Liverpool were forced to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw at Anfield, allowing Fulham to claim their inaugural point of the Premier League campaign. The hosts, who handed Bradley Barcola his first Premier League start, looked a little sluggish on the ball from the opening whistle, still feeling the after‑effects of their demanding Europa League tie against Atletico Madrid.
An early mistake from goalkeeper Alisson was narrowly averted when Gonçalo Garcia saw his effort rebound, only to be cleared by Jeremy Jacquet. The Reds came close to breaking the deadlock when Victor Munoz rose to meet a corner from Kostas Tsimikas, only to thump the ball against the cross‑bar midway through the first half.
Despite a poor run of form – having lost their first three league matches under manager Álvaro Arbeloa – Fulham managed to dominate possession for large spells and created several promising chances. In the second half the visitors continued to test Liverpool’s resolve. Josh King unleashed a long‑range effort that forced Alisson to tip the ball wide of the post. Later, substitute Kevin delivered a low cross that found Rodrigo Muniz, who should have finished neatly but failed to control the ball cleanly.
Fulham’s persistence paid off in the dying moments when Alexander Isak rose to meet a corner from Dominik Szoboszlai, only to glance his header wide in stoppage time. The stalemate means Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is still hunting for his first Premier League victory at Anfield.
To date he has drawn three of his opening four league fixtures, a record that keeps the team unbeaten but leaves supporters yearning for more. The positives in this encounter, however, largely belong to the former Liverpool player turned Fulham boss, Arbeloa, whose side showed resilience despite recent setbacks. Key moments of the match: - 12' CLEARED! Garcia’s shot rebounded after Alisson’s error, Jacquet cleared the danger.
- 22' CROSSBAR! Munoz’s header from Tsimikas’ corner smacks the bar. - 76' SAVE! King fires from distance, Alisson tips it over the bar.
- 79' MISS! Kevin’s cross finds Muniz, who fails to control and shoot. - 90+1' WIDE! Isak’s header from Szoboszlai’s corner sails wide.
After the final whistle, Liverpool’s head coach Andoni Iraola addressed the media: "In the end, this is the easier one for me, for you, for everyone – our players were tired. I think there is a lack of freshness, definitely. We cannot hide it." He continued, "I think it's the worst turnaround in terms of 60‑something hours between the games, after a very big game the other day. But this is going to happen more times, maybe with one more day, maybe.
Sometimes it’s just the way the season unfolds." Iraola admitted the team lacked the cutting edge needed to win: "We have to adapt to these circumstances. It's this kind of game that you need to win, sometimes with a set piece, sometimes with a shot from the edge, sometimes from a moment of brilliance from the offensive players and we haven't had that today. We've been clearly not as good offensively as we've been on other days." On midfield control, he added, "I think today, especially in the first half, we were arriving late to the presses.
It's clear. I think we improved this part a lot in the second half. We were better structured, we controlled the game better in the second half, even without scoring." When asked whether playing at home was a factor, Iraola responded, "I didn't feel it three days ago against Atletico Madrid.
Is it because we haven't won? I don't know.
I prefer to play at home, definitely I prefer to play at home. We cannot find the reasons outside; we have to find the reasons inside the pitch." Fulham’s head coach Álvaro Arbeloa also spoke after the match: "I know that when you are not winning games, it's not easy for your players to believe in your ideas.
Everything is easy when you win, but they believe in the way we have been working and I showed them what we were doing so well." He praised his side’s effort while acknowledging the need for greater balance: "There were many things we did well, but we made mistakes and, of course, in this league, if you make mistakes, they will punish you. That's the level and we need to understand how important it is. If you have chances, try to take them but also be a little more balanced and control the transition against a team when all teams here in England have quick players. I think we did better and realized how important it is to be balanced." Arbeloa reflected on his training focus, "From my first day, we trained hard on the transition.
Everything changed after the Crystal Palace game because we have been working all week, but in the first week also, how important it is to be balanced when you have the ball." Sky Sports’ correspondent Adam Bate summed up the broader picture: "There were celebrations at Anfield on Wednesday evening when Andoni Iraola picked up his first Champions League win against Atletico Madrid. That victory was always going to come at some point this season, but a bigger question remained. One of the themes of Liverpool’s season has been whether the Basque coach can cope with a congested schedule, having impressed at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth without the added pressure of European commitments.
This was his first real test, and Liverpool did not pass it. They struggled to match the tempo Iraola normally demands, starting slowly and failing to raise the intensity.
Fulham, with an injection of attacking substitutes, looked as likely to win as the hosts. Iraola’s unbeaten run as Liverpool boss continues, extending back to early January from his time with the Cherries, yet home games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham have yielded only two points.
More is required if the Reds are to fulfill their ambitions this season." Overall, the match highlighted Liverpool’s defensive solidity but also exposed a lack of cutting‑edge creativity in attack. Fulham, despite a shaky start to their campaign, showed that they can compete against top‑flight opposition when they execute their game plan and maintain discipline in transition.
Both managers will leave Anfield with clear ideas on where improvements are needed as the season progresses. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million!
Enter for free.