Liverpool’s 26-game unbeaten league streak came to an end at Fulham. The decisive factor here was individual defensive errors, which Arne Slot’s team ‘was not used to’.
The Liverpool fans who traveled to Fulham experienced a first on Sunday afternoon. For the first time in Arne Slot’s short tenure, they went home without a single point (2-3). The reason was quickly identified: the Reds made uncharacteristic individual defensive mistakes in the first 45 minutes. “It wasn’t 45 minutes of disaster, but the mistakes we made are something we’re not used to,” Slot also noted.
The first mistake was made by stand-in right-back Curtis Jones: he made an unfortunate touch on Sander Berge’s cross from the halfway area, putting Ryan Sessegnon through on goal. It was one of many scenes that made it clear that he is not a trained full-back. Unlike in the Merseyside derby, in which Liverpool had significantly more possession, he revealed problems in defense. However, Jones will not have to play at right-back for much longer: Conor Bradley made his comeback as a substitute at Craven Cottage.
Robertson twice unlucky in the space of a few moments
Alongside Jones, the other of the Reds’ full-backs played a part in conceding a goal: Andrew Robertson’s pass in the build-up play landed at Alex Iwobi’s feet just outside the box, and the forward made no mistake after the left-back’s clearance.
Rodrigo Muniz increased the lead just five minutes later, after Virgil van Dijk had been caught out in the challenge with the attacker. “Halfway through the first half, I looked at the scoreboard and it was 1-1. I thought, ‘Okay, not our best game, but we’re in control’. Suddenly I blinked and we were 1-3 down,” said Slot.
According to the Dutchman, the fact that such mistakes creep in has nothing to do with the comfortable situation at the top of the table – eleven points ahead of the first pursuer, Arsenal. “There is no reason for us to be complacent,” said the 46-year-old, adding: ‘We are not top of the league because we win every game by three or four goals. We need so much effort, so much hard work combined with quality to win games.’
That commitment will surely lead the Reds to the title, so it’s unlikely that much will be said about the away game in a month’s time.
