Liverpool tasted their first defeat in 26 Premier League matches. On Sunday night, they were defeated 3-2 in an exciting encounter by Fulham at their home ground.
Interestingly, Liverpool initially took the lead in the match. Alexis Mac Allister scored a brilliant goal to put his team ahead. However, they were fortunate to escape a controversial penalty claim early in the match, when Caoimhín Kelleher fouled Andreas Pereira and Virgil van Dijk brought down Rodrigo Muniz. Referee Chris Kavanagh dismissed the penalty appeals.
Then came the turning point. In the 23rd minute, Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon equalized with a stunning volley, capitalizing on a failed clearance by Curtis Jones. Nine minutes later, a mistake by Andy Robertson allowed Alex Iwobi to score, with the ball deflecting off Kelleher into the net. In the 37th minute, Muniz extended Fulham’s lead to 3-1 with a superb touch and clinical finish.
In the 67th minute, Conor Bradley came on as a substitute and injected pace into Liverpool’s attack. Five minutes later, he assisted Luis Díaz to score, narrowing the gap to 3-2. Despite their intense efforts in the final moments, Liverpool couldn’t avoid defeat.
Despite the loss, Liverpool remain at the top of the table with 73 points from 31 matches. However, coach Arne Slot will likely be concerned about the team’s performance. To secure the title, Liverpool now need 11 points from their remaining seven matches.
Meanwhile, Fulham have climbed to eighth place with 48 points and are just three points behind fifth-placed Manchester City. If their form continues, they could have a shot at qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Southampton relegated
On the other hand, Southampton have been relegated from the Premier League after a 3-1 loss to Tottenham. This was their 25th defeat in 31 matches, earning only 10 points. With seven matches still remaining, Southampton have set a record for the earliest relegation to the Championship.