Fulham 1-3 Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold reignites Reds' Premier League title bid

Liverpool overcame a frustrating fortnight to reignite their bid for the Premier League title with a welcome win over Fulham.

Timothy Castagne equalized for Fulham before half-time, but Ryan Gravenbirch's perfectly timed 20-yard shot went off the post to restore the Reds' advantage.

The margin of victory would probably have been even greater if Diogo Jota had scored from a through ball from Codi Gakpo with a precise low finish past Bernd Leno.

Either way, Liverpool's complete and almost trouble-free performance reassured manager Jurgen Klopp that they can end their nine-year reign with a second Premier League title. It will be.

Dropping points in a draw with Manchester United and a shock defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield, intervening with a disappointing Europa League defeat to Atalanta, cost them the Carabao Cup they had already won this season. Hopes of adding more trophies threatened to be thwarted.

However, with victory at Craven Cottage, Liverpool moved up to second place in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal, but fell short of the Gunners on goal difference, ahead of third-placed Manchester City, who still have a game in hand. 1 point higher.

Reds pass difficult test on the Thames

Klopp's trademark post-match fist-pumping celebration with away supporters looked even more animated than usual after his team overcame a difficult challenge they simply could not afford to fail. .

Fulham have taken a series of notable scalps at the Cottage this season, upsetting Arsenal there in December, while European hopefuls Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham have also all been thrashed out.

Liverpool are well aware of what they are capable of, having been pushed to the limit by Marco Silva's side earlier this season, winning a thrilling 4-3, and also coming through in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in two legs. was.

This was far more routine than previous meetings, but to ignite the touch paper, Alexander scored Liverpool's dramatic late winning goal to beat Fulham at Anfield in December. =I needed Arnold.

He had already delivered a great cross and, after Luis Dias had his header sent wide, Leno nearly grabbed Liverpool's sixth direct free-kick in the Premier League.

Had it not been for Leno's fingertips, Gakpo would have converted the same top corner moments later, but Fulham had the best development of the game to equalize in first-half stoppage time.

Moments after Andreas Pereira brushed the bar trying to emulate Alexander-Arnold's set-piece magic, Castagne guided a loose ball into the bottom corner of the box for his first goal since joining Fulham from Leicester last summer. Ta.

However, after the break, the home side had a lot of possession, and Liverpool first punished them with a superb curler from Grabenberch, then with Jota's composure they sealed the points.

Fulham, safely in 12th place, could hardly react as Liverpool eased off in the closing stages, perhaps with Wednesday night's Merseyside derby against Everton in mind.

player of match

alexander arnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold

Fulham

1. squad numbertwenty oneplayer namecastagne

2. squad number17player nameLeno

3. squad number26player nameJoan Parinha

4. squad numbertwenty twoplayer nameIwobi

5. squad number33player namerobinson

6. squad number19player nameRodrigo Muñiz

7. squad numberFourplayer nameToshin

8. squad number18player nameandreas pereira

9. squad number14player namede cordoba lead

10. squad number28player nameLukic

11. squad number3player namebassy

12. squad number8player namewilson

13. squad number11player nameTraore

14. squad numberTenplayer nameCairney