Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo scored three minutes apart as Liverpool fought back from a goal down to beat Fulham 2-1 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at a chilly Anfield on Wednesday.
Fulham threatened to hand the record nine-time League Cup winners their first home defeat across all competitions this season after Willian scored in the 19th minute. Capitalising on Virgil van Dijk's poor clearance, the Brazilian slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box between keeper Caoimhin Kelleher's legs.
Premier League-leading Liverpool dominated possession and finally got the better of Fulham's well-organised back line when Jones netted in the 68th minute, his shot from 25 metres out taking a big deflection off the back of Tosin Adarabioyo.
Substitute Gakpo fired Liverpool in front in the 71st, tapping in Darwin Nunez's cross at the near post.
Mail Sport's Joe Bernstein takes a look at some of the things you might have missed.
Trent Alexander-Arnold eyes swift return
Conor Bradley’s run in the Liverpool first-team may not be that extensive with injured Trent Alexander-Arnold targeting the Premier League game against Chelsea on January 31 as his return date.
Jurgen Klopp played 20-year-old Bradley at right-back against Fulham in only the Northern Ireland international’s fifth start for the club. Alexander-Arnold, who has hyper-extended his knee, will now sacrifice the opportunity to have a “break” or partake in any warm-weather training in order to report to the AXA Training Centre for daily rehab sessions.
The vice-captain will miss the Premier League game against Bournemouth on January 21 and Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Fulham, and FA Cup fourth round tie.
Nunez is achieving cult status
Darwin Nunez is already achieving cult status at Liverpool. Goalscorers Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo must’ve been puzzled as they celebrated to hear The Kop chanting “Noo-nez, Noo-nez” instead of them, for providing the assists.
Jurgen Klopp started the Uruguayan on the bench but brought him on after 56 minutes with Liverpool trailing and the crowd making their opinion known. Even wayward free-kicks by Nunez are greeted with sympathetic “Oohs and Aahs” whereas other players get tutted.
Willian finally gets show on the road
Willian's tidy finish to put Fulham ahead dispelled the notion that he’s something of a “home bird” when it comes to scoring.
The 35-year-old’s previous eight goals had all been at Craven Cottage and you had to go back to October 2022 Elland Road for his last away strike.
Another oddity about the Brazilian is he’s already a serial winner compared to his latest club. Willian won the Premier League (2), FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League with Chelsea. Fulham are still waiting for the first major trophy in their history.
Tribute to Merseyside football legend
Local rivalry was put aside at Anfield for the sad passing of Merseyside football institution Peter Johnson, the one-time chairman of Everton and Tranmere.
Johnson, who died on Monday aged 84, was in control at Everton when they won the 1995 FA Cup which remains their last major trophy.
He also had three spells at Tranmere where his backing for Liverpool great John Aldridge as manager led to their appearance in the 2000 League Cup final.125 words
Liverpool's biggest-ever win in domestic football was also against Fulham in the League Cup – a 10-0 romp at Anfield in 1986 when Steve McMahon scored four.
Back then, second round ties were played over two legs and when Kenny Dalglish’s side turned up for the return, they were amused that the Fulham programme carried details of extra-time and penalties being required if the overall scores were level!
Gomez runs are too left field
Stand-in left-back Joe Gomez tried to replicate the bold runs of regulars Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas on his 200th appearance for Liverpool but it’s fair to say he looks more comfortable in the tackle than trying to produce a killer pass.
The onus is on Liverpool’s full-backs to carry a threat and Gomez did try to take up advanced positions.
But when he arrived, the quality was lacking. There were groans when he sliced a cross or shot into the side-netting.
Fulham’s wide-right attacker Bobby Decordova-Reid is a bundle of energy and didn’t give him a rest in either direction.