Fulham 2-2 Liverpool: Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice in Liverpool’s opening Premier League match of the season, scaring the Reds, but Darwin Nunez helped salvage a draw.
Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Fulham a fantastic start to their Premier League campaign after promotion, and Mohamed Salah’s late strike was all Liverpool needed to salvage a point.
Upon their return to the top division, Fulham jumped right in and rightfully seized the lead in the 32nd minute when Mitrovic rose to his highest position to head home a cross from Kenny Tete.
Despite Luis Diaz’s shot hitting the post, the hosts deserved to lead 1-0 at halftime. Neeskens Kebano’s low effort from a tight angle that struck the base of the post could have made it 2-0.
But shortly after, Nunez took advantage of a touch from Tosin Adarabioyo to convert Mohamed Salah’s cross, making Jurgen Klopp’s double change successful. Nunez was at the center of all of Liverpool’s pressure at that point, but they were unsuccessful in scoring a second goal.
When Mitrovic’s quick footwork on the break provoked Virgil van Dijk’s clumsy foul foul in the penalty area, they paid the price.
The Serbian striker recovered from his mistake and converted the penalty to give Liverpool trouble and make it 2-1.
Eight minutes later, Mohamed Salah tucked in a loose ball to make it 2-2, which was unfortunate for the home supporters who had worked so hard for their club. Jordan Henderson’s looping long-range effort for the Reds in stoppage time hit the post, but the Reds were unable to force a victory.
“Nothing’s wrong. When questioned about Nunez being benched, Klopp responded, “I am really thrilled; it’s really wonderful. After Roberto Firmino’s goal in the Community Shield victory, it quickly became a topic of discussion among Liverpool supporters, who questioned the selection of the Brazilian over the Uruguayan.
It seemed like a legitimate question to ask after 45 minutes. With his back to the goal, Firmino displayed some of his signature link-up play, but his one standout contribution was to pass the ball to Andy Robertson while he was in an offside position.
In the 50th minute, Klopp promptly made a substitution for the Brazilian. Nunez was involved in every move Liverpool made in the attacking third after that. In his first 15 minutes of Premier League play, he had the opportunity to score three goals. Although his goal was mostly the result of chance, it was indicative of a young striker who kept putting himself in perilous situations.
Nunez’s careless touch provided the opening for Salah to score the equalizer. Nunez seemed content to create his own luck while wearing a Liverpool jersey, and Klopp may give him the chance to do so at the start of their next game.
For eight years, Andreas Pereira played for Manchester United. He scored four goals during that time, which was identical to the quantity of loans he received from the club. After this summer, he finally left with a sense of unrealized promise. Now, at the young age of 26, it appears he will have the chance to excel in the Premier League.
Marco Silva placed the Brazilian midfielder very near to Mitrovic, and the pairing seemed to have a lot of potential from the start. Pereira was the Fulham player who led the press, harassing Liverpool’s defense to set the tone after the pair connected nicely.
His performance of the set piece was superb. He sent in an arcing free-kick and a corner with his right foot in the 23rd minute, putting Liverpool in serious difficulty.
