Liverpool may have lost Diogo Jota and Joel Matip and failed to retake the Premier League lead but at least they were not beaten at Craven Cottage.
They head into Wednesday’s summit clash with Tottenham behind Spurs but with a point after a dreadful first half, where Jurgen Klopp was yelling at his players to wake up, culminated in the departure of the injured Matip, their one remaining senior specialist centre-back.
But Klopp’s rejigged side, with two midfielders at the heart of the back four and the attacker Takumi Minamino in midfield, showed the mettle to equalise, even if they were given a helping hand.
Fulham’s Aboubakar Kamara had only been on the pitch for four minutes when he jumped in the wall and handled Gini Wijnaldum’s free kick. Mohamed Salah’s resulting penalty had enough power to defeat Alphonse Areola. Salah, who was about to be substituted, was instead the scorer.
Liverpool merited the draw for the pressure they exerted, the possession they had and the performance of Curtis Jones after the break. Fulham could nevertheless consider themselves unfortunate.
They were as energetic and inspired before the break as Liverpool were slow and sluggish. But for a superb display by Alisson, their lead would have been greater and their fans, attending a Premier League game at Craven Cottage for the first time in 19 months, had much to savour in a display that showed their improvement since those September days when they looked certainties for relegation.
They are a team transformed by signings and a change of shape, Liverpool one in a state of flux because of injuries. The bad news began before kick-off. Jota and fellow summer signing Kostas Tsimikas, who were both hurt against Midtjylland, could be out until February with knee problems.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to the Premier League side was rendered tough by the electric, elusive, former Everton winger Ademola Lookman but at least one returnee made a difference.
Liverpool would have trailed sooner but for the fit-again Alisson. Well as Caoimhin Kelleher has done in the Brazilian’s absence, there was no guarantee the young Irishman would have made some of the saves the regular mustered on his comeback.
Perhaps the best, a point-blank stop to deny Tosin Adarabioyo, came when the Fulham defender was offside, but it was stunning nonetheless.
His heroics were necessary. Fulham have made some wretched starts this season, but this was not one. They immediately assumed the initiative. The first chances fell to Ivan Cavaleiro, twice sent scurrying in behind the Liverpool defence.
A fierce drive and a low shot were repelled. Then Lookman tested Alisson with a crisp drive. It felt a case of Fulham against Alisson, but he could only hold them at bay for so long.
When Lookman released Bobby Decordova-Reid, the latter’s ferocious shot flew past the goalkeeper. A sometime striker who has been reinvented as an industrious wing-back, Decordova-Reid has been instrumental in Fulham’s revival but he showed he retained a forward’s finishing skills. Salah felt he had been fouled before the opener, but it was the gentlest of pushes on him.
But they had been aided by Andre Marriner. He became only the second referee to stick with his initial decision when VAR invited him to review a decision on the monitor, determining that Fabinho’s challenge on Cavaleiro was not a penalty. The fact the incident was viewed dozens of times showed it was not a clear and obvious error.
There had been rather less action in the other box. It took Liverpool 40 minutes to carve out a chance and then Sadio Mane headed wastefully over the bar as his goal drought continued. Salah was also off target with a shot on the turn and Areola was not called into action until the second half, when he made a flying save from the Egyptian.
He made a better stop from Jordan Henderson, who had become part of a centre-back partnership of two midfielders when Matip went off. Confusion reigned in the new-look back four when Cavaleiro charged down Andy Robertson’s clearance. Alisson had to make another save.
Yet having Henderson at the back gave Liverpool a midfielder’s distribution as they spent the second half on the front foot. Fulham defended with great resolve, but Liverpool still procured a point.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
BRIEF SCORES
England 228-7, 50 overs
N Sciver 51; J Goswami 3-23
India 219, 48.4 overs
P Raut 86, H Kaur 51; A Shrubsole 6-46
England won by nine runs
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
