Slot’s tactical tweaks & red card imbalance – 5 talking points from Liverpool 2-2 Fulham

Liverpool can feel hard done to following an eventful 2-2 draw with Fulham in which they did well to secure a point with 10 men.

Liverpool 2-2 Fulham

Premier League (15) | Anfield
December 19, 2024

Goals: Gakpo 47′, Jota 86′; Pereira 11′, Muniz 76′

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1. Robertson’s early woes set the scene

This game’s talking points were mostly defined by two early incidents involving Andy Robertson.

The Liverpool left-back was partly at fault for the Fulham goal as Andreas Pereira stole in behind him to get something on Antonee Robinson’s cross.

Then around five minutes later a poor touch allowed Harry Wilson to steal the ball and Robertson put in a clumsy challenge to bring Wilson down.

The ball was getting away from the ex-Red so the red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity can be questioned, but regardless it was a five-minute spell the Scot would like to forget.

It also reinforces the idea that Liverpool might need to strengthen in the position in 2025.

Robertson has been one of the best left-backs ever to wear a Liverpool shirt, but the task now is to find the next version of him.

If Fulham’s Robinson were a bit younger, he might have been worth a look, and Liverpool would do well to find someone of a similar ilk to both the left-backs on display in this game.

 

2. Red cards given, red cards missed

It was a game of possible red card decisions, one given and others not — each of which fell in Fulham’s favour.

Just as Liverpool can argue that Wilson would not have had a goalscoring opportunity following Robertson’s challenge, they can also argue that Fulham should have had a couple of players sent off themselves.

There were two challenges, one by Pereira on Ryan Gravenberch and another by Issa Diop on Robertson earlier in the game that fall into the “seen them given” category when it comes to red cards.

Even Robinson was lucky to get away with a slight tug when Liverpool were breaking, given he was already on a yellow.

Arne Slot certainly felt Liverpool were hard done to during the game, even though he might not say so publicly, you could tell from his complaints on the touchline and words with the referee at the end of the game.

The Liverpool manager picked up a yellow card of his own and will now face a one-game touchline ban.

 

3. Slot impressively manages the setbacks

Following the red card, Slot and his staff tried to get their instructions to the players as to how they would line up without their starting left-back.

Initially, Gravenberch dropped into a sweeper role in the middle of a back three with Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk either side of him, and Trent Alexander-Arnold and Gakpo as wingbacks.

This left too much space behind Gakpo, and Slot soon changed things again. He moved Gomez to left-back in a back four with Gravenberch at right centre-back in a 4-4-1.

It showed Gravenberch’s quality and versatility, and also how quickly Slot and his team are able to put the players in a position to react well to setbacks.

The substitutes also contributed, with Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota combining for the second goal, and Harvey Elliott almost finding the top corner.

 

4. Anfield steps up again

Anfield is often loudest when it is needed most, and evidence of this was on show again as Liverpool needed all the help they could get against Fulham.

That kind of atmosphere doesn’t often happen for a 3 pm Saturday afternoon kick-off, but on this occasion, the noise was ramped up in an attempt to help Liverpool overcome adversity.

There were songs mixed with antagonism that supported those in red and made those in Fulham white feel uncomfortable.

This support helped Liverpool come from behind once, and then after the team levelled the scores at 2-2 they really pushed them on to try to get the win.

 

5. Potential for more midweek madness

Despite there being no European matches for a while, the midweek fixtures continue for Liverpool, with Southampton in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

It might be quite a useful game as it means Robertson and Slot can get both get their suspensions out of the way.

With Kostas Tsimikas out injured, young left-back James Norris could feature, having previously played in the competition back in 2019 against Aston Villa when most of the first team were on Club World Cup duty.

If Slot rotates in the cup, it will leave him with a strong and fresh team to pick from in what now feels like an important Premier League game against Spurs to get back to winning ways at the top of the table.