Mo’ Salah Late Strike Saves Liverpool from Defeat
Liverpool may have been happy to get back home undefeated as Salah’s late penalty saves liverpool from defeat after grueling match against Fulham.
Jurgen Klopp’s team deserved their goal on the balance of play. They had been much improved in the second half and had been pushing hard in a way that seemed strangely alien to them in the first period.
Still, it was another one of those handballs that have caused so much debate this season awarding penalties.
In the 78th minute — with Fulham doubtless wondering if they were about to weather the storm — a free-kick from Gini Wijnaldum struck substitute Aboubakar Kamara on the arm as he jumped in the defensive wall.
With Kamara’s arm slightly raised and away from his body, it was always likely to be given. That is the way it is under the current laws of the game and the Fulham player perhaps didn’t help himself by turning his back.
Then, at half-time, central defender Joel Matip declared himself unfit to continue with a back spasm and that left Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson stationed in the back four during the second half.
Keeping all that in mind, Given the way Fulham played for the first 40 minutes, the home team could have been two or three goals up.
Early on, Fulham, no doubt helped by the reappearance of supporters behind both goals, looked eager for work. Liverpool looked like they needed a lie down. It made for a surprisingly one-sided contest for most of the first period.
Fulham seemed to sense opportunity with quick balls over the top and twice Liverpool needed fit-again goalkeeper Alisson to save them in the first 15 minutes.
Both times it was the Portuguese Ivan Cavaleiro who sped away, once down the right and then down the left. He shot early both times from angles and Alisson parried high and then low.
With the former Everton forward Ademola Lookman also dangerous, Liverpool were up against it.
Their retention of the ball was poor and that only encouraged Fulham further.
Referee Andre Marriner went to his monitor to look at a Fabinho penalty box challenge on Cavaleiro that could have gone either way in the 19th minute. Liverpool survived that one but did not manage to last much longer on terms.
Lookman cut inside from the right side to get a sight of goal in the 25th minute and Alisson dived to his left to touch away the low shot.
Then, from a corner, Liverpool twice failed to clear and when the ball dropped to Bobby Decordova-Reid he smashed it across the Liverpool goalkeeper and into the far corner.
Klopp pointed later to a possible foul on Salah in the build-up and may have had a point. But it was a super strike and the Fulham supporters celebrated with the kind of joy you would expect after so long at home on their sofas.
The challenge now was for Liverpool to raise themselves and it took them until the last five minutes of the half to do it, Sadio Mane heading a Curtis Jones cross over when unmarked and then Salah spinning on to a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross only to shoot wide of the near post when he might have scored.
This pretty much set the tone for the second half. As Fulham’s energy levels dropped, Liverpool sensed opportunity and dominated the period.
Areola saved from Salah and Jones rather routinely and then brilliantly from Henderson from point-blank range. That looked as though it might have won his team the game, though it was not to be.