Liverpool fight back twice in chaotic Anfield stalemate against Fulham

Liverpool were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw by Fulham on Saturday at Anfield, as Diogo Jota marked his return from injury with a crucial late equaliser.

The Reds, down to ten men for over 70 minutes after Andy Robertson's controversial red card, fought valiantly but couldn't secure all three points in a frantic contest.

Anfield, hosting its penultimate match of 2024, became the stage for a chaotic and contentious encounter. Early challenges on Robertson and Ryan Gravenberch by Fulham players drew only yellow cards despite appearing worthy of more severe punishment.

The frustration grew when Andreas Pereira gave Fulham the lead in the 13th minute, latching onto Antonee Robinson's cross. A deflection off Robertson left goalkeeper Alisson helpless.

Liverpool's troubles deepened minutes later when Robertson received a straight red card for a reckless foul on former teammate Harry Wilson.

The dismissal forced manager Arne Slot into an early tactical reshuffle, transitioning to a 3-4-2 setup before settling into a 4-4-1 formation, with Gravenberch dropping into the defensive line.

Despite being a man down, the Reds began to claw their way back into the match.

Slot's adjustments bore fruit immediately after the break. Within two minutes of the restart, Cody Gakpo brought Liverpool level. Mohamed Salah delivered an exquisite cross to the back post, where Gakpo committed fully with a diving header that sent Anfield into raptures.

Fulham, however, were undeterred. Just as Liverpool seemed to be gaining control, Rodrigo Muniz capitalised on defensive lapses by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jarell Quansah to restore the visitors' lead with a close-range flick.

Adding to the chaos, Slot himself was shown a yellow card for dissent, triggering a touchline ban for the Reds' upcoming match against Southampton.

With time slipping away, Liverpool introduced Jota, making his first appearance since injury, in the 80th minute.

The Portuguese forward made an instant impact, connecting with Darwin Nunez's perfectly weighted pass to slot home a crucial equaliser.

Jota's clinical finish highlighted just how much Liverpool had missed his sharpness during his absence.

Despite nine minutes of stoppage time, Liverpool were unable to find a winner.