Alphonse Areola almost saved the spot-kick, which was far from the No. 11’s most convincing hit, but the strike earned Liverpool______

Salah, along with Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, is in a group of the in-form forwards in the league who are likely to be in the running for the Golden Boot this season.

He’ll meet the Spurs duo in midweek, which could be an intriguing showing of who is most clinical.

Lookman serves reminder of talent

Ademola Lookman  hasn’t had the best of times over the last 12 months or so, with his move to RB Leipzig not really working out, so the switch to Fulham gives him an interesting opportunity to reset.

His big headline of the season so far was a negative one, but there’s plenty he does outside of the match-winning (or losing, as that one was) moments which can go overlooked at one of the league’s lesser teams.

Here against Liverpool he was excellent: hard-working, electric with his first touch and movement, always looking to come in and shoot on his right foot and troubling Trent Alexander-Arnold enormously.

After the break he was the regular outlet, the dribbling, energetic runner who gave them an out-ball to relieve pressure and force Liverpool back from time to time - an outstanding outing all-round, other than his rather awful lunging tackle on Neco Williams late on.

At the bottom…

It is looking already as though it’ll be three teams from four who face relegation this season.

Fulham and fellow new arrivals West Brom are in that group, along with Burnley and the woefully out-of-sorts Sheffield United, but the Cottagers are the side outside the drop zone at present.

One point in those circumstances, particularly against the reigning champions, is an absolutely huge result - and the fans’ cheer at the end of the game signified as much.

There’s a two-point buffer into the bottom three now, which is a nice gap at this stage, along with the confidence which will come from the result.

…and the top

Liverpool were presented with a great chance to go top, ahead and clear of Tottenham, after Spurs were held to a draw by Crystal Palace earlier in the day.

But on a weekend where both Manchester clubs and Chelsea also dropped points, Liverpool went and did the same - largely due to the terrible first-half performance.

There won’t be too much panic from Jurgen Klopp and his staff, more a sense of frustration that so many players were below-par.

Next time out must be very different though, with that top spot very much up for grabs on Wednesday night at Anfield.

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