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Liverpool’s incredible slide continued with a sixth successive Premier League home defeat as Fulham secured a crucial win to give their survival hopes a huge boost.
Mario Lemina’s goal on the stroke of half-time, after the Gabon midfielder had dispossessed Mohamed Salah, gave the visitors a deserved win and saw them draw level on 26 points with 17th-placed Brighton.
It was Fulham’s first win at Anfield since 2012, while champions Liverpool are now struggling to finish in the top four after another uninspired performance at home.
The Reds, who won the title last season by 18 points, had gone 68 home league matches unbeaten before their current run started with a loss to Burnley in January.
Since then they have also lost on home soil to Brighton, Manchester City, Everton, Chelsea and now Fulham.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made seven changes following the defeat to Chelsea in attempt to freshen things up, but Fulham were the better side and carved out four chances in the opening half an hour alone.
Ademola Lookman, who was given the freedom of Anfield, twice got behind the Reds defence but could not finish while Josh Maja was denied by a brave save by Alisson.
The winner came after Liverpool thought they had cleared a free-kick but Salah was caught on the ball by Lemina who produced an arrowed finish, his first goal since joining on loan from Southampton.
Diogo Jota, making his first start since 28 November, was denied an equaliser by an acrobatic save from Alphonse Areola early in the second half before substitute Sadio Mane hit the post with a looping header.
But Liverpool were poor and have now failed to win their last eight home games.
Weary Liverpool look broken
It was this time last year that Liverpool went 22 points clear at the top of the table after a win over Bournemouth in front of a raucous Anfield crowd.
Twelve months on and Premier League games at Anfield have become an uncomfortable watch for Klopp and this was another stodgy repeat of recent performances.
The Liverpool manager’s attempts to shake things up by making wholesale changes backfired as Fulham, who have spent most of the season in the bottom three, took advantage of another inexperienced centre-back partnership in the shape of Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams.
Lookman and Maja were a constant source of worry as they exploited huge pockets of space before Salah, the Premier League’s leading scorer, was dispossessed by Lemina for the goal.
Klopp sent on Mane, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold in an attempt to rescue the game but, despite an improved second-half showing, this was another woeful performance which extended an inexcusable run of home losses.
They have not kept a clean sheet at home since 6 December while they are yet to score a goal in open play at Anfield in 2021.
A plane circled above Anfield during the game towing a banner which read: “Unity in Strength – Let’s Go Reds YNWA’.
But Liverpool, who are in Champions League action on Wednesday, have the weary look of a team who cannot wait for the season to finish.
From 10 points from safety to fighting chance
Fulham boss Scott Parker let out a huge scream of delight at the final whistle after this momentous win.
As recently as 13 February the Cottagers were 10 points from safety, but this result will give them huge belief for the final 10 games of the season.
A performance full of character and spirit was characterised by Joachim Andersen’s clearance right at the end, the Fulham skipper saving his side with Mane poised to turn home Robertson’s centre.
Too many times this season Fulham have struggled to turn draws into wins but there was a dogged resilience about they way they went about their work.
They still have work to do but two wins on Merseyside – this result coming three weeks after a 2-0 win at Everton – have revived their campaign.
It’s runaway leaders Manchester City up next, but it will be home results against Wolves, Burnley and, on the final day, Newcastle that will determine whether Fulham will be in the Premier League next season.
What’s next?
Liverpool turn their attention to the Champions League on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) as they look to see off RB Leipzig after establishing a 2-0 first leg lead in the last-16 tie. Fulham have a free week to prepare for the visit of runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City next Saturday (20:00).
More to follow.
Player of the match
LeminaMario Lemina
Fulham
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Squad number18Player nameLemina
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Squad number5Player nameAndersen
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Squad number19Player nameLookman
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Squad number1Player nameAreola
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Squad number21Player nameReed
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Squad number16Player nameTosin
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Squad number34Player nameAina
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Squad number17Player nameCavaleiro
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Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
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Squad number27Player nameMaja
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Squad number33Player nameRobinson
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Squad number2Player nameTete
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Squad number15Player nameLoftus-Cheek
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Squad number9Player nameMitrovic
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 76N WilliamsSubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 76′minutes
- 47Phillips
- 46R Williams
- 26Robertson
- 7MilnerSubstituted forFabinhoat 76′minutes
- 5WijnaldumSubstituted forManéat 62′minutes
- 8KeitaBooked at 90mins
- 23Shaqiri
- 11Salah
- 20JotaBooked at 42mins
Substitutes
- 3Fabinho
- 6Thiago Alcántara
- 10Mané
- 13Adrián
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 17Jones
- 21Tsimikas
- 27Origi
- 66Alexander-Arnold
Fulham
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Areola
- 2TeteBooked at 38mins
- 5Andersen
- 16Tosin
- 34Aina
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 18LeminaBooked at 47mins
- 21Reed
- 19LookmanSubstituted forRobinsonat 83′minutes
- 17CavaleiroSubstituted forMitrovicat 85′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 27MajaSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Hector
- 9Mitrovic
- 13Ream
- 15Loftus-Cheek
- 23Bryan
- 29Zambo Anguissa
- 30Kongolo
- 31Fabri
- 33Robinson
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 0, Fulham 1.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 0, Fulham 1.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
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Hand ball by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
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Attempt missed. Nathaniel Phillips (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Sadio Mané with a cross.
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Naby Keita (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Naby Keita (Liverpool).
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Mario Lemina (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Joachim Andersen.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kenny Tete.
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Naby Keita (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kenny Tete (Fulham).
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Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
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Offside, Liverpool. Xherdan Shaqiri tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
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Substitution, Fulham. Aleksandar Mitrovic replaces Ivan Cavaleiro.
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Offside, Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold tries a through ball, but Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Nathaniel Phillips (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Tosin Adarabioyo.
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