Harrison Reed scored a stunning 97th-minute equaliser to cancel out Cody Gakpo’s 94th-minute goal in a thrilling conclusion as Fulham and Liverpool drew at Craven Cottage.
Florian Wirtz’s equaliser initially hauled Liverpool level after Harry Wilson’s opener, before Gakpo converted Jeremie Frimpong’s cross in stoppage time to seemingly clinch the three Premier League points for Liverpool.
But Reed had other ideas as he picked up the ball from 30 yards out and found the top corner with a superb strike.
The draw means Liverpool extend their unbeaten run to nine games, while Fulham are unbeaten in their past five.
Wilson scored against his former club to give Fulham the lead in a first half where Liverpool struggled to break down Marco Silva’s side, despite dominating possession.
Arne Slot’s team upped the ante after the break and were rewarded when Wirtz finished past goalkeeper Bernd Leno just before the hour mark, but the goal was initially ruled out for offside.
However, after a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) review, the technology established that the German was onside and the goal was given.
Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes because of a medical emergency when a member of Fulham’s matchday staff was taken ill and had to be taken to hospital.
Liverpool – who were without top scorer Hugo Ekitike with a slight hamstring issue – started well and Gakpo wasted a good chance when he scuffed his left-footed effort wide.
In the 18th minute they were punished by Fulham’s first attempt on goal. Raul Jimenez did superbly to play in Wilson, who took a touch and drilled a left-footed strike past Alisson into the bottom corner.
The offside flag went up to curtail Wilson’s celebrations, but a VAR check confirmed Virgil van Dijk played him onside for the Welshman’s sixth goal of the season.
Liverpool continued to have the bulk of the ball but failed to test Leno in the first half.
The visitors started the second half strongly with Alexis Mac Allister’s header from a corner striking the woodwork, and in the 57th minute they got their reward as Conor Bradley made a dazzling run before teeing up Wirtz, who finished with a left-footed strike past Leno.
The flag went up again, but after another lengthy VAR check Wirtz was adjudged to be onside and a goal was given, much to the fury of the home support.
Wilson hit the crossbar in the 77th minute as both sides pushed for a winner, and Liverpool looked to have sealed it when Gakpo bundled home in front of an ecstatic away end – before Reed smashed in his first goal since 2023 to send Craven Cottage wild.
The first signs of concern came when there was no Ekitike coming off the Liverpool coach upon arrival.
Slot confirmed the striker had a slight hamstring problem but is expected to be available when Liverpool return to the capital to play leaders Arsenal on Thursday.
Without a focal point, Liverpool were woeful in a first half in which they did not have a shot on target. At half-time, Slot’s side had gone four successive halves without scoring.
Credit must be given because they were a lot more direct after the break with Bradley doing superbly to create Wirtz’s goal and Frimpong coming off the bench to tee up Gakpo.
Liverpool should have seen the game out, but their recent luck was summed up when Reed scored a contender for goal of the season, even if the Reds were perhaps guilty of allowing the 30-year-old time to get his shot away.
Manager Silva started with five at the back – maybe inspired by how Leeds nullified Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday.
His side were compact and hard to break down initially, and with their first attempt on goal Fulham punished the visitors. They looked at ease in the first half as Liverpool barely laid a glove.
There may be some anger among supporters as to why Wirtz’s goal was allowed to stand, but the difference in quality was clear during a second half in which Liverpool increased their tempo and broke through the lines.
The draw was a fair result, sealed by Reed’s first goal in his past 50 Premier League appearances, the last coming against Everton in April 2023, 995 days ago.
Silva has lost just one of his seven Premier League home games against Liverpool (W2 D4), while Slot remains winless in his three league matches with Fulham.
It is a local derby for Fulham who host Chelsea at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Wednesday (19:30 GMT).
Liverpool are back in London to take on leaders Arsenal on Thursday (20:00).
