Liverpool win at Craven Cottage to re-ignite their title challenge

Liverpool put their recent problems behind them with a convincing 3 - 1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, as goals from Arnold, Gravenberch, and Jota secured a much-needed three points.

• Jurgen Klopp makes five changes from the team that crashed out of the Europa League last week
• Salah, Nunez, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, and Jones are all on the bench
• Luis Diaz goes close after just 3 minutes, heading just wide of the far post
• Alexander-Arnold scores a stunning free-kick from 20 yards in the 32nd minute
• Fulham equalise in the first minute of injury time

HALF-TIME - Fulham 1 - 1 Liverpool

• Ryan Gravenberch restores Liverpool's lead with a lovely curled effort from 18-yeards, after a clever pass from Elliott
• Liverpool grows in confidence, bossing possession and creating chances
• Diogo Jota scores Liverpool's third, slotting in from a tight angle after a pass from Gakpo

FULL-TIME - Fulham 1 - 3 Liverpool

Match Summary

After the disappointment of crashing out of the Europa League on Thursday, Jurgen Klopp was looking for a response from his Liverpool players, and they started their match against Fulham in a much more positive fashion, with Luis Diaz nearly giving them the lead after only 3 minutes, glancing wide from an Alexander-Arnold cross.

And Liverpool continued to play more positively, controlling possession and territory, without really testing the Fulham keeper.  Then, in the 32nd minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold showed exactly what Liverpool have been missing, scoring a wonderful free-kick from 20 yards out.  The goal was celebrated with much fanfare by the Liverpool players and fans, though Jurgen Klopp's celebrations were more restrained, with the Reds boss keenly aware of Liverpool's problems keeping a clean sheet.  And those problems were to re-appear before the end of the first half, as Liverpool began to retreat towards their own penalty area, conceding possession and territory, with Fulham taking full advantage, equalising in the first minute of injury time.

As the teams emerged for the second half, many were expecting Klopp to have made several substitutions, but he chose to stick with his starting XI, and they rewarded him with less than ten minutes of the second half gone, as Harvey Elliott fed Ryan Gravenberch on the edge of the area, with the young Dutch midfielder producing a lovely finish that curled in of the right-hand post.

With their lead restored, Liverpool began to grow in confidence, and after going close on several occasions, Diogo Jota marked his return to the starting XI with a clinical finish, running onto a through ball from the excellent Cody Gakpo, before cooly slotting the ball across the keeper and into the far corner.  It was the type of finish that Liverpool had been desperately missing over the last few weeks and helped calm the players' nerves going into the last 10 minutes and ensured Liverpool got the three points needed to re-ignite their title challenge.

Fulham vs Liverpool match stats (Premier League)

Possession
Fulham 39% - 61% Liverpool

Total Shots
Fulham 12 - 14 Liverpool

Shots on Target
Fulham 5 - 7 Liverpool

Corners
Fulham 1 - 4 Liverpool

Fouls
Fulham 5 - 11 Liverpool

Man of the Match

Cody Gakpo - 8/10 - Another much-improved performance from the young Dutch attackers, driving the team forward and grabbing an assist for Jota's goal.

What's Next

Liverpool makes the short trip across Stanley Park on Wednesday evening, as they face Everton in the 244th Merseyside Derby.  Kick-off is 20:00 GMT.

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