Liverpool were held to a frustrating 0-0 stalemate at Anfield as Fulham earned their inaugural point of the Premier League campaign. The hosts, who handed a maiden league start to youngster Bradley Barcola, appeared a touch sluggish from the first whistle, still feeling the after‑effects of their demanding Europa League clash against Atletico Madrid.
An early mis‑cue from goalkeeper Alisson – a fumble that nearly rewarded Goncalo Garcia – was thwarted when Jeremy Jacquet cleared the danger. The Reds came close to breaking the deadlock when Victor Munoz rose powerfully from a corner delivered by Kostas Tsimikas, only to see his header smash against the crossbar midway through the first half. Despite a poor run of form – having lost their opening three fixtures under Alvaro Arbeloa – Fulham managed to dominate possession for large spells and kept the pressure on Liverpool's back line. The second half offered the visitors even clearer chances.
Josh King unleashed a long‑range effort that forced Alisson to tip the ball wide of the post, while Rodrigo Muniz, after being introduced as a substitute, should have finished a neat pass from fellow sub Kevin. In the dying moments of added time, Alexander Isak rose to meet Szoboszlai’s corner but glanced his header wide, leaving the match deadlocked.
The point leaves Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola still searching for his first league victory at Anfield, having drawn three of his opening four Premier League games. While the team remains unbeaten, the lack of a win is beginning to raise concerns. The positives, however, can be attributed largely to former Liverpool player and Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa, whose side showed resilience despite a difficult start to the season.
Key moments of the match: - 12' CLEARED! Garcia’s chance denied by Jacquet after Alisson’s error.
- 22' CROSSBAR! Munoz heads Tsimikas’ corner onto the bar. - 76' SAVE! King attempts a long‑range strike, Alisson tips over.
- 79' MISS! Kevin’s cross finds Muniz, who fails to control. - 90+1' WIDE!
Isak’s header from Szoboszlai’s corner goes wide. After the game, Liverpool boss 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." "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 will happen the same way during the season." "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." He also reflected on midfield control: "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." On the home‑advantage question, Iraola said: "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 head coach Alvaro Arbeloa offered his perspective: "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 the things that we were doing so well." "We did many things well but we also made mistakes and, in this league, mistakes are punished. 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 realised how important it is to be balanced." "From my first day, we trained hard on 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 narrative: "There were celebrations at Anfield on Wednesday when Iraola claimed his first Champions League win against Atletico Madrid, but that triumph was always due to come. The bigger question has been whether the Basque coach can handle a congested schedule, having impressed at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth without European duties. This was his first real test, and Liverpool fell short.
They could not match the tempo Iraola normally demands, starting slowly and struggling to lift their level. Fulham, bolstered by attacking substitutes, looked as likely to claim the three points." "Iraola's unbeaten run as Liverpool boss continues – it stretches 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." The match also highlighted the physical toll of back‑to‑back fixtures, with both managers noting fatigue and the need for squad rotation. Liverpool will look to regroup ahead of their next league encounter, hoping to convert the resilience shown into a decisive victory.
Meanwhile, Fulham will take confidence from holding a strong side at Anfield, aiming to build on this point as they strive to climb out of the lower reaches of the table.