Liverpool failed to win on opening weekend for the first time since the 2017/18 season following a stalemate at the Craven Cottage against newly promoted Fulham.
A surprising start to the season for Marco Silva’s side as they fully matched Liverpool’s tempo in the opening exchanges before taking a deserved lead two minutes after the half hour mark thanks to an Aleksandra Mitrovic’s scrumptious header from a Kenny Tete’s cross.
The lead was nearly doubled just after the restart as Neekens Kebano hit the woodwork before substitute, Darwin Nuñez equalized for Liverpool 13 minutes after coming on for his Premier League debut, beating Marek Rodak with a backheel from a Mohamed Salah’s low cross moments after he was denied by the Slovakian goalkeeper.
Aleksandra Mitrovic got his second of the afternoon after winning a penalty off Virgil van Dijk. The Serb converted the resulting spot kick, beating Alisson Becker, who dived the right way but beaten for power.
That was only the first time Liverpool have conceded a penalty in a Premier League match in a while, bringing an end to a run of 51 games without giving away a penalty in the league since October 2018 against Manchester City.
Mohamed Salah made it 2-2 ten minutes from time following a pass from Darwin Nuñez in a very tight space.
Record signing, Darwin Núñez then becomes only the third player to score and assist from the bench on his Premier League debut after Sergio Agüero in 2011-12 and Álvaro Morata in 2017-18.
Salah in the process becomes the first player to score in six consecutive opening weekend in the Premier League history, extending his record as the only player to score in five in a row.
The Egyptian also equaled the record for most goals in opening weekend, set by Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer and at the same time overtakes Michael Owen at 118 Premier League goals scored for Liverpool with his 119th, now one away from equaling Steven Gerrard’s record.
Liverpool have now gained 115 points from losing positions in the Premier league since the appointment of Jürgen Klopp, the most of any side since the German took over in October 2015.
Liverpool play host to Crystal Palace in the next Gameweek while Fulham travel to Wolves looking to build on what is an astonishing performance against Jürgen Klopp’s Red.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
