Things are starting to heat up for Liverpool under Andoni Iraola, and they wasted little time in asserting their dominance against Fulham, going within a whisker of taking the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when Ryan Gravenberch fed the in-form Alexander Isak in behind and he dragged a left-footed effort inches wide.
Yet for all their early dominance, it was Fulham who ought to have taken the lead when they were gifted the ball by Liverpool 12 yards from goal, but even with Alisson out of his net, Gonzalo Garcia couldn’t convert as Jeremy Jacquet heroically cleared off the line.
The Reds were undeterred by that wobble and quickly settled back into the game, creating another good chance to break the deadlock midway through the first half when Dominik Szoboszlai’s inswinging corner was headed goalwards by Victor Munoz, but his effort was clawed off the line by Bernd Leno.
Antonee Robinson then nodded one of the Cottagers’ best chances wide shortly before the break, but former Liverpool man Alvaro Arbeloa will have been relatively happy with how the half went for his side who had lost their opening three games prior to today.
A solid start to the second half for the hosts saw Isak test Leno low to his left, but aside from that it was more of the same struggles for Iraola’s men, who were struggling to break down a dogged Fulham rearguard.
The visitors’ threat was muted at best, although they did come close when Calvin Bassey powered a header into the grateful hands of Alisson moments before Leno was again called into action at the other end to beat away Szoboszlai’s stinging drive.
Josh King threatened a late winner when his curling strike was turned behind for a corner by Alisson, but on the balance of play and in a game that produced very few clearcut chances, neither side truly deserved a winner.
Liverpool remain well off the early pace as far as the title goes, while signs of promise for Fulham will perhaps raise belief that better days lie ahead.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool)
