Marco Silva has shared the tactical approach that helped Fulham keep Liverpool’s attacking threat quiet, targeting the right hand side of Arne Slot’s tema.
In a dramatic encounter at Craven Cottage, Fulham handed the Reds a painful 3-2 defeat. The game had its highs and lows for the Reds, who initially took the lead through Alexis Mac Allister’s strike, but a series of defensive errors allowed Fulham to take control.
Ryan Sessegnon capitalized on a misjudgment in Liverpool’s defense to level the score, followed by a sloppy sequence from Andy Robertson that allowed Alex Iwobi to put Fulham ahead. Rodrigo Muniz’s stunning strike just before the break gave the hosts a commanding 3-1 lead. Though Liverpool fought back in the second half with Luis Diaz’s goal, Fulham held strong for the win.
Arne Slot’s prediction that Mohamed Salah would play with a smile on his face at Craven Cottage couldn’t have been more off the mark. The Egyptian winger’s frustrations continued as he struggled to make an impact, with his goalless streak now stretching to four matches across all competitions.
It’s now been seven games since Salah last scored from open play, a worrying dry spell for Liverpool’s talisman. Despite his reputation as one of the most clinical finishers in the Premier League, Salah has failed to find the back of the net in open play, and it was clear that Fulham exposed some of the weaknesses in his game during this defeat.
Silva explained how his side targeted the Egyptian’s weaknesses, with Curtis Jones also struggling at right back. “Andreas (Pereira) and Rodrigo (Muniz) did well in the first pressure and I think it was key to make them uncomfortable in the game. The way that Salah will come to press Calvin (Bassey) most of the time we were able to beat them on the left-hand side.”
(Image: 2025 Harry Murphy – Danehouse)
Silva seemed to almost downplay Fulham’s impressive win over Liverpool, despite his side claiming a significant scalp in the Premier League. While he was quick to acknowledge the achievement, Silva suggested that he fully expects Liverpool to be crowned champions this season.
He added: “It was a great, great performance from us – a big one [result]. It’s not just because it is Liverpool, but because we needed to bounce back after the last two games. Our first half was very, very good. We played at a very high level. We showed great organisation and commitment.
“We were clearly the best team on the pitch in the first half. In the second half, there was a good reaction from Liverpool, which we expected, and our energy went down a little bit which was to be expected because it was so high in the first half.
“Overall though, we deserved the three points. I can’t rate this higher than some of the other big results we’ve had. Maybe it looks a bit bigger because Liverpool hasn’t lost an away game, and we know what will happen with them this season.”
