Any claims Liverpool were cruising to the title in a weak Premier League were undermined as they fell to a 3-2 defeat to a Fulham side among those still battling.
Fulham 3-2 Liverpool
Premier League (31) | Craven Cottage
April 6, 2025
Goals: Sessegnon 23′, Iwobi 32′, Muniz 37′; Mac Allister 14′, Diaz 72′
1. Firstly, there’s no need for panic
There is absolutely no getting away from the fact that this was a disappointing afternoon for Liverpool.
But the criticism should not be over the top given the position this team finds itself in at the end of a remarkable season.
Remember, this was Liverpool’s first defeat in 26 Premier League games, and their first away from home in the league this campaign.
As such, they still sit 11 points clear at the summit and well on track to win the title, making this bad day at the office far easier to brush off.
2. Errors were Liverpool’s undoing
Of course, despite playing poorly in this one, Liverpool still managed to score two goals away from home and put themselves in with a chance of winning the game.
That they didn’t owed much to going 3-1 down during a calamitous first half the likes of which we have not seen all season.
Fulham 3-2 Liverpool – Player Ratings
Having averaged less than one defensive error leading to a shot per game in 2024/25, the Reds produced three inside the first half-hour at Craven Cottage.
That is not only uncharacteristic but also a good way to go about losing games of football.
3. Weak league talk is clearly nonsense
That those mistakes were punished also owes much to the quality of some of Fulham‘s finishing, particularly the goals from Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Muniz.
Players able to do that are difficult to find and yet they are littered throughout mid-table teams in the Premier League these days.
That is why attempts to play down what Liverpool have achieved this season should be completely ignored.
The fact is, they have done incredibly well to avoid an off-day like this since defeat to Nottingham Forest way back in September, because when that happens in this league, you lose.
4. Liverpool have a glimpse of life without Trent
If Liverpool’s games against Newcastle, Everton and Fulham are anything to go by, then you could say that they are in for serious pain when they lose Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s creativity this summer.
In each of these outings without their vice-captain, the Reds have had problems with progressing the ball forward, looking too easy to contain if their midfielders are closed down.
However, it is also worth noting that these fixtures have seen the makeshift options of Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones used at right-back, meaning this is not a true look at what life without Alexander-Arnold will be like.
Perhaps the final 23 minutes at Fulham, which saw Conor Bradley grab an assist and create two chances, are a more accurate reflection of what is to come.
5. A kinder schedule will aid us
For some reason, fatigue seems to be the go-to excuse for Liverpool fans whenever they witness a poor performance, regardless of what has happened on the pitch.
But the good news for those who believe that it can only ever be tiredness that undoes the Reds is that things are about to get a lot easier.
After months and months of playing games in midweek and then at the weekend, Arne Slot‘s side are now down to a one-game-a-week schedule.
That should make things far more straightforward in terms of preparation for each opponent and ensuring the legs remain fresh.
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