Perhaps they underestimated Harrison Reed. Certainly there was little reaction when the ball came back to the Fulham substitute with 97 minutes gone. Liverpool simply stood off, almost daring Reed to shoot, and they rued their lack of urgency when one of Fulham’s more unfashionable players rescued a point for Marco Silva’s stubborn side by ripping a stunning shot into Alisson’s top corner.
It was a jawdropping moment – after all, it was only the scurrying 30-year-old midfielder’s fourth goal in six years in west London – and it spoke to some of Liverpool’s issues this season. The champions were vague in attack despite scoring twice and, where once there was the determination to force themselves over the line, here there was only defensive inertia when the task was to hold on after going 2-1 up through Cody Gakpo in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
The problem is this was no one-off. Liverpool, who missed a chance to tighten their grip on fourth place after a second consecutive draw, were similarly chaotic when leading against Tottenham’s 10 men last month and it is not lost on Arne Slot that his side’s inability to manage games has become a trend.
“If you are not part of Liverpool then you think you have won it [at 2-1],” the head coach said. “But I am used to it.” Slot felt that his side controlled the game. Dwelling on the equaliser, he argued that Liverpool had only dropped so deep because they anticipated Fulham hurling a long throw into the area. Still, though, he acknowledged that there had to be a reaction when Fulham went short. Instead, Reed was left in acres of space and when the goal was played back it was hard not to linger on the image of Virgil van Dijk failing to get out in time to block the shot.
It had been another jittery performance from Van Dijk at the heart of a defence where Ibrahima Konaté also toiled. Raúl Jiménez troubled Liverpool’s centre-backs and was the brains behind Fulham’s opener. The striker sent Harry Wilson through and the former Liverpool academy player collected his sixth goal of the season.
Liverpool were poor during the first half. They lacked inspiration with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké missing and benefited from a curious video assistant referee decision ruling Florian Wirtz’s equaliser onside when it seemed the £116m German had strayed just beyond Issa Diop before making it 1-1 early in the second half. “I was sure it was offside,” Wirtz said of his second goal in three games. “I didn’t even celebrate.”
Gakpo certainly did when he fastened on to a cross from the substitute Jeremie Frimpong to nudge Liverpool ahead in the dying stages. Yet this was not a flowing performance. Ekitiké’s absence with a hamstring injury forced Liverpool to contend without £194m of forward talent, leaving Slot to field a team with only 12 league goals between them at the start of play.
Slot adjusted by using Gakpo as a central striker, with Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wirtz offering support, but the ploy proved ineffective for much of a tepid first half. Shorn of natural width with Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool were predictable.
“The first half was good,” Silva said of Fulham’s efforts. “We blocked almost everything.” Fulham switched to a back five, gave up possession and made the most of very little in the 17th minute. Jiménez provided the spark by catching Liverpool out with a beautiful flick. Conor Bradley and Konaté were dozing on the right and Wilson, who was played onside by Van Dijk and Milos Kerkez, ran through to score with a brilliant low shot.
Liverpool’s best moments before half-time came from Gakpo. He scuffed badly wide at 0-0 and later headed against a post but more urgency was required. Liverpool pushed after the break and Alexis Mac Allister headed against the bar.
Liverpool’s mentality had transformed. There was more urgency to the press and Bradley stepped in to win possession. Fulham backtracked and allowed the right-back to poke the ball through to Wirtz, who curled past Bernd Leno.
Controversy followed. The flag went up but there was surprise when a lengthy review ended with the goal being awarded. The official explanation? Thicker lines are being used to assess offsides this season and more benefit of the doubt is being given to attackers. Liverpool were grateful for the help. It became more open. Gakpo shot wide before a mix-up led to Wilson hitting the bar. Tension grew; Gakpo made it 2-1.
But Fulham have scored crucial late goals in each of their past three games. They have lost key players to Afcon but they keep going. When Reed came on he was making only his seventh appearance of the season. It was the most memorable of cameos.
