Liverpool 4-3 Fulham

Fulham came out on the wrong end of a highly dramatic match on Merseyside on a bitter Sunday afternoon despite being in a winning position with 87 minutes gone.

Trent Alexander Arnold opened the scoring and then closed it in the dying moments of the game to mean goals from Harry Wilson, Kenny Tete and Bobby De Cordova-Reid weren't enough to send Fulham home with any reward.

Marco Silva made three changes for the Anfield action. Wilson swapped in for Willian, the previously suspended João Palhinha came back in for Tom Cairney, and Tete was back at right-back after a spell out with injury in place of Timothy Castagne.

Luis Diaz got the first shot of the game off after two minutes after being slotted through the middle by Ryan Gravenberch, but it was comfortable enough for Bernd Leno to catch.

Liverpool dominated the opening minutes and thought they were ahead through Mo Salah next. Dominik Szoboszlai’s effort on goal was spilled by Leno, who then got clattered by Diaz allowing Salah to tuck into an empty net. Diaz was adjudged have been offside in the build-up and so no goal was given in the end and the game eventually got back under way following a lengthy stoppage for Leno’s head injury.

Moments later and the Reds did go ahead. Szoboszlai looked lively again and got fouled on the edge of the box, and up stepped Alexander-Arnold to curl home the resulting free-kick.

The lead didn’t last long for the hosts though and Fulham were back level within five minutes. The danger came down the left yet again through Alex Iwobi and Antonee Robinson, and the latter’s cross was poked home smartly at the front post by former Liverpool man Wilson.

Robinson was involved in the next big chance of the contest as Fulham went through the gears. Surging up field after a loose Darwin Nunez pass, our left-back’s ping at goal took a deflection which almost ended up working out.

Straight up the other end and Liverpool then went close. Virgil van Dijk’s goalward shot from a corner had to be blocked well by Wilson to avert the danger.

In a much more even contest now since the leveller, it took something special to get Liverpool back ahead. After the ball broke loose 30 yards out, Alexis Mac Allister half-volleyed a thunder bolt past Leno, who could do nothing about it.

Just before half-time the returning Tete got himself on the scoresheet and his team level once more. Raúl did well to nod on a corner towards our right-back, who flicked it past Caoimhin Kelleher and into the net. After initially being ruled offside, a lengthy VAR check revealed all was above board and the goal stood.

Before the interval there was time for even more drama in a frantic first half. From another corner Palhinha got up highest to direct a firm header on goal. This time Kelleher saved it but only for the onrushing Tim Ream to slam home. On this occasion the offside decision stood meaning the game remained level.

The second half picked up where the first left off with action straight away. After 52 minutes Salah raced through alongside Nunez, who fired his shot against the crossbar under pressure from Ream.

On the hour mark it was time for changes, with Willian and Cairney replacing Andreas and Wilson to make up a fresh-looking front line.

Robinson, who had three assists in as many games now, went close to doing one better and putting his side in front. Tenacious work down the right got the ball to Cairney to switch out to Willian on the left, who slotted in our American to side foot a shot towards goal, but Kelleher was equal to it on this occasion.

Fulham did go ahead next as substitutes combined. Willian slotted in Cairney, who jinked his way past his marker before lofting the perfect ball across for De Cordova-Reid to nod home from close range.

Liverpool were riled up now in search of an equaliser and almost got it from a corner of their own, when Diaz’s header was impressively clawed away by Leno before Salah fired the rebound over.

Then, just when things the points looked to be returning to London the contest was flipped on its’ head. First, Waturu Endo slammed home yet another leveller from the edge of the box, before Alexander-Arnold won it for Liverpool with a minute of normal time remaining.