The Reds completed a brilliant comeback to win the first leg of their EFL Cup clash against Fulham.
Liverpool defeated Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. A thrilling comeback in the second half ensured the Reds’ victory at Anfield.
What happened?
Liverpool’s start to the game was promising as they put pressure on Fulham’s backline down both flanks. However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring through Willian in the 19th minute.
Liverpool’s attempts to get back into the game before half-time led to nowhere as the Reds’ young squad seemed to lack enough attacking edge to find the back of the net.
The course of the game changed, however, when Jurgen Klopp brought in Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo early in the second period.
Nunez provided an assist for Curtis Jones as Liverpool scored the equalizer in the 68th minute. Jones’ deflected strike motivated the Reds to use their momentum to complete the comeback.
Only three minutes later, Nunez’s second assist won the game for the Reds. This time, Gakpo smashed the Uruguayan’s precise cutback into the back of the net with a cool finish to make it 2-1 for Liverpool.
The two sides meet again for the second leg on January 24.
Liverpool vs Fulham: Man of the Match
Nunez deserves the Man of the Match title for his crucial role in Liverpool’s comeback. The Uruguayan’s arrival in the second half significantly improved the Reds’ attacking line as he provided assists for his side’s both goals.
Player Ratings
Liverpool: Kelleher (6); Bradley (7), Konate (7), Van Dijk (6), Gomez (7); Mac Allister (7), Gravenberch (5), Jones (8); Elliot (7), Jota (7), Diaz (6).
Bench: Nunez (8), Gakpo (8).
Fulham: Leno (7); Castagne (6), Tosin (6), Diop (6), Robinson (6); Palhinha (7), Reed (5); De Cordova-Reid (6), Andreas Pereira (7), Willian (7); Raul Jimenez (6).
Bench: Wilson (6), Cairney (6), Lukic (6).
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