Liverpool 2-1 Fulham: Cody Gakpo’s slick cameo conjures up one more plot twist for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds as they bounce back from conceding Willian opener to guide Carabao Cup semi-final

Observing Liverpool this season is considerably like returning to an old movie you’ve found dozens of instances in advance of, the type that pops up every single Saturday night time on ITV2. You know what’s likely to transpire, the plot twist is no shock, but you cannot enable but watch it all over again and yet again.

The protagonist of the tale differs but the final result is the identical. It generally begins with Liverpool going 1- down – this was the 15th time this year that has took place – and virtually normally finishes with the Reds preventing again to triumph.

Jurgen Klopp’s facet have lost just a few of people 15 game titles – two ended up fairly meaningless Europa League absent ties, the other was just after a VAR shambles at Tottenham that noticed Luis Diaz denied a perfectly respectable target amid a cock-up at Stockley Park.

This match commenced the identical, with Liverpool likely a purpose powering in a to start with half that ended with complaints of sloppiness in defence and a deficiency of creative imagination in attack. But 2nd-50 % strikes from Curtis Jones and substitute Cody Gakpo cancelled out Willian’s opener.

Klopp has denied the suggestion that his self-dubbed Mentality Monsters are again – but it is difficult to argue any extra. No matter if it be the beginning XI or individuals off the bench – Liverpool have scored 15 plans from substitutes this time – these gamers never know when they are crushed.

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Neither staff ended up at their greatest, with both generally offering the ball absent cheaply. In the end, like in their FA Cup get at Arsenal on Sunday, Klopp’s mid-match tactical switches received the match, with Darwin Nunez acquiring two assists and the other, Gakpo, scoring the winner.

Fulham boss Marco Silva, whose side now have an uphill struggle in the return leg at Craven Cottage in a fortnight, was remaining annoyed at how his aspect capitulated following Jones equalised, with just two minutes and 40 seconds involving the ambitions. It felt like deja vu for the Portuguese boss.

That three-minute spell at least bettered the 81 seconds that separated Liverpool’s equaliser and match-winner in the Leading League match here a month back, which concluded 4-3 irrespective of Fulham leading 3-2 heading into the 87th moment.

The Cottagers’ strategy differed fairly from that December defeat, which noticed them attack Liverpool with no anxiety and gain assurance they could report a smash-and-grab scalp. This was much more of a evening made to sit again and frustrate their opponents.

And that program labored, specifically in the early stages as the Anfield crowd grew irked by Fulham’s time-squandering, whether it be Bernd Leno taking an age with target kicks, or players elongating time on the floor just after fouls. Some might contact it cheating, other folks would contact it sensible video game management.

Klopp was visibly pressured as he held his head in his hands just after a debatable refereeing decision, when the Kop was furious as Virgil van Dijk was offered a gentle yellow card. But Liverpool have been generally guilty of their personal downfall as passes went astray and assaults petered out.

But inspite of their domination of possession, 69 for every cent in the initial half, Liverpool established minimal in an attacking perception, with Leno’s only conserve in the opening 45 minutes staying from a Jones very long shot. Fulham hardly attacked both but they took their likelihood when it came.

The opening was aided substantially by an off-harmony Van Dijk skewing a headed clearance straight to Andreas Pereira, additionally youthful comprehensive back Conor Bradley slipping over. Pereira danced into the penalty place and fed Willian, who drove a powerful shot into the aim.

Liverpool were being, of study course, with no 4 of their 5-gentleman management group, with vice-captain and creator-in-main Trent Alexander-Arnold joining Andy Robertson on the injury checklist, major scorer Mohamed Salah absent with Egypt and goalkeeper Alisson Becker on the bench.

Kelleher had been handed a vote of self-confidence as Liverpool’s goalkeeper in the Carabao Cup – and Europa League – and could have performed better with Willian’s aim which observed him crushed at his around article. But he experienced small to do thereafter, with much of the participate in at the other finish.

His opposite amount Leno did not have substantially to do right up until soon after the hour mark, with Ryan Gravenberch pulling a shot huge and Diogo Jota having his feet tangled up when a lengthy shot from Harvey Elliott deflected into his path.

Leno, though, was helpless on 69 minutes as Jones picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty place and saw a shot deflect off Tosin Adarabioyo. Barely a exhibit of creative genius, but the pass was Nunez’s ninth guide of the season.

He soon went into double figures, with Liverpool’s upcoming assault seeing the Uruguayan No 9 obtain place on the left of the penalty box and drill a cross into the path of fellow substitute Gakpo, who fired into the again of the net. At the click on of the fingers, the recreation was turned on its head.

Nunez deserved a intention for his efforts, and Klopp admitted right after the match: ‘You can’t be additional unlucky than him in the finishing situation.’ He was referring to two possibilities that were effectively saved by Leno, a person with acrobatics and just one probably luck as a shot was fired straight at him.

Lots of have suspected that the sluggish begins will at some point capture up with Liverpool. But right here we are in mid-January, with the Reds top of the Premier League, however in the FA Cup and the Europa League, and now with 1 foot in the Carabao Cup remaining.