By Chris Bascombe at Anfield
Mohamed Salah could not do any more to demonstrate his distaste for the Europa League.
The Egyptian is on a mission to avoid the indignity of relegation from Uefa’s top tier, his latest goal spree retaining Liverpool’s slender hopes of Champions League football next season.
Salah became only the third Liverpool player to score in eight consecutive Anfield games, his winning penalty against Fulham consolidating Jurgen Klopp’s position in fifth, ready to pounce if the United’s from Newcastle and Manchester slip-up.
Salah has six in six in all competitions, this much-needed contribution securing a victory which became more unconvincing the longer the game progressed.
He has now scored in every home game since February 13, a reminder that for all the changes in Klopp’s forward line, he remains reassuringly consistent.
It is unlikely to be enough for Liverpool to steal fourth. Their form is better, but still patchy, and there remains a sense of Klopp using these games to fine tune a winning formula before next season.
The forward line is a case in point. Klopp rotated his attacking trio, recalling Darwin Nunez alongside Salah and Luis Diaz with mixed results.
More to follow…
10:29 PM
The run-in
Liverpool: Brentford (h), Leicester (a), Aston Villa (h), Southampton (a).
Fulham: Leicester (h), Southampton (a), Crystal Palace (h), Man Utd (a).
10:21 PM
Six goals in six for Salah now
10:17 PM
Jurgen Klopp speaks
Very happy. Super strong opponent. I can’t respect any more what Marco [Silva] is doing there. I thought we controlled big parts of the game in the first half but in the second half it opened up. It was tricky until the end. Five games in a row is good.
They had a big chance so could have scored. We had moments in the first half we should have scored. That’s how it is. You have to create. Of course we can control the game in these moments better but we can improve. We have played much worse in the past.
Alisson was close to crying with a clean sheet. It’s pretty rare for us this season! It’s very nice, especially for him.
09:57 PM
Full time: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Liverpool are victorious again with five wins on the bounce now as they continue their late charge for Champions League qualification.
Fulham are going the other way: seven defeats in nine after an eye-catching campaign in general. There were a few scares in this 90 for the hosts, but they did enough to claim all three points tonight and go within four points of Manchester United in fourth, albeit with two more games played.
09:53 PM
90+2 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Henderson‘s gone down grabbing his heal after looking like he overstretched getting to the ball. It looks like he’ll continue but we’ll have additional stoppage time from this.
09:50 PM
90 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Three minutes of added time.
09:50 PM
88 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Solomon with an inventive reverse pass. He drifts inside away from Trent AA before playing in Reid with a defence-splitting pass down the line who in turn tries to square but he just runs out of turf there.
09:46 PM
86 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Gakpo on the charge, played in by Elliot over the top. He chooses to shoot on the semi-volley, first time, but sends it sailing into the stands. That would’ve been outstanding if he’d got it right. In reality, he was better off standing it up and protecting it to wait for his team-mates.
09:42 PM
Triple change for Liverpool
Nunez, Salah and Jones are replaced by Elliott, Jota and Milner.
09:41 PM
81 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Henderson fires from a long way out, played in by Gakpo off his left shoulder. He’s 20 yards out and opens up his body as though he’s about to make the pass, but instead fizzes it towards Leno’s goal, missing the post by only a few inches.
09:39 PM
79 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Good defending from Cedric, who gets close to Jones quickly enough to ensure that he can’t get the cross in after being picked out from the middle of the box.
09:38 PM
77 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Vincius is denied by a big right hand from Alisson. He’s not been too troubled this match, but he’s stood up when needed, closing the gap successfully.
It comes from a brilliant counter-attack from the left-hand side, Willian charging down the left with pace before cutting the ball in to Vinicius who fires from five yards, but Alisson makes a huge save to deny Fulham.
09:34 PM
74 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Henderson tries to clip the ball over for Gakpo at the far post after some tenacious work by Salah down the right. The Liverpool forward can’t get there, but Liverpool will come again.
Palhinha fouls Gakpo with a trip around 30 yards out on the left. There is a slight touch on the replay, but the referee sticks with his decision.
09:30 PM
A trio of Fulham subs
Off: Cairney, Wilson, Lukic.
On: Reed, Kebano, Decordova-Reid.
09:29 PM
69 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Robinson sends one in from the left flank after a promising period of Fulham possession, Willian the man he’s searching for in the middle of the box, but Van Dijk is first to it.
Cairney then catches Konate in the high press. It’s a ticking off, but nothing more than that.
09:26 PM
66 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Robertson straight into the action to cause Fulham some problems with a lethal pass into the path of Nunez down the left flank. It’s passed out by Cedric who is just ahead of Nunez. Robertson is straight onto corner duty. He sends it into the front post, Gakpo is on it, but Leno is equal to the ball.
09:24 PM
Double sub for Liverpool
Off: Tsimikas, Diaz.
On: Robertson, Gakpo.
09:23 PM
63 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Robinson is invited forward down Fulham’s left flank. He spots the run in from Willian, picks him out, before he’s crowded out.
Palhinha has just won a free kick now, 25 yards out in the middle after Jones pushes him over after he weaves through.
09:20 PM
60 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Henderson is body checked by Diop just into Fulham’s third. Foul and free kick for Liverpool. It’s just got a little bit sloppy now for both teams out there, plenty of turnovers and not much linking together.
09:18 PM
58 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Palhinha pings it out to Willian down the left who makes the charge, but he’s pulled back from Trent AA all the way and chips one in towards the far post, but no-one is there. He’s not happy about the pull – and neither is Marco Silva.
09:14 PM
55 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Salah finds time and room for Diaz down the left, he jinks inside and tries to cut it to Nunez, but it’s blocked. The better pass was probably the overlap to Jones, and in the end the attack comes to nothing and presents Fulham with a chance to themselves break.
09:11 PM
52 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Diaz is played inside, but just as he is about to pull the trigger on the edge of the D, he’s pounced upon by Palhinha who out-muscles the Liverpool man and neutralizes the danger.
09:09 PM
50 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Fulham are organised and disciplined here, Liverpool looking for a way through.
Diaz with a really positive run. He picks the ball up and runs at the Fulham defence, dodging in and out of three payers before finding Salah to his right who hits the ball first time but scoops it over Leno’s crossbar.
09:06 PM
Kick off!
The second half is under way, Liverpool getting us going.
09:05 PM
Fulham are back out on the Anfield Turf
Can they make their presence felt in the next 45 minutes to come?
08:55 PM
Mohamed Salah is firmly back on form
He has scored in each of his last eight home games in all competitions (9 goals), the longest scoring run by a Liverpool player at Anfield since Luis Suárez in January 2014 (also 8).
08:52 PM
Half-time: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Salah with a terrific penalty kick to give the hosts the lead. They’ve had the better chances, but were off the boil in the 10 minutes or so before the goal.
Fulham have had their moments in the first half and Liverpool know that their lead is a slender one.
08:49 PM
45 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
One minute of added time to come.
08:49 PM
43 mins: Liverpool 1 Fulham 0
Henderson plays Salah in down the left. The Egyptian skips away from Robinson, cutting inside before trying to pick out Nunez in the middle… but it’s too close to Leno who jumps and holds.
08:45 PM
GOAL! Liverpool 1 Fulham 0 (Salah, 39 p)
As emphatic a penalty as you’re likely to see from Salah, lashed down the middle.
He’s now just one goal behind Steven Gerrard in fifth-place in the all-time Liverpool goal scorers.
08:43 PM
PENALTY: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Nunez charges down Diop in the Fulham box, the Fulham defender dithers over it and swings at the ball and catches Nunez, sending the Liverpool forward flying. Penalty.
08:39 PM
34 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Fulham have done really well following the early Liverpool pressure and have shown they can hold their own. The host’s pressure has just dropped down a notch in the last five minutes or so.
08:38 PM
32 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Vinicius tries to get away from Tsimikas on the Fulham break, and down he goes. Stuart Attwell doesn’t think there’s anything on – it’s a really good challenge from the Liverpool defender. He’s read Vinicius’s run terrifically and stood strong.
08:36 PM
30 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Clever from Fulham. They’ve just played a free kick from 35 yards out short and behind, Soares makes a surging run up the inside-right channel and is picked out from the next kick. A terrific touch from the man on loan from Arsenal and he fires it onto the front post, a couple of Fulham players lurking, but in the end Konate mops up for the hosts.
08:30 PM
Bernd Leno’s had the better of Salah… so far
08:27 PM
22 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Jones is fouled by Paulinha after a lovely spin to win the ball in Fulham’s final third. Free kick on the left, 35 yards out. Trent runs over the ball and Tsimikas swings it in, but no red shirts are there.
08:25 PM
20 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Nunez steps away from Robinson and wins a throw-in. In from Henderson, but once again a powerful header away by Adarabioyo to push Liverpool off the ramparts.
08:24 PM
Nice and calm, Jurgen, nice and calm…
08:23 PM
18 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Bernd Leno’s starting position has been brilliant so far. He’s now twice cut out balls over the top to Salah, great decision-making and intelligence from the Fulham keeper.
08:21 PM
17 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Salah with a lovely jink around Leno’s right-hand post. He tries to lift it over the Fulham goalkeeper, but it’s just over the crossbar.
08:17 PM
15 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
A really good strike from Vinícius; Konate and van Dijk are sliced effortlessly with a ball between them, Konate playing the Fulham forward onside. Alisson saves, but the warning signs are there for Liverpool.
08:15 PM
13 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Salah goes off on one down the right, following a simple hoofed ball up, very well read by Nunez and Salah. Salah tries to cut it to Nunez in the box, but it’s too far ahead of him and Fulham are again off the hook.
08:13 PM
10 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Fulham are getting out-numbered in midfield and they’re finding it very difficult with Trent AA playing in this cut-inside position.
The ball is played back to Trent on the edge of the D and he tries to sweep it into the bottom-left corner. Just a few inches wide.
08:10 PM
7 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Tsimikas tries a long ball down the left channel. Nunez is after it, but Cedric is there first – he knocks it out for a throw-in.
From the throw, Liverpool work the ball inside to lay up Trent AA who gets a shot away, but it’s straight down Leno’s throat. Very positive from Liverpool so far.
08:07 PM
4 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
A brilliant run from Wilson, he bends his run and gets round the back of Tsimikas who has seemingly switched-off. He doesn’t fancy taking on the shot and instead tries to square, but Van Dijk does really well to get back and slide in to send it out for a Fulham corner.
08:06 PM
3 mins: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Alexander-Arnold shoots at the end of a lovely move from Liverpool. A long ball over the top to send Nunez on his way down the inside-right channel. He pulls the ball back across to Diaz who guides the ball into the on-running path of Trent, but his shot, hit with venom, deflects off Diaz and out. A lively start from the home side.
08:03 PM
1 min: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Fabinho looks for Nunez in the box, Fabinho was offside in the build up, but the assistant doesn’t raise his flag. Liverpool profit with an unlikely corner which they probably shouldn’t have had. Fulham easily deal with it though.
08:01 PM
Kick off!
Fulham get us under way.
07:59 PM
The teams have emerged; a reminder of the line-ups tonight
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Henderson, Fabinho, Jones, Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Subs: Gomez, Milner, Gakpo, Elliott, Jota, Robertson, Carvalho, Matip, Kelleher.
Fulham: Leno, Cedric, Adarabioyo, Diop, Antonee Robinson, Lukic, Joao Palhinha, Wilson, Cairney, Willian, Vinicius.
Subs: Rodak, Tete, Duffy, Reed, Kebano, Solomon, Reid, James, Harris.
07:58 PM
Despite a disappointing campaign, Liverpool have protected the Anfield fortress
Just one defeat – against Leeds United – for Liverpool at Anfield this season.
07:55 PM
Fulham have excelled this season
Even a poor run of recent form – they’ve lost six in eight – has seen them drop to only 10th. European qualification is fading out of sight, but on 45 points they’re looking like comfortable mid-table finishers.
07:48 PM
Fulham manager Marco Silva on tonight’s opponents
It’s up to us to be ready to play at Anfield, it’s always really tough. It will be another great challenge for us.
As I said before the Man City game, for us all the matches are a challenge, and we like to embrace the challenge. I think (Sunday) is the best example, and I think really reflects Fulham as a team this season.
It is not easy to start the game against a top side, one of the best in the world, and concede a penalty inside the first or second minute of the match, with the absences of Mitro and Willian, two key players in our attack line, losing our captain in that game with a bad injury, and after the beginning of the second half, Andreas Pereira as well.
Even so, we were able to react as a team, to equalise, to make it really difficult for City, and show the resilience, character and personality of this group of players, and our organisation.
I think we created different problems to them, and we want to show that (again).
07:44 PM
Liverpool warm up
07:43 PM
Jurgen Klopp speaks with Sky Sports
Our only chance to win [Champions League qualification] is to win football games.
The final table of the year is always a reflection of the performances you put in over the year.
My concern is that we play the best possible football, that we keep the good stuff going and the stuff that is not go stuff is nullified.
07:40 PM
Fulham warm up
07:38 PM
Jurgen Klopp
He’s been given until Friday to file an official response before the FA considers disciplinary action such as a suspension after the FA charged him with “improper conduct” for his post-match comments about the refereeing in Liverpool’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham.
07:15 PM
Team news: Darwin Nunez starts first match in six
Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez makes his first start in six matches. He is one of three changes for the visit of Fulham.
With Diogo Jota struggling with a rib problem, the Uruguay international is recalled alongside Kostas Tsimikas and Jordan Henderson for Andrew Robertson and Harvey Elliott.
Fulham make five changes from the home defeat to Manchester City, with Cedric Soares, Issa Diop, Sasa Lukic, Tom Cairney and Willian coming in.
07:03 PM
Vinicius up front for Fulham
07:03 PM
Diaz and Nunez start
04:58 PM
Preview: All eyes on the touchline Rumpelstiltskins
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool against Fulham, fifth taking on 10th in the return fixture from opening day which ended in a 2-2 draw which told us how dangerous Fulham would be and how vulnerable Liverpool could be. Jürgen Klopp’s side start the game seven points behind Manchester United who also have a game in hand in fourth but given hope by their late revival in 2020-21 that thrust them into a Champions League spot at the 11th hour.
Fulham won on their last visit to Merseyside 18 days ago, beating Everton 3-1 and won on their last visit to Anfield two years ago when Mario Lemina scored the winner in a 1-0 victory. But they have suffered two blows with season ending injuries for Tim Ream and Andreas Pereira and are also without the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic and the injured Layvin Kurzawa while Willian faces a late fitness test.
For Liverpool, Thiago Alcantara joins Stefan Bajcetic on the sidelines until the summer, Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino have been training and might return in the final weeks of their time at the club while Diogo Jota, the matchwinner on Sunday’s 4-3 victory over Spurs took a knock to the knock he was already carrying and is considered a doubt.
Most reporters’ eyes will be fixed more on Klopp than his players, attempting to judge whether he is sincerely contrite for his ‘in the fourth official’s grill’ celebration and impugning Paul Tierney’s impartiality in the aftermath of being charged by the FA for improper conduct. “The whole situation should not have happened at all,” Klopp said on Tuesday. “It was out of emotion and anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I did. We won a game 4-3 in a spectacular manner and the only headlines I created and I really regret that. It’s not necessary and not how it should be.”
Nonetheless he could be looking at a lengthy touchline ban, heftier than the two-match one Marco Silva received for losing the plot at Old Trafford, as it is Klopp’s second offence of the season … if the FA finds him guilty. Rob Bagchi
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