IT’S THAT MANE AGAIN
Hitman in form of his life...but Klopp’s men huff and puff
Hard, low and straight down the middle. There was nothing fancy about James Milner’s match- winning penalty, nothing fancy about the three points it secured for Liverpool, either.
This was a bread-and-butter performance, the type it is said is the mark of champions. Except it didn’t feel quite that way at times.
This wasn’t so much Liverpool bravely gutsing it out as Liverpool sluggishly letting Fulham back in.
If it wasn’t for the fact Fulham have found ways to self-sabotage all season, Liverpool would have dropped points here.
So, yes, it leaves them two points clear at the top of the Premier League, Manchester City having a game in hand, but that was about the only sight that would engender warm feelings of confidence in the travelling contingent.
‘Liverpool, top of the league,’ they sang. Yet the team they are holding off appear relentless, while Liverpool have been scrapping since the New Year.
Coming off the back of a difficult away fixture against Bayern Munich in midweek, Jurgen Klopp might have taken this result before the game. Whether he would have taken this performance is another matter.
The huffing and puffing against a team surely destined for the Championship — Fulham are 13 points off 17th-placed Burnley with a massively inferior goal difference and only seven games remaining — plus the chaos that led to Fulham’s equalising goal would be of concern to a manager fighting off any team, let alone one in the form of City.
The win displayed resilience but also Fulham’s fragility. Scott Parker is proving as unable to divert that downward path as Claudio ranieri was.
Yesterday it was the rashness of otherwise excellent goalkeeper Sergio rico that undid them. He had been impressive for much of the game with good saves from Virgil van dijk, Mohamed Salah and andrew robertson, but when Salah’s shot in the 81st minute bobbled around his area, his instinctive reaction was to wrap an arm around Sadio Mane to thwart his challenge for the loose ball.
Mane’s fall was not, in any way, natural, but he was fouled and it was enough to draw referee Craig Pawson’s attention. He pointed to the spot. Milner — on as a substitute for adam Lallana after 72 minutes — did the honours.
It was an eventful afternoon for Milner, who contributed to the carnage that allowed Fulham’s goal. There were at least three significant mistakes in the build-up. Milner’s midfield miscue put his defence under pressure, alisson’s failure to respond to Van dijk’s call to come and collect, then Van dijk’s underpowered backpass header, which placed alisson in a 50-50 with ryan Babel.
The Fulham forward may look like a crazy Liverpool fan from the neck up, but he came very close to inflicting terrible damage on his old club. He block-tackled alisson, won the ball, got a lucky bounce and rolled it into the empty net.
It was no more than Fulham deserved. Their best chance came after 68 minutes when andreFrank Zambo anguissa struck a shot from 20 yards that alisson did well to save, but on any number of occasions Fulham’s breaks stretched Liverpool’s back line.
Van dijk had aleksandar Mitrovic well in hand, as expected, but it wasn’t entirely startling to see the scores level after 74 minutes.
Mane hit the bar with a header from Trent alexander-arnold’s corner a minute before Babel’s goal but, for the most part, Fulham contained Liverpool against many expectations. Joe Bryan, in particular, was excellent facing Salah.
Yet, as has so often been the case this season, the first breach of Fulham’s defence was a serious one, which left them chasing the game. The scorer? It’s that Mane again.
and what a lovely goal it was. Liverpool played it out from the back, Joel Matip to robertson, who fed the ball into Mane on the left. He is in the form of his Liverpool career, arguably his life, and brimming with confidence he went dashing down the flank, slipping the ball to roberto Firmino. The
Brazilian reached the by-line and cut it back for mane, who had continued his run into the box.
his first-time finish was the mark of a man who has now scored 11 goals in as many games in all competitions. rico had no chance and all of Fulham’s good early work was undone.
Once Liverpool were in control they tried to take quick advantage. salah finally got free and unleashed a shot which rico stopped but could not hold, claiming the ball at the hurried second attempt with Van Dijk lurking. soon after, robertson burst through on the left and forced another fine save from rico.
Liverpool were in charge, but without gaining sufficient distance. Babel certainly had his moments and outstripped alexander-arnold on the left — a rare aberration, the Liverpool man’s forward play and crossing was outstanding — cutting inside before finding Tom Cairney in a good position. his finish was weak, however, and easily collected by goalkeeper alisson.
Fabinho was booked for a foul on Cairney just before half-time, further indication Liverpool were not having it all their own way. Foul conditions — swirling winds, downpours and occasional hail showers — hardly helped.
at the end, Klopp did his usual fist-pumping celebration but his comments, and those of his players, were less than triumphalist.
Liverpool’s next three matches are Tottenham at home, southampton away and Chelsea at home. all winnable but potentially troublesome opponents, too. They will have to be better than this.
a glance at the table shows the kind of opponents Fulham are. They find ways to lose. From here, Liverpool must find ways to win.
FULHAM Subs not used:
Scorer: Booked: Manager: LIVERPOOL MANE 8. Subs not used: Scorers: Booked:
Fabinho. Manager: Referee: Attendance:
(4-2-3-1): Rico 5; Fosu-Mensah 6 (Christie 73min, 6), Chambers 6.5, Ream 6.5, Bryan 6.5; Zambo 7, Seri 6.5 (Sessegnon 65, 6); Cairney 6.5 (Kebano 82), Ayite 6, Babel 6.5; Mitrovic 6. Fabri, Odoi, McDonald, Vietto. Babel 74. Zambo, Bryan. Scott Parker 6. (4-3-3): Alisson 5.5; AlexanderArnold 7.5, Matip 6.5, Van Dijk 6.5, Robertson 7; Wijnaldum 6.5, Fabinho 7, Lallana 6.5 (Milner 72, 7); Salah 6.5 (Sturridge 90), Firmino 6.5 (Origi 72, 6), Mignolet, Lovren, Moreno, Shaqiri. Mane 26, Milner 81 (pen). Jurgen Klopp 7. Craig Pawson 6.5. 25,043.