A laboured and lacklustre Liverpool looked to have beaten Fulham at the death, only to somehow still throw it away. The Reds now couldn’t look further from a team who only last summer won the title.
Fulham 2-2 Liverpool
Premier League (20) | Craven Cottage
January 4, 2025
Goals: Wilson 17′, Reed 90+7′; Wirtz 57′, Gakpo 90+4′
Alisson Becker – 6 (out of 10)
Must be baffled by the array of confusion and mediocrity in front of him on a weekly basis. Was well beaten by Harry Wilson‘s effort but had little to do thereafter, aside from keeping warm.
Came out quickly to meet the run of Raul Jimenez in the latter stages as a searching ball over the top completely unpicked Liverpool once again. Must feel cursed right now, after a wondergoal rippled his netting to deny Liverpool a smash-and-grab win.
Conor Bradley – 6
Backed up his winger as much as possible on the overlap but struggled early on in finding the final pass. Put in a good shift against one of the league’s more challenging opponents in Antonee Robinson and came into his own in the second half as Liverpool pushed up more aggressively. Solid work to slip in Wirtz for the equaliser.
Ibrahima Konate – 5
Looked delayed and at times dazed, but thawed out as the match wore on and looked a little more lively. His communication with the skipper is waning, as shown by the movement with Fulham‘s opener and the gifting of an entire channel for Wilson to run behind into.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Looks like he’s losing the wind in his sails. A new week, the same patterns. Pull up the defensive line, get caught out of space, concede a goal, reprimand the rest of the back line; rinse and repeat.
Put in several important interceptions and was on hand to clear the ball out of play after Wilson’s chipped effort almost capitalised upon another Liverpool circus act.
Milos Kerkez – 6
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 4, 2026: Liverpool's Milos Kerkez during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The injury-depleted front line never got going, and it was always apparent that Kerkez would suffer as a result.
The understanding he’s enjoyed with Wirtz in recent weeks wasn’t present, as the Germany international fluttered through the void to try and find the ball.
Kerkez ended up lampooned out wide, with his link-up with Gakpo still all but non-existent. Worked hard and kept putting in one frustrated tackle after another. Got forward whenever he could and can’t been apportioned much blame.
Ryan Gravenberch – 5
Loose with his passing and looked a little off the pace. Failure to get him on the ball early doors always seems to drain a measure of confidence from his game, and Liverpool suffer. Was more resolute in the second half but far from a commanding force.
Alexis Mac Allister – 4
Complained recently that Liverpool have changed too many things and, while it’s hard to argue against that, Mac Allister doesn’t even seem to be playing his own role adequately and the fundamentals which it entails. Ran around, chased a few shadows, looked totally discontent.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 4, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Didn’t make a mark going forward in the first half and spent most of his time trying to retain possession for a Liverpool team that didn’t know what to do with it.
Brighter as Liverpool emerged in the second half, led the press and benefitted from the travelling away end getting behind the team. Lots of effort but appeared lost far too often.
Curtis Jones – 5
Clearly tasked with unpicking the final bank of Fulham defenders and showed delicate footwork in luring Issa Diop and Joachim Andersen out of position, but had little to offer inside the box.
Cody Gakpo – 6
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 4, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Was the focal point of Liverpool’s better chances, but didn’t fill anybody with huge confidence. Kept plugging away and ultimately saw his movement glean greater reward later on.
Went close from range but drifted in and out of the match far too often, before popping up with what looked like the winner. Of course, Liverpool would find a way of throwing it away.
Florian Wirtz – 6
Floated in and out of the false 9 berth and didn’t look entirely comfortable. Took on the role of trying to delicately dissect the back line along with Jones but far too often the final product lacked.
Took his goal well and will benefit from the injection of confidence that will provide, but won’t have enjoyed this gritty afternoon playing in a team with all the fluidity of lead.
Overall Team Performance – 5
Substitutes
Jeremie Frimpong (on for Wirtz, 76′) – 6 – Added the pace this match was crying out for although Liverpool needed it much sooner. Fizzed in a delicious and dangerous cross for Gakpo to bag what should have been the winner.
Federico Chiesa (on for Jones, 86′) – 5 – Didn’t have enough time, or space, to play the hero role.
Joe Gomez (on for Gakpo, 96′) – n/a – Came on to see the game out, just as Liverpool blew it.
Subs not used: Maramardashvili, Ngumoha, Nyoni, Ramsay, Robertson, Woodman
Arne Slot – 5
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 4, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot put out a team that didn’t register a single shot on target in the first half, and could anybody be surprised? It was the 13th time in 20 league games they’d not scored in the first half this season.
This Liverpool team didn’t have a lick of pace and could not have been set up in a more pedestrian and lethargic manner.
The lingering concerns of April’s defeat at Craven Cottage no doubt played an influencing role in the selecting of such a compact and dense team, but it screamed of a side who would happily take a point, against Fulham.
Frimpong’s arrival came much too late, and this felt very much like the sort of game in which Rio Ngumoha could thrive.
Liverpool didn’t deserve the last gasp win, and somehow managed to squander it anyway.