I heard what Liverpool fans chanted during Fulham defeat – nothing has changed
Liverpool suffered a 3-2 loss to Fulham in the Premier League but they remain 11 points clear at the summit of the table.
Kopites who travelled back from the capital will experience something they’ve not been accustomed to since Arne Slot’s arrival.
There would have been no celebratory victory drinks on the trains and coaches heading back to Merseyside. Those who attended the Craven Cottage encounter will not have even be the toasting of a share of the spoils, which would have edged Liverpool closer to the Premier League title.
You’d have expected they might have been drowning their sorrows – yet there is not much to be sombre about. Liverpool lost their first Premier League away game this season. Fulham were deserved 3-2 winners in their pursuit of European qualification.
The Reds will rue the defensive errors they made in West London. Curtis Jones’ flaws as a makeshift right-back was highlighted when caught in two minds defending a cross. Andy Robertson made his latest mistake, which will not quell calls for a new left-back to be signed this summer. Then captain Virgil van Dijk got the wrong side of Rodrigo Muniz and showed that an arduous season of playing almost every minute is catching up.
Yet this was not a damaging defeat. It was a mere blot in the copybook and the bonus of going unbeaten on their travels is no more. It has only delayed the inevitable. The reverse might prolong Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Premier League title by an extra week. The Reds had the chance to wrap up the silverware on April 27 when Tottenham Hotspur visit Anfield. But Liverpool can now mathematically claim the top-flight crown on Sunday 4 May against Chelsea as they need 11 more points.
Things had started so well on a sun-kissed afternoon on the banks of the River Thames. Alexis Mac Allister whistled home Liverpool’s opener in the 14th minute. It was a fine strike from the Argentina international, something he probably should do more of.
After rippling the back of the net, the travelling supporters burst into the tune of ‘We’re going to win the league’. They were in joyous mood and believed they were about to witness an 11th league win away from home in 2024-25.
There wasn’t too much to cheer after that, though. Fulham were level nine minutes later, which was the start of Liverpool’s capitulation. When Luis Diaz reduced the arrears for the Reds with 18 minutes remaining, the celebrations were nowhere near as vociferous. They knew Liverpool still had plenty to do.
Yet their chant will still be bellowed returning home from the capital. Slot’s troops are still the Premier League champions-elect. There is a scant chance that they are going to be caught by Arsenal, who are 11 points adrift and have a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid to prepare for.
It won’t be a procession from now until Liverpool are indeed mathematically unable to be caught by the Gunners. Slot is a tough taskmaster to please and will demand improvements when West Ham United visit Anfield next weekend.
The ending of the campaign is somewhat of a worry. Liverpool have now lost three of their past four games, while they were not entirely convincing when edging Everton 1-0 in the Merseyside derby. The Reds will be thankful they accrued so many points in the opening two-thirds of their fixtures. If their lead over Arsenal was five or six points, nerves would be kicking in. A significant summer squad rebuild will be required. Slot’s lack of faith in many of his players has led to the levels of his trusted lieutenants dipping in recent weeks.
Still, a record-equalling 20th English crown is heading to Merseyside. That is something that will have been toasted by Kopites journeying back up north.
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