Liverpool sub ‘weapons’ slam narrative door shut as Fulham spurn 50/50 chance

Liverpool have now won half of the games they’ve conceded first in this season. That’s absurd. And Darwin Nunez doesn’t care for narratives.

Sometimes (fairly frequently actually) you start watching a game hoping for a result that will fit an obvious narrative for a column like this. On an evening in which Liverpool were without talismanic duo Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, this was definitely one such occasion.

But as anyone covering Liverpool this season should know, excitement at them going a goal down to fit any preconceived hope should be curbed, with it now just as prudent to start writing about another win for Jurgen Klopp’s side. That’s now seven wins from 14 games in which they’ve conceded the first goal. A 50/50 shot. It’s absurd.

Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders insisted the Reds aren’t reliant on the players they were without on Wednesday.

“We have many weapons. We don’t rely on one, two or three or four players. We’re missing probably four or five core players from our leadership group – Robbo [Andy Robertson], Trent [Alexander-Arnold], Mo [Salah]. So yeah, missing three from the leaders. That’s a blow, of course.”

It’s also a blow when your remaining leader and captain Virgil van Dijk bungles a header to gift the opposition possession in his own box to concede the opening goal. Alexander-Arnold replacement Conor Bradley didn’t cover himself in glory either, tripping over himself and falling at Willian’s feet before the Brazilian struck the ball through Van Dijk’s legs and past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Willian was excellent throughout, dancing inside onto his right foot and feeding his teammates, who consistently made poor decisions on the ball to undo all the winger’s hard work. Bobby Decordova-Reid would have been through on goal with a better first touch and bizarrely decided to shoot from a tight angle with Andreas Pereira free in the middle soon after.

Fulham were in control at that point, and looked far more likely to add to their lead than Liverpool were to equalise on the hour mark. Marco Silva was going bonkers on the touchline, aware – as his players presumably also were – of Liverpool’s ludicrous record when going behind.

That said, Fulham will have fancied their chances. They’ve won 11 of the 12 games they’ve scored first in this season, drawing the other one 2-2 against Arsenal. And without a huge slice of luck for their opponents, they may well have held on to at least a point here.

Because before Curtis Jones’ harmless shot took a big deflection and looped over Bernd Leno, Liverpool barely stetched the Fulham goalkeeper. Without Salah, their top goalscorer and assist leader, and Alexander-Arnold, who has invariably dug them out of holes when Salah has failed to, they looked toothless.

But after they got one, they were always going to get a second. It’s inevitable.

Darwin Nunez crossed for Cody Gakpo to neatly tuck the ball away at the near post, and they both made a big difference from the bench. Nunez was typically chaotic, and could have had a hat-trick in his 30 minutes of action.

That’s not to say he should have scored any of those chances, with Leno making decent saves in all instances, and although Jones was named Man of the Match, the Uruguayan could easily have been handed the gong despite his limited action.

Nunez is a Box Office footballer perfectly suited to these harum-scarum Anfield nights, as the fans rise to the anarchy he creates.

He and Gakpo were the “weapons” for Liverpool on Wednesday, and will surely start the return leg at Fulham, who are still very much in this tie, and will begin the game at Craven Cottage feeling pretty positive, because you never want to be in front against Liverpool.