TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD LEADS LIVERPOOL TO FULHAM WIN TO STAY IN TITLE HUNT - 5 TALKING POINTS

After a week that saw Liverpool's season threaten to peter out, the Reds responded with a strong showing and a win at Fulham.

After Jurgen Klopp made five changes to his side it was vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold who opened the scoring just after the half hour mark with a free-kick, but Fulham levelled just before the break through Timothy Castagne.

Ryan Gravenberch fired home his first Premier League goal to put the Reds back in front in the second half, before Diogo Jota wrapped up the win with a trademark low finish on his return to the starting line-up. Here are the game's main talking points.

1. Trent Alexander-Arnold the leader

How Liverpool have missed their vice-captain when he's been out injured. Alexander-Arnold is one of the very best players in this division, and he showed it right from the start here.

Playing those trademark bombs from the back, Alexander-Arnold set the tone and the the style of this Liverpool performance, and he was involved in everything they did that was so impressive in the game's opening moments, not least the superb free-kick that opened the scoring. He is a leader in this side. Now to sort that contract.

2. Jurgen Klopp rings the changes

It was one of those days when news of big Liverpool changes had begun to leak hours before the game, with Jurgen Klopp opting to try and freshen his side up after back-to-back Premier League disappointments.

When one of those changes involves leaving Mo Salah on the bench then there's your headline, but in truth they were alterations that have been a long time coming, with Klopp unable to make them for far too long due to Liverpool's injury issues. It was startling to look at the Reds' bench here and admire the strength of it, and how the Liverpool boss must have wished he'd had such options earlier in the campaign.

3. Fulham's downsizing doesn't work

You may have seen that they are building a fancy new structure in Craven Cottage's Riverside Stand which includes a bar and a pool, but on the pitch the construction wasn't up to scratch.

Just moments after Harvey Elliott - booed on his every touch on his return to south west London - had sent a poor free-kick low into the wall, it was a different selection of Fulham players who made up the barrier for Alexander-Arnold's effort, notably with no Tosin Adarabioyo included.

Liverpool's vice-captain needs no encouragement to spot a weakness, and sure enough he stepped up to fire his side in front with a minimum of fuss.

4. Fulham's stability should be a taking off point

There aren't too many teams with very little to play for in the Premier League at the moment, but Fulham are one of them and in truth they have been from quite far out.

You can't sniff at such a season when it is just your second one back after promotion, but there is always a sense that Fulham can be doing more with what they have. That is something that the club seem determined to do off the pitch as they develop Craven Cottage, but on it they could do with an injection of younger legs, pace and ambition. It could be a big summer for them.

5. Don't go to bed just yet

And so Liverpool move back level with Arsenal, pushing Manchester City down to third on a weekend when they had cup commitments to attend to.

It is still hugely likely that the ribbons on the Premier League trophy come the end of the season and sky blue once more, but as Pep Guardiola moans about fatigue and City face a couple of tricky away games, the hope for Liverpool is still there.

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2024-04-21T17:39:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd