Match Report Liverpool (1) 1-0 (0) Fulham Premier League Match Day 34 2223 at Anfield, Liverpool Wednesday 3rd May 2023    KO: 20:00 Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)

Liverpool kept their outside chances of claiming a Champions League place alive as a 1-0 victory over 10th placed Fulham moved them to within four points of fourth-placed Manchester United.

Match Stats	Liverpool	Fulham
Goals	(1) 1	0 (0)
Scorers	Salah pen 39	-
,
Goal attempts	15	9
On target	3	3
Shooting Accuracy	20%	33%
Possession	58%	42%
Passes	613	454
Passes Success	85%	84%
Crosses	20	18
Crosses Success	25%	17%
Corners	7	5
Tackles	14	15
Tackles Success	57%	53%
Saves	3	2
Fouls	10	8
Offsides	3	2
Yellows	0	0
Reds	0	0
source: SkySports

Mohamed Salah was Liverpool's match-winner as he smashed in his 17th Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot after Issa Diop's challenge on Darwin Nunez six minutes before half-time.

Liverpool were indebted to a smothering save from Alisson as he prevented Carlos Vinicius earning Fulham a point towards the end of the second period, before substitute Bobby Decordova-Reid fired the visitors' best chance over in stoppage-time.

But Salah's penalty proved enough for Liverpool to secure a fifth successive Premier League victory which lifts them up to fifth, while Fulham remain 10th after a third straight loss.

While London rivals Tottenham could not withstand the early Anfield onslaught on Sunday, Fulham started well and had the first glimpse of an opener as Harry Wilson's cross was hacked out of the goalmouth by Virgil van Dijk inside four minutes.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, flourishing in the freedom of his new hybrid role, registered Liverpool first attempt soon after, firing inches wide after neat link-up play with Salah, but the first attempt on target would fall to the visitors, with Carlos Vinicius stinging the palms of Alisson just shy of the quarter hour.

Thirty-seven minutes of Fulham resistance were ended when Diop having dithered in possession and invited pressure from Nunez, the centre-back compounded his error by giving the Liverpool forward a chance to go down in the area.

Referee Stuart Atwell showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and neither did Salah as he lashed Liverpool in front with an emphatic penalty straight down the middle.

Fulham grew in confidence as Liverpool's inability to find a second stretched into the second half, but Alisson produced an inspired save at the feet of Vinicius to deny the visitors a share of the spoils as they pressed for an equaliser.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson missed the chance to rubberstamp the victory when he dragged wide late on, and it very nearly proved a costly miss, with Decordova-Reid firing Fulham's last chance over with virtually the final play.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 66), Henderson, Fabinho, Jones (Milner 84), Salah (Elliott 84), Nunez (Jota 83), Diaz (Gakpo 66)

Unused substitutes: Gomez, Carvalho, Matip, Kelleher

Goals:
Salah pen 39 (No mistake! blasted down the middle! Fulham had been defending so astutely until that Diop blunder. A gift for Liverpool. )

Fulham: Leno, Cedric, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson, Lukic (Reed 71), Palhinha, Wilson (Kebano 71), Cairney (De Cordova-Reid 71), Willian (James 80), Vinícius (Solomon 79)

Unused substitutes: Rodak, Tete, Duffy, Harris

Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)

Attendance: N/A