Liverpool held 0-0 by Fulham at Anfield
Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by Fulham at Anfield on Saturday, 12 September. The visitors left Merseyside with a deserved point after keeping the home side out for 90 minutes. The Guardian
It was a result few would have predicted. Fulham arrived with only defeats in the Premier League this season, three league losses in a row. Liverpool came into the game days after a Champions League win over Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, 9 September.
Álvaro Arbeloa led Liverpool as head coach. Opposite him was Fulham boss Andoni Iraola. The two once vied for the same right-back spot with Spain.
The 15:00 kick-off produced no goals but it had its moments. The closest Fulham came to the lead ended with Jérémy Jacquet blocking Gonzalo García's shot in front of the goalline. Bernd Leno was Fulham's goalkeeper and kept a clean sheet, meaning his team conceded nothing.
Liverpool shuffled their pack. They made three changes to the starting line-up, with Bradley Barcola starting. Liverpool FC Kostas Tsimikas returned to the starting side and played 45 minutes.
Fitness shaped the bench. Liverpool had been monitoring Cody Gakpo ahead of the game. He started among the substitutes alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez. All three were sent on in the second half as Liverpool chased a winner that never came.
Thomas Bramall was the referee. Around 2,800 Fulham fans were expected at Anfield, with tickets off sale before the match. Fulham FC
History favoured the home side. Liverpool had won 23, drawn eight and lost only two of 33 previous home league games against Fulham. Those two defeats were both 1-0 losses, in May 2012 and March 2021. Liverpool FC
For fans, this means something different at each end. Fulham stop the slide after three straight defeats and take confidence from standing firm away from home. Liverpool drop two points at home after midweek European work, and must find a sharper edge in attack.
