Liverpool Vs Fulham Full Time Match Report

Diogo Jota made a dramatic return from injury to score a late equaliser as Premier League leaders Liverpool fought back twice with 10 men to draw 2-2 with Fulham at Anfield.

Jota, who had been sidelined since October, struck in the 86th minute to level the score after Rodrigo Muniz had put Fulham ahead late in the second half, looking to seal a victory for the visitors.

Earlier, Cody Gakpo’s header from Mohamed Salah’s exquisite cross early in the second half had cancelled out Andreas Pereira’s opening goal for Fulham in the 11th minute.

Liverpool’s task was complicated in the 61st minute when Andy Robertson was shown a red card for denying Harry Wilson a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Six minutes earlier, Pereira had volleyed Fulham into the lead, but Robertson’s dismissal meant the Reds were reduced to 10 men.

There was controversy earlier when Fulham’s Issa Diop escaped with only a yellow card for a high challenge on Robertson, who appeared to be offside, but VAR upheld the call.

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However, there was no such leniency for the Liverpool left-back when VAR confirmed Wilson was onside before he was fouled by Robertson, resulting in the red card. Wilson’s subsequent free-kick flew narrowly over Alisson’s goal as Liverpool regrouped.

Despite being a man down, Liverpool continued to apply pressure, with Luis Diaz heading over their best chance before the break. In the second half, the Reds were reinvigorated, and Gakpo’s quick equaliser following the restart sparked a wave of energy from the Anfield crowd.

Fulham, with the numerical advantage, failed to take full control, and Liverpool’s resilience kept them in the hunt for a winner. Salah came close on two occasions but couldn’t find the target, and then Muniz struck in the 73rd minute, guiding in a cross from Antonee Robinson to give Fulham the lead again.

The game remained fiercely contested, with both teams creating chances until the final whistle. In the dying moments, Jota marked his comeback with a clinical finish to earn Liverpool a point and maintain their lead at the top of the table.

The draw followed Liverpool’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Newcastle, and despite a postponed Merseyside derby, the Reds extended their lead over Chelsea, who face Brentford on Sunday, to five points. Arsenal, in third, were held to a 0-0 draw by Everton.

It was a chaotic first half at Anfield, filled with drama, including a yellow card for Diop after a challenge on Robertson, followed by Pereira’s opener, which took a slight deflection off Robertson’s thigh and wrongfooted Alisson.

The visitors’ aggressive start continued, but Liverpool stuck to their task and had 61% possession by the break, even with their defensive reshuffle after Robertson’s dismissal.

The second half started with a flourish as Salah’s delivery to the back post found Gakpo, who finished well to level the game.

The goal was initially reviewed by VAR for a possible foul on Kenny Tete by Luis Diaz but was upheld. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Liverpool pressed forward, but Fulham managed to strike again through Muniz’s composed finish.

With 100 minutes of action, the match concluded in dramatic fashion, with Jota’s late strike earning a hard-fought draw for Liverpool, ensuring their lead at the summit remained intact ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Brentford.

For Fulham, it was a frustrating result as they failed to secure their first win at Anfield since March 2021, but they can take pride in maintaining their strong start to the season, which is the club’s second-best in Premier League history.