LONDON, United Kingdom, Sept 12 – Fulham and boss Alvaro Arbeloa claimed their first Premier League point of the season with a goalless draw at Liverpool.
Less than 72 hours after the Reds beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Andoni Iraola’s side lacked the intensity and urgency they showed on Wednesday night as they failed to score for the first time this term.
Arbeloa came into this game under pressure, with Fulham having lost each of their first three league games since he took charge in the summer. But his side put in a solid away performance and could have taken all three points if they were more ruthless in the final third.
Iraola made three Liverpool changes with Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Victor Munoz coming in for Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister and Rio Ngumoha.
Arbeloa, who played 98 games for Liverpool between 2007 and 2009, made two changes with Austrian centre-back David Affengruber making his debut in place of Joachim Andersen and Sander Berge replacing Cesar Palacios.
Fulham should have taken the lead early on when Jeremy Jacquet had to clear Gonzalo Garcia’s effort off the line after a mix-up between keeper Alisson and Ryan Gravenberch that was entirely Liverpool’s own doing.
The visitors were better in the opening half but failed to make it count, with Josh King’s effort from inside the box saved by Alisson, before Antonee Robinson headed wide.
Munoz’s header was kept out by a strong save from Bernd Leno at the other end, while a Bradley Barcola volley was deflected behind by Timothy Castagne for a corner.
Kerkez came on at the break for Tsimikas, who struggled in the first half and by the hour mark Gravenberch and Munoz were also replaced by Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo as Iraola looked to shift the momentum of the game.
Alexander Isak created an opening but his effort was saved comfortably by Leno, before the Fulham goalkeeper kept out a powerful strike from Dominik Szoboszlai.
The hosts made another double change in the 72nd minute with Ngumoha and Jeremie Frimpong introduced, but it was to no avail.
Isak headed wide from an injury-time corner and Fulham – who created late chances through King and Kevin – held on for a valuable point.
Analysis: Flat Reds fail to entertain as Fulham fight for Arbeloa
Against a Fulham side who had conceded seven goals in their first three league games, this should have been the ideal opportunity for Liverpool to build on their momentum and for Iraola to show this squad can cope with two games a week.
Instead, the hosts looked like a different team from the one Anfield saw on Wednesday and were far too flat throughout.
A return of six points from their first four games is hardly cause for concern, but Iraola will surely be disappointed they have already dropped four points at Anfield, with draws against Nottingham Forest and Fulham.
Including last season, that is now four home Premier League draws in a row for them as they failed to score in a home league game for the first time since Leeds visited in January.
For Fulham, this was a big step in the right direction after a poor start and proof, if needed, that the team are playing for their manager after they were booed off at home last week.
Affengruber was superb on debut and so was the captain and his centre-half partner Calvin Bassey. Fulham also had more touches (24) in the opposition box than Liverpool (18).
Arbeloa’s side face the three promoted sides in October and there will be a better indication of his start to life in London by then.
But here, on familiar territory for the Spaniard, there were plenty of positives.
Had his side been more clinical, they could have snatched a notable success, but Arbeloa became the first ex-Liverpool Premier League player to pick up a point against his former side as a manager – following defeats for Paul Ince, Mauricio Pellegrino and Steven Gerrard.
