Fulham 2 – Liverpool 2: Nunez and Salah take one for the team

The return of Premier League football recently will have been music to the ears of all Liverpool fans. While pre-season friendlies and FA Community Shield games are diverting enough, nothing matches the EPL for sheer drama. It is also a league which delivers plenty of goalmouth action, controversial refereeing decisions and tough tackling!

The Premier League is also a great competition to bet on and this can help add even more excitement to Liverpool games. If you do plan to bet on the Premier League online, just make sure to get a season overview first. This will help you work out what kinds of bets you can make and also what teams stand a chance of doing well. 

Of course, Liverpool will feature highly in any decent Premier League season preview, and fans will be confident of another fine campaign in 2022/23. Liverpool played their opening game against Fulham away at Craven Cottage – but it did not go according to plan exactly!

Fulham 2 – Liverpool 2 

As the title of this article suggests, Liverpool have new boy Darwin Nunez and key man Mo Salah to thank for rescuing a point against Fulham. In fact, many fans point to the arrival of Nunez on the pitch as the major turning point of the game. Coming on for Roberto Firmino just six minutes into the second half, his impact was almost immediate. Not only did he score his team’s first goal and set up Salah’s equaliser, but he also seemed to reinvigorate a Liverpool side that had looked out of sorts before. 

Although the £85m price tag he came with seemed steep at first glance, it is clear just what a top-level talent Nunez is. Not only does he have the sheer physicality to do well in the Premier League, but he has a great touch, superb movement and a knack for scoring goals. Surely now manager Jurgen Klopp has to play him from the start moving forward.

Salah rides to the rescue 

While much of Liverpool's draw with Fulham can be put down to the improvement Nunez’s arrival ushered in, you also need to mention Salah’s impact. Although he had looked as listless as his teammates in the first half, he showed his importance again with the equalising goal to give his team a point. 

Although not one of his world-beating best, Salah’s quick reaction to stab the ball home after Nunez knocked it on was impressive. The fact that he was still making runs into the box and looking to score also speaks volumes about his desire. As in previous seasons, Liverpool will need Salah firing on all cylinders again to reach the top. With claims that a new contract at Anfield has freed Salah's mind, it seems he is ready to focus fully on the Reds once more. 

What did the Fulham game tell us about the coming season for Liverpool? 

All Liverpool fans will be naturally disappointed about the Fulham result, but it is key to not overreact. This was the very first match of the season after all and players might simply have been a bit rusty from summer still. In addition, this time of year always throws up shock results you do not expect! 

As things settle down, it is clear that Liverpool’s players will use their quality to get into a winning groove. We also have to factor in that this game was away from Anfield, which can always prove tricky when the side has to travel a long way down to London. If you also add in how well Fulham played on the day and how much of a handful Mitrovic was, the draw becomes a little easier to bear.

Of course, it does have to said that there were worrying signs for Jurgen Klopp’s side at Craven Cottage. Both Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold looked a little out of sorts for example. They are part of a defence that has been the bedrock of Liverpool’s success recently. 

It is therefore key for Klopp to iron out any issues around their form to get them back to their best. The injury to Thiago Alcantara was another blow on the day and Klopp must find someone to bring into the side for now who can keep the team ticking over in possession. 

2022/23 season should be exciting for Liverpool 

While a draw away at Fulham might not be too inspiring, it is not all doom and gloom at Merseyside. The performance of both Nunez and Salah for example is something to excite fans moving forward. With Manchester City looking to be Liverpool’s main rivals for the Premier League again, both players will prove crucial.