Liverpool vs Fulham English League Cup
Liverpool pulled off another of their trademark comebacks at Anfield, clawing back from a first-half deficit to defeat Fulham 2-1 in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final clash. The nine-time winners initially struggled against Fulham’s defensive resolve, falling behind to Willian’s strike, but Jurgen Klopp’s tactical tweaks in the second half proved decisive, as Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo struck in quick succession to hand Liverpool a slender advantage heading into the second leg.
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Fulham.
Liverpool put a big step towards the final of the #CarabaoCup. Return leg in 2 weeks! #lfc pic.twitter.com/d7hN0dNAQf
— Match Spoots (@matchspoots) January 10, 2024
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s absence through injury saw Conor Bradley deputize, while Virgil van Dijk returned from illness to bolster the Liverpool backline. The Reds, as expected, dominated the opening exchanges, but their possession dominance translated into little clear-cut chances.
Fulham, happy to soak up pressure, sprung into life on the counter in the 19th minute. Van Dijk’s misplaced header fell perfectly for Andreas Pereira, who found Willian, and the experienced Brazilian coolly tucked the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher.
The Cottagers’ resolute defending and Liverpool’s lackluster attacking play meant the first half remained largely uneventful, with only Joe Gomez’s late effort troubling Bernd Leno.
The second half began with a bang, as Ryan Gravenberch tested Kelleher with a powerful drive, but Liverpool soon reasserted control. The turning point came in the 68th minute. Jones unleashed a long-range effort that took a wicked deflection off Tosin Adarabioyo and nestled into the net, leaving Leno helpless.
Five minutes later, the Reds completed their stunning turnaround. Diogo Jota’s clever run freed Darwin Nunez down the left, and the Uruguayan’s cutback was met by Gakpo, who swept the ball past Leno to send Anfield into raptures.
The introductions of Gakpo and Nunez proved inspired, and the latter should have added to Liverpool’s lead, but Leno denied him twice with acrobatic saves. Nunez also spurned a gilt-edged chance late on, firing straight at Leno from close range.
Despite Nunez’s misses, Liverpool will hold a one-goal advantage heading into the second leg at Craven Cottage on January 24. Before then, their focus turns to the Premier League with a trip to Bournemouth, while Fulham face a daunting West London derby against Chelsea.
Klopp’s second-half substitutions and Liverpool’s never-say-die spirit saw them come from behind to claim a vital victory. However, with Fulham proving equally dangerous on the counter, the tie remains very much in the balance heading into the second leg.
