Liverpool beat Fulham to draw level on points with leaders Arsenal
After a dismal week that saw them dumped out of the Europa League and lose ground in the title race, the pressure was on Liverpool to bounce back in the capital.
They almost made the perfect start in doing so, but Luis Diaz glanced Trent Alexander-Arnold’s wicked delivery inches wide of the target.
In a game distinctly lacking quality, a moment of magic broke the deadlock, and it was the returning Alexander-Arnold who found it. It always looked ominous when he stood over the 25 yard free-kick and he subsequently curled home into the top left corner.
The Reds seemed to hit a groove from there and had a half-chance to double their advantage shortly after through Cody Gakpo, but his effort was wild and flew harmlessly over.
In truth there was very little between the sides in the first-half, so it wasn’t a great surprise to see there was nothing to separate the pair at half-time.
Timothy Castagne was quickest to pounce upon a loose ball in first-half stoppage time and he lashed into the bottom left corner to leave Jurgen Klopp pondering just what he could do to change the flow of the game.
As it happened, he did nothing, and his decision was vindicated within ten minutes of the restart, when a swift move was finished off by Ryan Gravenberch, who curled home from the edge of the area to fire Klopp’s men back in front.
A one-goal lead was never likely to be comfortable for a side struggling so badly at the moment, but you always sensed a third goal wasn’t far away for Liverpool. It duly arrived too when Diogo Jota burst in behind and watched his effort squirm beneath Bernd Leno into the corner.
Knowing three points were crucial if they’re to realistically stay in the title race, few expected Liverpool to be troubled in seeing out the game.
A Tom Cairney strike aside, it transpired to be that way too, with the Reds securing three huge points ahead of the Merseyside derby in midweek - a round made even more juicy by the fact all three title challengers take to the field.
By contrast, it was a difficult afternoon for Fulham, but with their top-flight status already in the bag their number one mission is already complete.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)