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Liverpool have now lost three of their last four in all competitions - AP Photo/Kin Cheung
With the finish line in sight, Liverpool’s legs are starting to wobble. This trip to Craven Cottage brought about their third defeat in four games in all competitions, and also featured some of the worst defending of their campaign. The champions-elect are the best team in the land but they certainly did not look like it here, against an aggressive and organised Fulham, as their 26-game unbeaten league run came to an end.
Some of the certainties of Liverpool’s season – an immaculate Virgil van Dijk, for example, or a decisive Mohamed Salah – are seemingly no longer guaranteed. Van Dijk was troubled throughout this loss by Rodrigo Muniz, while Salah has now gone seven club games without a goal from open play. He was outshone here by Fulham’s Alex Iwobi.
That’s the bad news for Liverpool, then. The good news is that this slip-up has come so late in the campaign that it will almost certainly be immaterial: the gap to second-placed Arsenal stands at 11 points. For anything to meaningfully change at the top of the table, this wobble will need to turn into a complete collapse.
Is such a tailspin even possible? Well, based on their first-half showing here, you would not entirely rule it out. Liverpool took the lead through Alexis Mac Allister, who struck a superb individual goal, but conceded three times in only 14 minutes. Those 14 minutes were remarkable in their defensive incompetence, with Curtis Jones and Andy Robertson both at fault and Van Dijk totally beaten by Muniz.
Arne Slot’s side did respond after the break, scoring through Luis Diaz and dominating the game as you would expect. If they keep playing like they did in the first half, they might not win again this season. If they keep playing like they did in the second half, though, then they will not have a problem.
For a combination of their attacking quality and defensive spirit, Fulham were deserving of the three points here. Ryan Sessegnon, Iwobi and Muniz all found the net for Marco Silva’s side, who remain very much in the hunt for European qualification, while centre-back Calvin Bassey produced a wonderfully eye-catching defensive performance in the second half.
Craven Cottage is not known for being the most hostile arena but, with Bassey pouring his entire soul into this match, the home supporters could not help but match his energy.
04:02 PM BST
The chasing pack will be kicking themselves
04:00 PM BST
Full-time results
Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Brentford 0 Chelsea 0
Spurs 3 Southampton 1
Southampton are relegated. City have the chance to go above Chelsea into fourth if they can win the Manchester derby.
03:59 PM BST
GOOOALL! Spurs 3 Southampton 1
Mathys Tel makes sure there is no embarrassing finish for Spurs by scoring from the penalty spot.
03:58 PM BST
FT: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Liverpool’s 26-game unbeaten run in the Premier League comes to an end, just their second defeat of the season. Some poor first-half defending proved their undoing. It is not too inconsequential when it comes to the title race; Slot’s team require 11 points from seven remaining games.
That win revitalises Fulham’s ailing European push and there were some big performances, notably Muniz, Berge and Bassey.
03:55 PM BST
GOOOALLL! Mateus Fernandes pulls one back for Southampton (Spurs 2 Southampton 1)
Is there time for an improbable equaliser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
03:54 PM BST
94 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Liverpool turning the screw around the edge of the box, but when Chiesa tries to flick the ball up for a volley Castagne steals in with an important challenge. Then Adama is fouled. Leno booked for time-wasting. Fulham almost there.
03:52 PM BST
92 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Slick football from Liverpool down their right, Elliott feeding Salah and the Egyptian back-heeling the ball back into his path but again the shot was too close to Leno. An offside flag is cheered by the home fans and Fulham can shift up the pitch.
03:50 PM BST
90 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
There will be six minutes of stoppage time at Craven Cottage.
From a quickly-taken free-kick, Chiesa takes a snap shot through bodies but Leno read the shot well and gathered.
03:47 PM BST
87 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Marco Silva’s switch to a back five has halted the momentum Liverpool were building. Calvin Bassey went on a mazy run and did ever so well to win a foul. Tete has also just drawn a foul from Chiesa to kill precious seconds. Fulham then go on the attack, and Reed stings the palms of Kelleher with a shot from 25 yards.
03:42 PM BST
82 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Changes from Silva and Slot: Tete and Adama are on for Fulham, while Chiesa has replaced Robertson. Gravenberch has now gone to left-back. Emile Smith Rowe is also on for Fulham.
03:39 PM BST
78 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
One-way traffic at Craven Cottage now. A few minutes after Luis Diaz saw a hopeful penalty appeal turned down, Robertson’s low cross runs all the way to Harvey Elliott who curls a powerful shot off the bar. Very nearly a goal for Elliott against his former club.
03:35 PM BST
73 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Such a sharp finish by Diaz, who really stabbed at the ball just after taking the first touch. The speed of the movement seemed to catch out Leno. We’ve got a big 20 minutes ahead here...
03:34 PM BST
69 minutes: Spurs 2 Southampton 0
Southampton have had far more of the ball in the second half, as if Spurs decided to treat the first half as an attacking training session and this one for defending. No big chances as yet but you can bank on a major Spurs wobble if they do score next.
Curious decision just now not to send off, or even book, Aaron Ramsdale for handling outside his box but think referee would cite a foul before the incident. I smell a bit of avoidance. No need for the hassle of a red card and unnecessary to punish Southanpton any further this afternoon/season.
03:32 PM BST
GOOOOAAAALLL! Diaz pulls one back for Liverpool (Fulham 3 Liverpool 2)
The game was meandering along but we are in for an exciting finish now. Bradley with a driving run through a centre-right corridor of space before Diaz poked beyond Leno on the turn with an instinctive finish.
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Liverpool’s Luis Diaz scores - Reuters/John Sibley
03:30 PM BST
Salah’s rate of production has slowed
Mohamed Salah has not scored from open play in his previous six Liverpool games and he has not looked likely to score here. The Egyptian completely wasted his first opportunity of this game, spooning over when he should have done better.
03:26 PM BST
67 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Slot making another couple of changes: Konate and Jota off for Bradley and Nunez. Gravenberch has dropped to centre-back which is certainly cavalier. Konate has had a stinker and can have no complaints with the hook.
03:24 PM BST
63 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Big chance missed from Mohamed Salah, volleying over when totally unmarked at the back post near the edge of the six-yard box. The ball bounced just in front of Salah and he could not keep it down.
03:18 PM BST
58 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Gravenberch with a crucial defensive block to stop Liverpool’s afternoon getting even worse. Sander Berge has been excellent in midfield for Fulham, and Liverpool continue to look far too porous. In fairness, they do have to chase the game and expose themselves now.
03:15 PM BST
55 minutes: Brentford 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea fans are now singing for Cole Palmer. They clearly think a goalless draw is not good enough today and they are probably right.
And Palmer’s about to come on with Pedro Neto....
03:14 PM BST
55 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
After a stoppage for a head injury to Muniz, Slot is making changes: Elliott and Diaz on for Szoboszlai and Gakpo.
03:08 PM BST
48 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Hugely important save from Leno to deny Jota when the Liverpool forward was bearing down on goal. Starfish technique that deflected the ball over the bar as Jota tried to dink the ball over the Fulham goalkeeper. Bassey made a mistake on the ball in the lead up to the chance.
03:07 PM BST
A half-time change from Maresca
Nicolas Jackson on for Nkunku at half-time. That should liven Chelsea up a bit. On another subject, why do Brentford play ‘Hey Jude’ before kick-off at the start of the game and the start of the second half?
03:05 PM BST
The second-halves are under way at Fulham and Brentford
Spurs will kick-off a few minutes later following a lengthy VAR check in the first half.
03:03 PM BST
No changes from Arne Slot at the break
The Liverpool manager has resisted the temptation to throw the kitch sink at it, or hook one or two members of his back four.
02:51 PM BST
Half-time scores
Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Brentford 0 Chelsea 0
Spurs 2 Southampton 0
Liverpool’s 26-game unbeaten run in the league is on the line, Spurs are cruising while it has been pretty uninspiring stuff from Chelsea. Maresca will surely be looking to a bench that featured Jackson, Palmer and Neto.
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Fulham’s players celebrate with Rodrigo Muniz, scorer of their third - Getty Images/Henry Nicholls
02:44 PM BST
GOOOALL! Spurs do now have their second (Spurs 2 Southampton 0)
We’ve just had a VAR delay that went on so long that the Southampton fans were chanting “f--- VAR” and “it’s not football any more” even though it was their team that benefited. Bergvall seemed to have scored his first Premier League goal with a prodded-in volley from Romero’s header but after around five minutes of deliberation it was ruled out for what must have been a microscopic offside. No matter for Spurs, Johnson makes it 2-0 shortly afterwards. Southampton going down it the result stays this way. Would be astonished if it did not, they are being pummelled.
02:42 PM BST
42 minutes: Fulham 3 Liverpool 1
Liverpool’s defence has fallen apart. Jones gives away one goal, Robertson hands Fulham another and then Van Dijk gets totally spun by Muniz. A rare sight indeed. It’s an extraordinary first touch by the Fulham forward.
02:41 PM BST
NO GOAL: It remains Spurs 1 Southampton 0
Bergvall’s goal has been ruled out for offside after a VAR check.
02:39 PM BST
GOOOOAALL! Muniz makes it three for Fulham (Fulham 3 Liverpool 1)
Fulham have now scored five goals home and away against the champions elect this season. Muniz with a wonderful touch before holding off Van Dijk and finishing low under Kelleher. Liverpool loose defensively, we will surely see Quansah or Bradley to help sure things up.
02:38 PM BST
35 minutes: Brentford 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea fans started chanting ‘attack, attack, attack’ at their team and Madueke responded with the team’s first shot on target in the 34th minute. The travelling fans responded themselves by singing ‘we’ve had a shot’.
02:37 PM BST
GOOOALL! Bergvall has doubled Tottenham’s lead (Spurs 2 Southampton 0)
He pounces on Romero’s knockdown and converts. Easy street for Tottenham and Southampton are heading back to the Championship.
02:34 PM BST
GOOOAALL! Fulham have turned it around
Andy Robertson with a terrible pass across his own defensive third straight to Iwobi, whose initial shot from the edge of the box was blocked. Robertson then mis-cued a headed clearance allowing Iwobi a second bite of the cherry and his effort deflected off the Liverpool left-back into the roof of the net.
Jones probably should have done better with Fulham’s first goal. Robertson DEFINITELY should have done better with the second. Liverpool simply have not switched back on since the equaliser.
02:32 PM BST
31 minutes: Spurs 1 Southampton 0
Please declare end-of-season season open. Everything about this match screams “bring on Marbella”. Weather, pace, volume, utter lack of stakes.
One good chance for Southampton, when Sulemana’s header was deflected onto the post by Porro, but other than that it has been unbroken control from Team Ange. No ear-cupping from him as yet, but little to stir any emotion so far.
02:31 PM BST
29 minutes: Brentford 0 Chelsea 0
Malo Gusto is playing as Chelsea’s inverted full-back today and he doesn’t look particularly comfortable. He’s been booked for a foul on Schade, who is causing the visitors all kinds of problems.
02:30 PM BST
29 minutes: Fulham 1 Liverpool 1
Fulham have been quite brave with and without the ball and are carrying a threat. Robinson pounces on a loose pass across midfield and drives forward but he tried a tough through ball to Sessegnon when Iwobi was in space. Not the right option. You can sense the excitiment among Fulham fans whenever Robinson has the ball with space in front of him.
02:27 PM BST
The verdict on Fulham’s early penalty shout
02:26 PM BST
26 minutes: Fulham 1 Liverpool 1
Would it be harsh to say Curtis Jones has to do better with that? It’s a horrible clearance, right across goal to Sessegnon, but I’m not sure whether he had enough time to do much else. Perhaps a recognised defender is more capable of reacting in that situation.
02:24 PM BST
GOOOOAALL! Sessegnon levels for Fulham
I spoke too soon about Liverpool looking comfortable. Sander Berge strides through midfield and finds Castagne on the overlap, and his cross catches out Jones at the back post. The ball bounced off the makeshift right-back and into the path of Sessegnon who cracked home a shot beyond Kelleher.
02:22 PM BST
21 minutes: Fulham 0 Liverpool 1
Not many better away grounds when the sun is shining and you are heading 14 points clear at the top of the league than Craven Cottage. Liverpool fans are certainly revelling in the occasion. Fulham seeing a fair bit of the ball, but most of it is in front of Liverpool at the moment.
02:17 PM BST
GOOOOAALL! Brennan Johnson scores (Spurs 1 Southampton 0)
Southampton’s relegation could well be confirmed today. Postecoglou picking Johnson over Odebert pays dividends inside 14 minutes.
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Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson scores their first goal - Reuters/David Klein
02:16 PM BST
One of the best goals from midfield this season
On first viewing that felt like one of the best goals of the entire season. Mac Allister takes it off the toes of one Fulham player, swerves past a second and then lasers his long-range strike into the top corner. Brilliant goal. Liverpool had looked a little jumpy in the first 10 minutes but that should settle them down. “We’re going to win the league,” sing the away fans.
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Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister celebrates - PA/Adam Davy
02:15 PM BST
GOOOALLL! Alexis Mac Allister with a peach
Gravenberch got his studs to a loose ball in midfield, and his partner Mac Allister carried the ball forward into space. Excellent close control from the Argentine, before unleashing a rocket into the top corner from 25 yards. Liverpool on their way to the win that will whittle their title points target down to eight.
02:13 PM BST
12 minutes: Spurs 0 Southampton 0
Spurs completely dominant so far but have not turned a succession of byline cutbacks into clear chances. Think Southampton have been out of their half once in opening 10 minutes and that was a hoofed free kick from their goalkeeper Ramsdale, straight through to his opposite number Vicario. A few anti-Levy songs but otherwise sedate inside the stadium.
02:11 PM BST
11 minutes: Fulham 0 Liverpool 0
Andy Robertson wins Liverpool a corner with a raid down the left. The game has an open feel to it early on. Moments before, Konate sliced a clearance over his own bar but Fulham could not create any danger from the set-piece. Leno does well to punch Liverpool’s corner clear.
02:08 PM BST
8 minutes: Fulham 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool are starting to find their groove after a slow start, a couple of low crossed from Salah force Fulham into some last-ditch defending. Van Dijk with a glorious diagonal pass at the start of one move.
02:06 PM BST
5 minutes: Fulham 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool get themselves in a mess at the back, Konate caught rolling his studs on the ball on the edge of the six-yard box. Pereira got there in front of Kelleher before Van Dijk and Muniz collided. Viewed as nothing more than a coming together by VAR. Van Dijk was sharp to shift across after his partner landed him in trouble.
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Fulham’s Andreas Pereira gets to the ball in front of - Reuters/John Sibley
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Muniz and Van Dijk collide - Sky Sports
02:03 PM BST
2 minutes: Fulham 0 Liverpool 0
A front-footed start from the home side at Craven Cottage, trying to press the champions elect high when possible. Timothy Castagne goes down with an early ******, but it looks like the Belgian will be fit to carry on.
02:01 PM BST
KICK OFF!
We are under way in the three Premier League 2pm kick-offs.
01:58 PM BST
The movable force vs stoppable object
I note with interest Sam Dean’s assessment of the pre-match DJing at Fulham. Across town Spurs are ramping up with their usual parade of big screenm big emotion, big poetry montages. One is soundtracked by D is for Dangerous by Arctic Monkeys, the chorus of which gave the name to their second album - Favourite Worst Nightmare. Seems an apt way to summarise the Tottenham-supporting experience for fans, certainly this season.
Southampton would kill for Spurs’ points total. They have packed out the away fans section, although as ever you can bet a good number are visiting this stadium for the first time. It’s movable force vs stoppable object. Everything’s got to give.
01:57 PM BST
The players are out of the tunnel at Craven Cottage
The pitch at Fulham is as blemish-free as a table at the Crucible. We’ll bring you updates from that game as well as goals from Tottenham vs Southampton and Brentford vs Chelsea as they go in.
01:53 PM BST
Maresca’s gamble
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will be hailed a genius if his side win today after taking a major gamble with his team selection by leaving out Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Cucurella. But if they fail to win with the Champions League qualification race so tight…
Two sides of the Gtech Community Stadium are bathed in sunshine today. But two sides are in the shade and sadly for me, without a jacket, I’m in one of the shady stands and it’s pretty chilly.
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CHelsea’s players warm up - Getty Images/Chris Lee
01:48 PM BST
Ange Postecoglou on trying to find a settled team
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Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min and Archie Gray during the warm up - Reuters/David Klein
01:35 PM BST
Marco Silva on Liverpool’s season
01:26 PM BST
Do not forget what’s at stake for Fulham
Is there a better place to be than Craven Cottage on a glorious spring afternoon? It’s a truly fabulous day for football down by the river. Clear skies, gentle breeze, lovely ground. Even the stadium DJ is on good form (lots of mid-noughties/early 2010s feel-good indie rock) and I think we should be in for a very enjoyable game.
The focus is obviously on Liverpool, who are only 11 points away from a 20th league title, but it’s a big afternoon for Fulham, too. They are only six points behind the Champions League places.
01:24 PM BST
Maresca on making five changes
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Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Pedro Neto before the game - PA/John Walton
01:21 PM BST
Southampton will be relegated if they lose at Spurs
That would make them the first team to be relegated with seven games of a Premier League season remaining. They require two more points to clear Derby County’s lowest-every points tally of 11 from the 2007-08 season.
01:13 PM BST
How early will it be done and dusted?
01:12 PM BST
Arne Slot’s pre-match thoughts and the prospect of Jones defending against Robinson
01:08 PM BST
The protests outside Tottenham’s stadium
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01:03 PM BST
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01:01 PM BST
Southampton team
12:59 PM BST
Tottenham team: Van de Ven rested, Johnson preferred to Odobert
Today's Spurs side
@krakenfxpic.twitter.com/SROjalefXo
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 6, 2025
12:58 PM BST
Brentford team
12:58 PM BST
Chelsea team: Dewsbury-Hall starts with Enzo advanced
12:57 PM BST
Fulham team: Marco Silva reverts to a back four
Marco Silva's Fulham.️#FULLIVpic.twitter.com/3dbmrlzE8U
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) April 6, 2025
12:56 PM BST
Liverpool team: Gakpo returns, Jones continues at right-back
12:53 PM BST
Spurs fans turn ire on Levy; Liverpool can go within eight points of securing title
A Tottenham fans’ group has launched another protest against chairman Daniel Levy and Enic ahead of today’s home game against Southampton at Tottenham Hotpur Stadium.
Fans are also being urged to wave their flags in the 24th and 61st minutes of the game, marking 24 years of Enic’s ownership and the last time Spurs won the English top flight – in 1961.
Spurs are currently 16th in the table and their only chance for silverware this season is the Europa League. The first leg of their quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt is on Thursday.
There are serious question marks around manager Ange Postecoglou’s future beyond this season after he clashed with Spurs supporters following their recent defeat to Chelsea.
Enzo Fernandez’s winning goal inflicted a 16th Premier League defeat on Tottenham and meant that Postecoglou became the first Spurs manager to lose all of his first four games against London rivals Chelsea.
But, incredibly, in this car crash of a league season for Spurs, that was not the worst of it for Postecoglou.
Responding to chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” after he had taken off Lucas Bergvall, the Australian cupped an ear at them as they celebrated a goal from the midfielder’s replacement, Pape Matar Sarr.
It appeared that Postecoglou had mocked his own fans, although he later claimed he had been signalling for more noise from the away end.
As well as Tottenham’s game against Southampton, Liverpool can move within eight points of securing the Premier League title if they score another victory at Fulham.
Chelsea can close the gap on Nottingham Forest to third to two points with a win at Brentford, and it feels like a day for Enzo Maresca’s team to gain ground in the race for Champions League football with Man City travelling to local rivals United later.
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