In the cold light of a relentless title fight, Liverpool could see this as a disappointing draw. The reality of a grueling campaign against Fulham and the atmosphere at Anfield suggest otherwise. After 16 minutes there were only 10 men left and by the 85th minute the deficit was 2-1. Arne Slots Premier League leaders fought, pushed and attacked until the end. Victory was denied Liverpool, but their performance will support them.

Marco Silva’s dangerous team took the lead twice through Andreas Pereira and substitute Rodrigo Muniz. They also had the advantage of Andy Robertson being sent off for denying Harry Wilson a goal-scoring chance, but Fulham couldn’t take full advantage of that. Cody Gakpo brought Liverpool level early in the second half before the fit-again Diogo Jota showed what Slot’s team had missed in his absence with another clinical goal. It was a breathless, enthralling game that both teams probably should have won.

Fulham’s Issa Diop and Pereira both came close to a red card in the first seven minutes. Although Liverpool could complain that they only received a yellow card and Luis Díaz was also booked for a perfectly legitimate attempt at an overhead kick, nothing could detract from the visitors’ excellent breakthrough performance.

A completed team goal began with a free throw from Diop for Wilson. The former Liverpool winger, who posed a strong threat from the first whistle, made an excellent switch to Alex Iwobi, who released Antonee Robinson on the overlap on the left. The Fulham captain’s cross to the far post was volleyed away by the stretching Pereira and his shot flew over Robertson’s thigh and into the roof of Alisson’s net. It was a deserved lead.

Misfortune dogged the Liverpool left-back throughout the 16 minutes he was on the pitch. In the opening seconds he suffered a heavy blow to the outside of the knee from Diop as he chased a return ball from Gakpo towards Fulham’s penalty area. An offside flag had already been raised and Robertson was given lengthy treatment while the VAR assessed whether it was a possible red card offence. Referee Tony Harrington’s yellow card for a reckless challenge stood. Pereira soon followed the defender to task for leaving his studs in Ryan Gravenberch’s ankle despite making no attempt to play the ball.

Robertson’s afternoon continued to go downhill, in contrast to the task facing Liverpool when he was shown a straight red card five minutes after Fulham’s goal. This time there could be no complaints. Trying to fend off another sharp cross pass, this time from Sasa Lukic to Wilson, the Scotland captain’s fierce first touch only managed to put the Wales international on target. His next kick brought down Wilson and an inevitable red card followed after Virgil van Dijk parried Raúl Jiménez’s follow-up shot off the line. Only a long VAR check for a possible offside against Wilson could save Robertson. The Fulham man ended up coming on and the Liverpool man had to be substituted.

Slot responded to the early crisis by moving Mohamed Salah into a more central role alongside Díaz, pushing Trent Alexander-Arnold into right midfield and moving Ryan Gravenberch into defense in a 3-4-2 formation. It was a bold move to give the dangerous Wilson even more space, but the Liverpool head coach’s tactical changes were once again successful. Fulham could have benefited against the ten men, but a poor final pass and a key block from Joe Gomez on a Wilson shot allowed Liverpool to escape and settle down. As halftime approached, the hosts were the dominant force. Díaz had a great opportunity to equalize but headed over from close range when Dominik Szoboszlai crossed him first-time.

The break did not break Liverpool’s momentum. Two minutes after the restart, Salah sent a wonderful cross to the far post, where the free-standing Gakpo beat Bernd Leno with a diving header. Anfield raged as the VAR examined a possible foul by Díaz on Kenny Tete as the cross arrived. The cheers increased when it emerged he hadn’t, or at least not enough to justify the Fulham defender’s collapse after arm contact.

Silva’s team was shaken. Leno saved from Gakpo and Salah hit the side netting after Szoboszlai led a counterattack from a Fulham corner. However, the guests gradually regained their composure and eventually took the lead. Robinson had wasted two excellent chances to find a free player in the Liverpool penalty area, first Jiménez and then Wilson, but in the end he made up for it with another incisive move down Fulham’s left. Wilson and Iwobi combined to ensure the left-back was released behind Liverpool substitute Jarell Quansah, who should have been stronger in the duel. As Robinson pulled the ball back from the baseline, Rodrigo Muniz was there to sling the ball past Alissons and Gomez. He had replaced Jimeenez just eight minutes earlier.

Back came Liverpool, inspired by the cool heads and vision of substitutes Jota and Harvey Elliott. In the 86th minute, Jota received a pass from Darwin Núñez, another slot substitute, turned inside center back Jorge Cuenca and fired a beautiful finish past Leno. Chaos ensued in the nine minutes of added time. Jota, Núñez and Díaz all shot from close range into Fulham’s six-yard area. Alisson saved Adama Traoré as Fulham took the lead again. It was a breathless end to a fascinating game. Liverpool will no doubt rue losing two points on home soil, but in the circumstances it was further evidence of the league leaders’ ability to find a way forward.