Mohamed Salah has buried his penalty demons once and for all to give Liverpool the company of the race to claim the 5th position and with it Europa League football.
The Egyptian stepped up to convert a penalty in the first half, his moment kicked in so many games after also scoring against Tottenham, to claim all three points against a cursed Fulham. The first-division Cottagers proved difficult for Jurgen to break. Klopp’s men.
But Issa Diop’s clumsy interpretation of Darwin Nunez allowed Salah to pass 12 metres and save the Reds’ three points. Here, Mirror Football looks at five of the main talking points as Liverpool pulled within five points of Tottenham.
Liverpool’s victory on Wednesday night gave them companionship in the race for the only Europa League qualifying spot in the Premier League. They now have five clear things from Tottenham and Aston Villa as they look to end a disappointing crusade on a high note.
Although they probably left too far behind due to a secure place in the Champions League, the Reds are inching closer to securing European football next season. They are not the festival boss Jurgen Klopp needs to be, but at least they will have a chance to win trophies in Europe.
With only 4 games remaining for Liverpool, Villa and Spurs, it was Klopp’s men who took control. The win over Tottenham was crucial, but the thrill of beating the impressive Cottagers will go away.
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Mohamed Salah endured a difficult crusade this quarter, evidenced through his series of misses on the penalty spot. At one point, he thought Reds boss Klopp was considering making a replacement with his taker.
But Salah has firmly buried the demons that saw him fail against Bournemouth and Arsenal over the past two months. He stepped up to score Liverpool’s first goal against Fulham after Darwin Nunez brought him down.
The Egyptian remained calm and shot straight into the centre, with Bernd Leno diving to his left. The shot put Liverpool on the road to victory, with Salah firmly cementing his position as a penalty taker, having scored a penalty against Tottenham.
Darwin Nunez won his first Premier League start in seven games at Anfield on Wednesday. And he showed impressive flashes to affirm his candidacy for a normal starting position.
The Portuguese striker was strong throughout, creating two chances for his teammates. Nunez has also provided a steady outlet for his teammates, with Salah specifically looking for the 23-year-old’s streak.
He played a role in Liverpool’s first goal, seeming to think fast to win the penalty Salah scored. As Issa Diop lingered on the ball, Núñez snatched the ball from the Fulham defender before being brought down.
Whatever happens in their last 4 games, it’s fair to say that Fulham can celebrate a successful season. The Cottagers will likely secure a position in the most sensitive part of the Premier League for the first time since 2012.
But they are sorely missing strikers since Aleksandr Mitrovic’s ban. Carlos Vinicius, the starting striker of the Cottagers with the sanction of Mitrovic.
But the Brazilian struggled against the Reds, with just 12 touches in the first half. He failed to make an impact against Liverpool’s defence, although the hosts appeared open at the back.
After all, Liverpool received their first blank sheet in six games, and boss Klopp hopes it’s something his side can build on. deny Vinicius.
But the hosts forged it much more compared to their recent outings, with further hope that they can also step up for the steal. While a better finish would have given Fulham at least a point, Klopp can be satisfied that his team was infrequently given a blank sheet.
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