Liverpool return to form with fine win at Fulham
Liverpool put a frustrating fortnight behind them to reignite their Premier League title bid with a welcome win at Fulham.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, making a first league start in more than two months following a knee injury, curled a fabulous first-half free-kick into the top corner to put them ahead.
Timothy Castagne steered Fulham level before the break but Ryan Gravenberch's perfectly-measured 20-yard effort flew in off the post to restore the Reds' advantage.
Diogo Jota sealed the points with an accurate low finish past Bernd Leno from Cody Gakpo's through ball and the margin of victory could arguably have been greater.
How clever Klopp’s changes kept Liverpool in title fightHow did you rate Fulham's performance? Have your say hereWhat did you make of Liverpool's display? Send us your views hereRegardless, it was an accomplished and largely trouble-free display from Liverpool that will reassure boss Jurgen Klopp they could yet end his nine-year reign with a second Premier League crown.
Dropped points in a draw at Manchester United and a shock Anfield defeat by Crystal Palace - with a disappointing Europa League exit to Atalanta sandwiched in between - had threatened to derail hopes of further trophies to add to the Carabao Cup they have already collected this season.
But victory at Craven Cottage lifts Liverpool back up to second in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal - but behind the Gunners on goal difference - and a point above third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
"For 80 minutes we played a really good game," Klopp told BBC Match of the Day.
"I didn't like the last 10 minutes of the first half and they got the goal. But that's all right because I loved the second half.
"We want to stay in that race, that's clear. Arsenal won yesterday, Manchester City will win their game in hand, so we have to win games and that's what we'll try [to do]."
Reds pass tricky test on ThamesKlopp's trademark post-match fist-pumping celebration with the travelling supporters seemed to have even more oomph than usual after his side navigated a tricky test they simply could not afford to fail.
Fulham have claimed a string of notable scalps at the Cottage this season, upsetting Arsenal there in December, while European hopefuls Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham have all been soundly beaten too.
Liverpool were fully aware of their credentials, having been taken to the limit by Marco Silva's side in a thrilling 4-3 win earlier this season as well as edging their Carabao Cup semi-final over two legs.
This was far more routine than those prior meetings but it needed Alexander-Arnold - who hit Liverpool's dramatic late winner to down Fulham at Anfield in December - to light the touch paper.
He had already whipped in a fine cross for Luis Diaz to glance a header wide before netting his sixth direct free-kick Premier League for Liverpool with an unstoppable strike that left Leno grasping at thin air.
Only Jamie Redknapp, with eight, and Steven Gerrard (seven) have scored more Premier League direct free-kicks for Liverpool than Trent Alexander-ArnoldGakpo would have located the very same top corner soon after if not for Leno's fingertips but Fulham's best spell of the game resulted in them drawing level in first-half stoppage time.
Not long after Andreas Pereira's attempt to emulate Alexander-Arnold's set-piece magic skimmed the bar, Castagne guided a loose ball in the box into the bottom corner for his first goal since joining Fulham from Leicester last summer.
But the hosts were profligate in possession after the break and Liverpool punished them, first with Gravenberch's exquisite curler and then Jota's composure to wrap up the points.
Fulham, safely ensconced in 12th place in the table, had little by way of response as Liverpool eased off the gas in the closing stages, perhaps with Wednesday night's Merseyside derby at Everton in mind.
Player of the match
Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold
with an average of 7.59
Squad number21Player nameCastagne
Squad number17Player nameLeno
Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
Squad number22Player nameIwobi
Squad number33Player nameRobinson
Squad number19Player nameRodrigo Muniz
Squad number4Player nameTosin
Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
Squad number28Player nameLukic
Squad number3Player nameBassey
Squad number8Player nameWilson
Squad number11Player nameTraoré
Squad number10Player nameCairney
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold
Squad number18Player nameGakpo
Squad number26Player nameRobertson
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota
Squad number10Player nameMac Allister
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number7Player nameDíaz
Squad number2Player nameGomez
Squad number38Player nameGravenberch
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Squad number3Player nameEndo
Squad number78Player nameQuansah
Squad number19Player nameElliott
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Squad number9Player nameNúñez
Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlai
Formation 4-2-3-1
17Leno21CastagneBooked at 79mins4TosinBooked at 39mins3Bassey33Robinson26João PalhinhaBooked at 30minsSubstituted forCairneyat 71'minutes28Lukic22IwobiSubstituted forTraoréat 85'minutes18Pereira14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forWilsonat 71'minutes19Muniz CarvalhoSubstitutes1Rodák2Tete6Reed7Jiménez8Wilson9Broja10Cairney11Traoré13ReamFormation 4-3-3
1Alisson66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 80'minutes78Quansah4van Dijk26Robertson19Elliott3Endo38GravenberchSubstituted forMac Allisterat 74'minutes7DíazSubstituted forSalahat 74'minutes20JotaSubstituted forNúñezat 74'minutes18GakpoSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 86'minutesSubstitutes2Gomez5Konaté8Szoboszlai9Núñez10Mac Allister11Salah17Jones21Tsimikas62KelleherMatch ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
Second Half ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
Attempt saved. Harry Wilson (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adama Traoré.
Offside, Liverpool. Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
Foul by Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool).
Andreas Pereira (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Attempt missed. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rodrigo Muniz.
Offside, Fulham. Harry Wilson is caught offside.
Substitution, Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai replaces Cody Gakpo.
Substitution, Fulham. Adama Traoré replaces Alex Iwobi.
Attempt missed. Sasa Lukic (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tosin Adarabioyo following a set piece situation.
Attempt blocked. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Hand ball by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
Foul by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
Calvin Bassey (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Liverpool. Joe Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Timothy Castagne (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
Offside, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez is caught offside.