Liverpool v Fulham Live Commentary & Result, 03/05/2023, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	28	5	5	94	33	+61	89	L D W W W
2	ARS Arsenal	38	26	6	6	88	43	+45	84	W L L W W
3	MUN Manchester United	38	23	6	9	58	43	+15	75	W W W W L
4	NEW Newcastle United	38	19	14	5	68	33	+35	71	D D W D L
5	LIV Liverpool	38	19	10	9	75	47	+28	67	D D W W W
6	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	18	8	12	72	53	+19	62	L D W L W
7	AVL Aston Villa	38	18	7	13	51	46	+5	61	W D W L L
8	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	6	14	70	63	+7	60	W L L W L
9	BRE Brentford	38	15	14	9	58	46	+12	59	W W W L W
10	FUL Fulham	38	15	7	16	55	53	+2	52	L D W W L
11	CRY Crystal Palace	38	11	12	15	40	49	-9	45	D D W L W
12	CHE Chelsea	38	11	11	16	38	47	-9	44	D L L D W
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	11	8	19	31	58	-27	41	L D L W L
14	WHU West Ham United	38	11	7	20	42	55	-13	40	L W L W L
15	BOU AFC Bournemouth	38	11	6	21	37	71	-34	39	L L L L W
16	NFO Nottingham Forest	38	9	11	18	38	68	-30	38	D W D W L
17	EVE Everton	38	8	12	18	34	57	-23	36	W D L W D
18	LEI Leicester City	38	9	7	22	51	68	-17	34	W D L L D
19	LEE Leeds United	38	7	10	21	48	78	-30	31	L L D L L
20	SOU Southampton	38	6	7	25	36	73	-37	25	D L L L L

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Next up for Klopp's side is a test against Brentford, where they will need to keep winning if they want any chance of landing Champions League qualification. Although they've closed the gap on Manchester United in fourth to four points, United have two games in hand and could quite easily restore the 10-point buffer with four games to play. Fulham are lonely in 10th with a five-point gap either side of them and with their Premier League status secure for another season, they'll be happy to wrap up this campaign at the end of the month and look ahead to next term.

Liverpool get the job done at Anfield as they come away 1-0 winners thanks to Salah's first-half penalty. They weren't at their devastating best as we've seen in recent weeks, but all that matters is the three points that takes them to within four points of the top four. Fulham will feel they could have got a result and had chances in the second half to hurt Liverpool, but it wasn't to be as they suffer a third consecutive loss.

90' + 4' FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 FULHAM

90' + 4' HUGE FULHAM CHANCE TO EQUALISE! James fizzes a cross to Reid in the six-yard box but his flicked attempt at goal is over the bar.

90' + 3' Henderson must be fine because he swipes a shot at goal from 30 yards out, but it doesn't trouble Leno as it sails over the crossbar.

90' + 2' Henderson seems to feel something as he plays a pass and needs treatment before returning to the pitch for the final minute or so.

90' The game has entered additional time, of which there will be three added minutes.

87' Elliott sends a long ball over the top of the Fulham defence which Gakpo lets bounce in front of him before sending a shoddy effort high and wide.

86' FULHAM CHANCE! Reid races onto a through ball but Alisson is quick off his line to retrieve the ball.

H. Elliott

Mohamed Salah

84' Salah is replaced by Elliott who faces his old side.

J. Milner

C. Jones

84' Milner comes on for Jones in Liverpool's final substitution.

Diogo Jota

D. Núñez

83' More changes for Liverpool as Jota comes on for Nunez.

82' Henderson shoots from 20 yards out but pulls his effort wide.

D. James

Willian

79' James comes on for Willian in Fulham's last throw of the dice.

M. Solomon

Carlos Vinícius

79' Fulham make a double change as Solomon replaces Vinicius.

78' BIG CHANCE FOR FULHAM! Willian drives down the left and cuts inside on his right foot to find Vinicius just inside the box, who takes one touch as he beats Van Dijk and Henderson but his shot from point-blank range is saved by Alisson.

76' It's Robertson who floats the ball to Van Dijk, but his header back across goal is hooked away by Cedric.

75' Gakpo races towards Fulham's goal and is tripped by Palhinha, who thinks he won the ball, and Liverpool have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Alexander-Arnold stands over it.

73' Liverpool nearly create a chance as Alexander-Arnold tries to slip the ball to Nunez, but his pass doesn't match the run of the forward.

B. De Cordova-Reid

T. Cairney

71' De Cordova-Reid comes on for Cairney.

H. Reed

S. Lukić

71' Reed is the second of three changes, and he comes on in place of Lukic.

N. Kebano

H. Wilson

71' Fulham make their first change of the match, Kebano replaces Wilson.

68' Fulham are starting to enjoy a bit more of the possession now as Liverpool back off slightly. They must be braver going forward if they are to trouble Liverpool, though, who are still fairly relaxed and in good defensive shape without the ball.

C. Gakpo

L. Díaz

66' Gakpo comes on for Diaz in a double change.

A. Robertson

K. Tsimikas

66' First change for Liverpool, Tsimikas is replaced by Robertson.

65' Cairney dinks the ball to Adarabioyo at the back post who heads the ball back across the penalty box, but Alexander-Arnold clears the danger. Adarabioyo was offside anyway.

64' Palhinha finds himself sandwiched in between Henderson and Jones as he tries to drive into the box and is fouled. This is a great chance for Fulham.

62' Henderson is fouled by Diop in the middle of the pitch and instead of looking to get the ball into the final third, Alexander-Arnold decides to play the free-kick short as Liverpool look to retain possession.

60' Tsimikas sends a hopeful cross into a relatively quiet Fulham box and Robinson hooks it away.

57' Before the game, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was involved in 11 goals in his last 10 Premier League appearances (9 goals, 2 assists) – indeed, since the start of March, that’s the most of any player in the division. Another goal in this tie suggests the Egyptian is back to his best!

55' Robinson delivers a dangerous ball across the face of goal and Tsimikas can only slice it behind for a corner. Fulham take a short corner and Willian tries to cross but Diaz blocks his effort.

52' Liverpool really are in cruise control at the moment as they tease Fulham in front of goal but they haven't been able to find that decisive moment where they take the game away from the visitors, who are still very much in the game as things stand.

50' ANOTHER CHANCE FOR LIVERPOOL! It's Salah this time who receives the ball in a similar position to Nunez moments ago, but he blasts his effort over the bar.

49' CHANCE FOR NUNEZ! Henderson slips a perfectly-weighted ball through to Nunez who takes one touch as he peels away from Diop before pulling the trigger, but skews his effort wide.

47' Liverpool have an early corner which Alexander-Arnold sends deep into the box, but Vinicius is on defensive duties as he heads the ball clear of danger.

45' The second half kicks off.

Klopp will probably feel his side should be more than one goal up but will be content with the lead at the break. As for Fulham, Silva will be disappointed to concede in the manner they did after making themselves difficult to beat in defence. They showed a few promising glimpses going forward and can damage Liverpool, but they'll need to do something quickly in the second half because the hosts only seem to be in second gear at the moment.

Liverpool head into the break with a deserved lead after threatening a handful of times during the opening 45 minutes. Another Salah penalty gives them the advantage after Diop's clumsy foul on Nunez, and from here, it’s hard to look past the Reds wrapping up all three points.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 FULHAM

45' There will be one minute of additional time played at the end of the second half.

43' Fulham must come out of their shell a bit more now after that opener. They had made themselves difficult to get the better of in defence, and have threatened on the odd occasion, but they're going to have to be a bit braver if they are to get something from this game.

41' It was really clumsy from Diop to concede the penalty. He receives a pass inside the box and just lets the ball run across him as Nunez sniffs an interception and in a panic, Diop swings a leg at the ball and catches the forward. It was great work from Nunez.

Mohamed Salah

Penalty Goal

39' GOAL! Salah slams the penalty straight down the middle and Liverpool take the lead!

38' PENALTY! Nunez is fouled by Diop just inside the box and Liverpool have a penalty!

36' Lukic fouls Jones and Liverpool have a free-kick. He's been targetted a few times as Fulham struggle to get the ball off him.

33' Liverpool have scored more Premier League goals on Wednesdays than any other side (220), while only in games played on Friday (2.3) do the Reds have a higher goals-per-game average than Wednesday (1.8).

30' Willian plays a short free-kick to Cairney who looks for Cedric at the back post with a ball over the top. The full-back brings the ball down and finds Vinicius in the six-yard box, but he is at a tight angle with his back to goal and flicks the ball straight into the gloves of Alisson.

28' Nunez smashes into the back of Palhinha as the ball drops towards the Fulham midfielder and wins a free-kick in Liverpool's half.

26' Konate makes a brilliant challenge to deny Lukic in the Liverpool penalty area as the midfielder looks to run onto a through ball from Wilson. The former Liverpool man has been excellent down the right-hand side and is causing the hosts problems when he gets the ball to his feet and drives forward.

23' Tsimikas whips the ball in with his left foot and it bounces through the entire box without touching anyone, and then Fulham clear their lines.

22' Jones is hauled down by Palhinha roughly 30 yards from goal and Liverpool have a free-kick in a great position.

19' Diaz cuts inside from the left onto his right foot and his awkward shot deflects off Cedric's foot and goes behind for a corner, which Fulham clear.

17' ANOTHER CHANCE FOR LIVERPOOL! Salah works his way into the penalty area at the byline and tries to chip Leno from a tight angle but his effort flashes across the face of goal, and no one was there to touch it in. That’s all it needed!

16' Three good chances in quick succession, two for Liverpool and one for Fulham, but it remains goalless so far at Anfield.

15' ALISSON MAKES A GREAT SAVE! He is at full stretch to deny a Vinicius effort from the edge of the box.

13' LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Salah drives down the right flank and looks for Nunez in the middle of the penalty area, but his pass is too far ahead of the striker who can't get to the ball in time.

12' Another dangerous attack for Liverpool as Jones floats a ball towards Salah at the back post but Robinson does just enough with an attempted headed clearance to put the Egyptian off as the ball bounces off him before trickling out for a goal kick.

11' LIVERPOOL COME CLOSE TO AN OPENER! Salah cuts inside from the right wing and slips the ball the Alexander-Arnold on the edge of the box, but his low shot is wide to the left.

10' Fulham have won just two of their 29 away league games against Liverpool (D7 L20). However, these victories have come in their last five visits to Anfield, including a 1-0 win in their last such match in March 2021.

8' Alexander-Arnold takes a shot on from 30 yards out, but it is straight at Leno and comfortably saved by the German.

6' CHANCE FOR FULHAM! In their first attack of the game, Wilson is put through on goal and squares the ball to Vinicius at the back post for a tap-in, but Van Dijk slides in at the last second to hook the ball away. Alisson was beaten!

4' A lively start for the hosts! Diaz's shot from just outside the area fizzes wide.

2' Diaz feels a push in the back from Adarabioyo in the penalty box and goes to ground, but referee Stuart Attwell isn't interested, and then the flag is raised for offside.

1' Fulham get us underway.

The players have emerged from the tunnel and are ready for kick-off!

Liverpool are winless in their last three Premier League games against Fulham (D2 L1) – only once have they had a longer run without a win against them in league competition (four games between February 1966 and December 1967).

Pereira and Ream are absent for Fulham after both suffering nasty injuries against Manchester City and are replaced by Ciarney and Diop. Cedric and Lukic also start.

Liverpool make three changes to the side that got a dramatic win over Tottenham Hotspur. Henderson, Tsimikas and Nunez return and replace Robertson, Elliott and Gakpo who drop to the bench. Jota is also in the squad, despite being a doubt ahead of the game because of a back problem.

SUBS: Marek Rodak, Kenny Tete, Shane Duffy, Harrison Reed, Luke Harris, Neeskens Kebano, Manor Soloman, Bobby Reid, Daniel James

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Cedric Soares, Tosin Adarabioyo, Issa Diop, Atonee Robinson; Sasa Lukic, Joao Paulinha; Harry Wilson, Tom Cairney, Willian; Vinicius

SUBS: Caoimhin Kelleher, Joe Gomez, James Milner, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Fabio Carvalho

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Konstantinos Tsimikas; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Curtis Jones; Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz

After a poor season on Merseyside by Liverpool’s standards, Jurgen Klopp’s side are fit and firing once more as they push for an unlikely top-four finish. They will be looking to secure a fifth-straight league win when they take on Fulham, who have been impressive under Marco Silva this season. The Cottagers looked good for a finish in the European spots themselves at one stage, but have fallen out of favour with just two wins in their last eight league games and are now battling to keep their chances of a top-half finish alive.

Hello and welcome to live commentary of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield!

Liverpool v Fulham Live Commentary, 03/05/2023

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