Fulham punished a shambolic first-half performance from Liverpool to win 3-2 at Craven Cottage as Arne Slot’s leaders suffered only their second Premier League defeat of the season.
Liverpool had the chance to move 14 points clear after Arsenal’s draw with Everton but conceded three times in a calamitous 14-minute spell after Alexis Mac Allister had struck a long-range opener as the Cottagers ended their 26-game unbeaten run.
The turnaround began when Ryan Sessegnon lashed home Fulham’s leveller after a cross bounced into his path off the thigh of makeshift Liverpool right-back Curtis Jones.
It was an ugly goal to concede for Liverpool and another followed as Andrew Robertson’s woeful pass gifted Fulham possession and allowed Alex Iwobi to beat Caoimhin Kelleher via a deflection.
Liverpool were still reeling when Rodrigo Muniz added Fulham’s third goal with a cool finish past Kelleher after a brilliant piece of skill saw him flick a high ball past Virgil van Dijk on the edge of the box.
It was the first time since their 7-2 loss to Aston Villa in October 2020 that Liverpool had conceded three times in the first half of a Premier League game and they could not find a way back, despite Luis Diaz reducing the deficit from fellow substitute Conor Bradley’s pass in an improved second-half showing.
Liverpool had other chances, with an out-of-sorts Mohamed Salah blasting over from Diaz’s cross and substitute Harvey Elliott curling a shot against the bar, but Fulham were good value for the victory following back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
They move up to eighth, the win boosting their hopes of European qualification, while Liverpool remain 11 points ahead of Arsenal having missed the opportunity to take another step towards the Premier League title.
WATCH: All the goals
Ryan Sessegnon struck Fulham’s equaliser
Alex Iwobi punished Andrew Robertson’s error for Fulham’s second
Unbelievable goal! Rodrigo Muniz made it three
Luis Diaz pulled a goal back for Liverpool
Analysis: Van Dijk vulnerability exposed by Fulham
Slot came to the defence of Van Dijk in his press conference, saying any defender can have difficult moments against strikers as physical as Everton’s Beto and Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz. But this was another display to show vulnerability in the 33-year-old.
Van Dijk, normally imperious, struggled to cope with Beto’s running in the 1-0 win over Everton in midweek and Muniz got the better of him too easily for the goal that proved decisive at Craven Cottage. The striker’s touch was brilliant. Van Dijk’s positioning wasn’t.
He wasn’t the only Liverpool defender who struggled in the game. In fact, they all did. Ibrahima Konate was mercifully substituted by Arne Slot midway through the second half but the Liverpool boss would have been justified in taking off any one of them.
Jones could only direct Timothy Castagne’s cross into the path of Sessegnon for the opening goal and Robertson was culpable for the second, his slack pass across his own goal allowing Alex Iwobi to score. Robertson rushed across to try and rectify his error but only ended up deflecting Iwobi’s shot beyond Kelleher.
Van Dijk’s error, getting the wrong side of Muniz and allowing him to pluck a high ball out of the sky, capped a calamitous 14-minute spell, which leaves Liverpool with work to do to get over the line. Their title is not in jeopardy but a third defeat in four games in all competitions, and more defensive shakiness from usually dependable players, is cause for concern.
