Liverpool were denied a win at Anfield, settling for a goalless draw while Fulham earned their inaugural point of the Premier League campaign. The hosts, who handed Bradley Barcola his first Premier League start, appeared a touch sluggish from the kickoff, still feeling the physical toll of their recent clash with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. An early mishap from goalkeeper Alisson, where Goncalo Garcia nearly capitalised, was averted when Jeremy Jacquet cleared the danger.
The Reds did create a genuine opportunity midway through the first half when Victor Munoz rose to meet a corner from Kostas Tsimikas, only to see his header smash against the crossbar. Despite the setback, Fulham managed to dominate possession for large periods, a notable achievement given their poor run of form under Alvaro Arbeloa – they had lost their first three league matches before this fixture. The second half offered even more chances for the visitors.
Josh King unleashed a long‑range effort that forced Alisson to tip the ball wide, while Rodrigo Muniz, after being introduced as a substitute, should have finished a neat pass from fellow sub Kevin. Instead, Muniz struggled to control the delivery and failed to convert. In added time, Alexander Isak rose to meet a corner from Dominik Szoboszlai, but his header drifted just beyond the post.
The stalemate leaves Andoni Iraola still searching for his maiden Premier League victory at Anfield. To date, he has drawn three of his first four league games in charge, a record that reflects an unbeaten but unsatisfying start. The positives, however, can be traced back to Arbeloa’s influence, as the Fulham side displayed resilience and tactical discipline.
Key moments of the match: - 12' CLEARANCE: Garcia’s shot was blocked by Jacquet after Alisson’s error. - 22' CROSSBAR: Munoz heads Tsimikas’ corner onto 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 it. - 90+1' WIDE: Isak’s header from Szoboszlai’s corner sails wide. Post‑match, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola addressed the media, acknowledging the fatigue that had crept into 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 said. He noted the unusually short turnaround of just over 60 hours between the Champions League win over Atletico and the league game, adding that such scheduling quirks would become more common.
"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," Iraola explained. Regarding midfield control, Iraola admitted that Liverpool were late to press in the first half, but he felt the team improved after the break. "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," he added.
When asked whether playing at home was a factor, he shrugged it off, insisting the lack of recent victories was the more pressing issue. "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," he concluded. Fulham’s head coach Alvaro Arbeloa also spoke after the match, highlighting the psychological challenge of maintaining belief when results are scarce.
"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 side’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 explained. He reflected on the importance of transition work, noting a turning point after the defeat to 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," Arbeloa added. Sky Sports correspondent Adam Bate provided context, reminding readers that just three days earlier Iraola had celebrated his first Champions League triumph with Liverpool against Atletico.
That victory, while historic, was perhaps inevitable over the course of a demanding season. Bate observed that a recurring theme for Liverpool this campaign is how the Basque manager copes with a congested fixture list, having previously succeeded at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth without the added pressure of European competition.
"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," he wrote. Iraola’s unbeaten run as Liverpool’s boss continues, stretching back to early January when he guided Bournemouth to a series of positive results.
Yet, home fixtures against Nottingham Forest and now Fulham have yielded only two points, underscoring the need for a stronger response as the season progresses. Overall, the match was a tense, low‑scoring affair that left both managers with lessons to ponder. Liverpool must find ways to inject freshness and sharper attacking intent, while Fulham can take heart from their resilience and the belief that they can compete against the league’s traditional powerhouses.
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