Liverpool were unable to break the deadlock at Anfield, settling for a 0-0 draw that handed Fulham their inaugural point of the Premier League campaign. The home side, who handed a first‑team Premier League debut to Bradley Barcola, appeared a touch sluggish from the first whistle, still feeling the after‑effects of their demanding European trip to Atletico Madrid.

A rare mistake from goalkeeper Alisson gave Goncalo Garcia a near‑scoring opportunity, but Jeremy Jacquet intervened to clear the danger. The Reds came close to taking the lead when Victor Munoz rose powerfully from a corner delivered by Kostas Tsimikas, only to see his header smash against the crossbar midway through the opening half. Despite a poor run of form under manager Alvaro Arbeloa – having lost their first three league games – Fulham managed to dominate possession for large periods and threatened to overturn the stalemate.

In the second half the visitors continued to press. Josh King unleashed a long‑range effort that forced Alisson to tip the ball wide of the post, while a promising move saw substitute Kevin swing in a cross for Rodrigo Muniz, who failed to control the ball cleanly and missed a clear chance.

As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Alexander Isak rose to meet a Szoboszlai corner but his header drifted just wide of the far post. The draw leaves Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola still searching for his first Premier League victory at Anfield. To date he has drawn three of his first four league fixtures, maintaining an unbeaten record but failing to secure the wins his supporters crave.

The positives in this match, however, can be attributed largely to former Liverpool player and Fulham boss Arbeloa, whose side showed resilience and tactical discipline. Key moments of the match: - 12' – Alisson mishandles a ball, but Jacquet clears the resulting danger from Garcia. - 22' – Munoz heads Tsimikas' corner onto the bar. - 76' – King attempts a long‑range shot; Alisson tips it over.

- 79' – Kevin delivers a cross, Muniz fails to control and loses possession. - 90+1' – Isak's header from a Szoboszlai corner goes wide.

Post‑match, Iraola addressed the media, acknowledging the fatigue that plagued his squad: "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 admitted the short turnaround between fixtures – just over 60 hours after a high‑intensity Champions League win over Atletico – was a factor, but stressed that such scheduling challenges are inevitable. "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 in other days," he said. Regarding midfield control, Iraola noted an improvement after halftime: "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. I think we've been better structured, I think we controlled better the game in the second half, even without scoring the goal." When asked if playing at home was an issue, he replied: "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 manager Alvaro Arbeloa also spoke after the match, reflecting on the difficulty of maintaining belief when results are not going your way.

"I know that when you are not winning games, it's not so easy that your players believe in your ideas. I know everything is easy when you win but they believe in the way that we have been working and I showed them the things that we were doing so well," he said. He praised his team's effort but warned that mistakes are costly in this league: "If you have chances, try to take those chances but also to be a little bit more balanced and control the transition against a team when all teams here in England have quick players.

I think we did better and we realised how important it is to be balanced." Arbeloa highlighted the importance of transition work, noting that the team's approach had evolved after a difficult game against Crystal Palace: "From my first day, we trained so hard about the transition. But I think everything changed after the Crystal Palace game because I think we have been working all this week, but in the first week also, how important it is to be balanced when you have the ball." Sky Sports' Adam Bate offered his perspective from Anfield, recalling the celebratory mood that followed Iraola's first Champions League triumph against Atletico.

He observed that the real test for the Basque coach now lies in coping with a congested schedule that includes European commitments – a challenge he had not faced at Rayo Vallecano or Bournemouth. "This was the first test of that and Liverpool did not pass it. They were unable to play at the tempo that Iraola usually demands, starting slowly and struggling to raise the level. Fulham, with an injection of attacking substitutes of their own, looked as likely to win it," Bate wrote.

Iraola's unbeaten run as Liverpool boss continues, extending back to early January from his successful spell with the Cherries, yet his home form remains under scrutiny. Two points from two home games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham are not enough for a club of Liverpool's stature, and the pressure will only increase as the season progresses. Overall, the match was a tactical battle with both sides creating moments of promise but ultimately failing to find the back of the net. Liverpool will look to sharpen their attacking edge and improve pressing intensity, while Fulham can take confidence from a disciplined performance that earned them a valuable point away from Craven Cottage.

The Premier League table tightens, and both managers will have plenty to contemplate as they prepare for their next fixtures.