Liverpool’s capitulation as champions stooped to an unprecedented low as Fulham boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Anfield which condemned Jurgen Klopp’s facet to a sixth successive dwelling defeat.
Klopp made seven adjustments within the wake of Thursday’s defeat by Chelsea however they didn’t encourage the Reds as their horrendous dwelling run continued towards the relegation-threatened Cottagers.
Mario Lemina punished slack defending from Mohamed Salah to rifle in his first Fulham purpose on the stroke of half-time as Scott Parker’s facet have been rewarded for his or her adventurous method on the dwelling of champions.
Substitute Sadio Mane clipped the crossbar within the second half and an important stoppage-time clearance from Joachim Andersen prevented Liverpool from salvaging some extent as they didn’t win for an eighth consecutive sport at Anfield for the primary time since 1958.
Against this, it was a memorable first managerial go to to Anfield for Parker as he guided Fulham to solely their second victory away at Liverpool which sees them transfer stage on factors with Seventeenth-place Brighton within the battle for survival.
Fulham plunder as Anfield foundations crumble
Mario Lemina celebrates his purpose with team-mates (AP)
With an eye fixed arguably on Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second-leg with RB Leipzig, Klopp made seven pre-match adjustments, however they have been pounced upon by a Fulham facet combating for his or her lives.
The guests got here near taking an early lead when January mortgage signing Josh Maja shanked a volley huge inside three minutes, and Fulham’s adventurous method went on to trigger Liverpool’s makeshift defence points all through the primary interval.
Ademola Lookman had the beating of Neco Williams, tormenting the Liverpool right-back all through with driving runs which he may have capped with objectives had he discovered the goal with two photographs early within the first half.
Liverpool have been indebted to 2 smothering save from Alisson Becker earlier than the half-hour mark when he prevented Maja from bundling the ball dwelling on the second try after reaching Kenny Tete’s cross to the again put up.
Neco Williams was undone by one other run in behind from Lookman on 35 minutes however recovered in time with an important last-ditch block which turned the Fulham ahead’s shot over the bar.
Mario Lemina makes it 1-0 to Fulham at Anfield
Salah regarded sharp within the closing third as he regarded to attract a line beneath his midweek substitution towards Chelsea. However having flashed a few early probabilities huge of the Fulham purpose, the Egyptian’s week took a flip for the more serious a minute earlier than the break.
Salah dithered in possession on the sting of his personal space after Liverpool had cleared a cross into the field, inviting stress from Lemina who picked his pocket and rifled a low shot previous Alisson which gave Fulham the half-time lead.
Mario Lemina celebrates his purpose in entrance of the cameras
Klopp resisted the temptation of constructing adjustments initially of the second half, which was greeted by the low buzz overhead of a banner-carrying airplane which the message ‘Unity is Power. Let’s go Reds. YNWA’.
It virtually impressed the Reds to an immediate response, with Diogo Jota’s thunderous volley expertly tipped away by Alphonse Areola inside three minutes of the restart.
Mane was launched simply after the hour mark however even he was unable to spark Liverpool into life as he didn’t convert a header from Shaqiri’s cross and scuffed an effort into the bottom from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross.
Liverpool ramped up the stress late on however Fulham’s stout defensive efficiency was typified by Andersen’s beautiful late clearance as Liverpool’s Anfield woes continued to go away their top-four hopes in tatters.
Carra: Liverpool are mentality midgets
Jurgen Klopp pictured at full-time following the 1-0 defeat to Fulham
Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Carragher:
“So typically at these levels final season, Liverpool scored late objectives, even the yr earlier than after they have been chasing down Man Metropolis. That man [Jurgen Klopp] rightly known as his facet the ‘mentality monsters’ and so they deserved that tag. However proper now, they’re like ‘mentality midgets’.
“Each time there’s a little bit of adversity, you go behind in a sport, his crew is simply not dealing properly with adversity at any stage on this final three or 4 months.
“It is not acceptable from Liverpool, that type of efficiency, and I will inform you what, I performed in some actually poor Liverpool groups. These defeats, at dwelling, towards the extent of opposition, you might want to discover one thing from someplace. It appears like prime 4 positions now are a great distance off.”
0:24
Roy Keane says Liverpool should not at present enjoying as a crew and at the moment are a membership in disaster.
1:50
Graeme Souness says it is arduous to imagine that how far Liverpool have fallen since profitable the title final season.
Anfield has fallen – Match stats
- Liverpool have misplaced six consecutive dwelling league video games, their longest ever such run, whereas they’re the primary facet to lose six in a row on dwelling soil within the Premier League since Huddersfield City in February 2019 (seven).
- Liverpool’s six league defeats at Anfield in 2020-21 is their most in a single marketing campaign since 1953-54 (additionally six), when the Reds completed backside of the top-flight.
- Fulham are the primary newly-promoted facet to win away at Liverpool within the Premier League since Blackpool beat Roy Hodgson’s Reds in October 2010, ending Liverpool’s run of 30 dwelling league conferences with such opponents with out defeat (W24 D6).
- Liverpool at the moment are winless of their final eight dwelling video games within the Premier League (D2 L6), solely embarking on an extended winless top-flight run at Anfield as soon as earlier than – 10 video games between October 1951 and March 1952.
- Excluding penalties and personal objectives, Liverpool have failed to attain with every of their final 115 photographs at Anfield within the Premier League (together with 16 at this time). Since we now have actual instances of photographs out there within the competitors (2006-07), that is the longest such scoreless run of photographs on dwelling soil by any facet.
What the managers stated…
4:40
Jurgen Klopp claimed Fulham’s 1-0 win at Anfield towards Liverpool was not as a result of the London facet confirmed extra need than the Reds.
Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp: “There have been moments we may have had extra of an affect on the sport. Conceding that purpose earlier than half-time was a large blow. We tried to react, and the boys confirmed that. In the long run if we do not rating objectives that is a giant drawback.
“We by no means had a momentum within the season, actually, within the Premier League a minimum of. You may see that. It is nonetheless within the boys, they nonetheless have all of it, however within the second cannot present it. It could be a masterpiece to learn the way we alter that in a single day.
“The one good factor is we play a special competitors in three video games and hopefully we will present a special face there.
“Fulham will trigger us issues – it is clear. They’re in a great second, they seem to be a good crew. All of us agree a crew like this could keep within the Premier League.”
Requested if Fulham ‘needed it extra’, Klopp stated: “The winner is at all times proper. My boys needed it. It is easy to guage, ‘they’ve received it so needed it extra.’ I do not assume that is the issue. I haven’t got to face right here and say we’re combating for this or that.”
3:05
Fulham supervisor Scott Parker claimed his facet ‘received what they deserved’ within the 1-0 win at Anfield towards Liverpool and cited the resilience of his gamers as a key issue.
Fulham supervisor Scott Parker: “First half I assumed we have been each bit what I needed us to appear to be. The probabilities we created, the boys caught to the plan, and we have been worthy of the primary purpose.
“However once more on the finish, the entire second half, we needed to present one other facet to us, character, resilience, doggedness. I am so pleased with the crew at this time.
I’ve at all times stated to the crew: ‘The way in which we’re enjoying, issues will change’ and at this time we’re on the best facet of that, so it is huge.
“There’s momentum with us as a crew. When it is all stated and carried out on the finish of the season, we’ll work out whether or not we have been adequate or not.
“I am happy for the lads, that they have what they deserve, as a result of for big components of this season, and within the final 10 or 15 video games, we have not received what we deserved.”
Man of the Match – Joachim Andersen
Ademola Lookman was the shining gentle in a powerful offensive show. The marauding Kenny Tete deserved recognition from his tireless efforts down the best flank. However the impressed efficiency of captain Andersen typified the combating spirit of Fulham. Alongside Tosin, the Cottagers have a centre-back pairing that would be the foundations of their survival bid in the event that they pull of their relegation escape.
What’s subsequent?
Monday fifteenth March 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Liverpool ‘host’ RB Leipzig of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday at 8pm in Budapest, earlier than travelling to Wolves on Monday Evening Soccer at 8pm – stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League. Fulham host league leaders Manchester Metropolis on Saturday at 8pm.
