Fulham earned their first Premier League point of the season with a determined 0-0 draw away to Liverpool on Saturday. The result at Anfield ended a run of consecutive defeats for Alvaro Arbeloa's side, who produced a resilient defensive performance.
Manager Alvaro Arbeloa expressed his satisfaction with the team's display. "Happy with the point and more happy with the performance," he said. "We were more balanced today. We defended so well." The Spaniard handed a debut to Austrian defender David Affengruber, who he said "proved how good he is" in a challenging environment.
Fulham's organisation limited Liverpool to few clear chances, with the hosts failing to score for the first time under new manager Andoni Iraola. The visitors even had opportunities to snatch a win. Josh King forced a sharp save from Alisson, while Gonzalo Garcia saw a shot cleared off the line by Jeremy Jacquet after a major error from the Liverpool goalkeeper.
Liverpool's struggles
Liverpool's performance was widely criticised as ponderous and disjointed. Iraola made three substitutions before the hour mark in an attempt to spark his team into life. "What was lacking was quite clear," the Liverpool manager admitted. "It is the first game we had problems to create chances and score goals."
He acknowledged a quick turnaround from a midweek Champions League match was difficult but refused to use it as an excuse. Fulham, meanwhile, showed more attacking intent than the scoreline suggests, frequently getting into dangerous positions in the Liverpool penalty area.
Looking ahead
The point provides a foundation for Fulham to build upon after a tough start to the campaign. The team's upcoming fixtures present further opportunities to climb the standings. Arbeloa will hope the defensive solidity shown at Anfield becomes a consistent feature as they prepare for their next match.
