Liverpool were in for serious problems at Anfield in a very frustrating and eventful encounter. The first-half red card for Robertson complicated life for the Reds, as they had to chase the result with 10 men. Even though Gakpo and Diogo Jota scored, the 2-2 draw meant the Premier League leaders felt like two points were dropped, whereas Fulham celebrated an unexpected result.
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Tough from the very first moment
Liverpool came onto the pitch at Anfield, looking to cement their lead in the Premier League. But what was expected to be a straightforward fixture against Fulham quickly turned into a test of stamina. Andreas Pereira put the visitors ahead after just 11 minutes with an acrobatic finish at the far post, expertly meeting Antonee Robinson's pinpoint cross.
That early goal was just the beginning of a rollercoaster afternoon for the Reds. Things went from bad to worse in the 28th minute when Robertson, already struggling after a knock to the knee, fouled Harry Wilson while trying to recover possession. A lengthy VAR review confirmed the red card, leaving Liverpool with a mountain to climb and Arne Slot's team scrambling to adjust their setup.
Gakpo reignites hope
A man down, Liverpool came back into the second half with a much higher level of intensity. It did not take that long for them to find a lifeline. Two minutes into the second half, Mohamed Salah made an ideal cross as Cody Gakpo appeared like a missile to head the ball from point-blank range.
Anfield erupted, and the equalizer injected much-needed energy into the team. Gakpo almost added a second soon after, only to see his shot blocked by Bernd Leno. But Fulham wasn't about to sit back. Rodrigo Muniz restored their lead in the 76th minute, capitalizing on a short rebound after another dangerous move down the left flank by Robinson. Once again, the stadium fell into nervous silence.
The unexpected hero
Just when all hope seemed to be lost, Diogo Jota stepped up to the plate. Returning from injury, the Portuguese forward took center stage. Darwin Núñez set him up with a clever pass at the edge of the box, and Jota glided past his marker before slotting a low shot past Leno. The goal was clinical and brought the crowd back to life.
The visitors, however, threw all that they had at the host in the dying moments as Luis Díaz came close to stealing the win with a frantic run but watched his effort deflected wide. At the other end, Alisson Becker was forced into a crucial stop from Adama Traoré's late counterattack as the Reds avoided an even bigger disaster.