Rio Ngumoha grabbed the headlines once again as he shone for Liverpool in their victory over Fulham. The 17-year-old winger produced a stunning finish from the left, bending the ball past goalkeeper Bernd Leno to open the scoring. His performance further justified his minutes in the first team, following a stoppage-time strike at Newcastle and an impressive outing against Wolves in the FA Cup.
Mohamed Salah scored his first Premier League goal in over a month, sweeping home with his left foot in trademark fashion. The Egyptian, whose departure has been confirmed, was left on the bench in midweek against PSG but reprised his role in the starting XI against Fulham. His goal helped Liverpool take control with a quick-fire double before the break.
The game was played amid a protest in the Kop, with home fans displaying a long banner reading 'No to ticket price increases'. The protest was followed by applause around Anfield and a chant critical of the club's owners. Despite the backdrop, Liverpool put a difficult week behind them, having been hammered by Manchester City and outclassed by PSG.
Fulham had chances of their own, with Oscar Bobb forcing a save from Giorgi Mamardashvili and Emile Smith Rowe seeing an effort go narrowly wide. However, they failed to take their opportunities and left Anfield pointless. They remain four points off Chelsea in sixth place, which is set to be good enough for Europa League qualification.
Liverpool welcomed back Alexander Isak after months out injured, as the Swede looks to rediscover the form he showed at Newcastle. The win puts daylight between Liverpool and the sides chasing Champions League spots, with manager Arne Slot on course to deliver a top-four finish despite questions over his future.
