Liverpool survive Fulham scare to book League Cup final date with Chelsea

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the League
Cup final after surviving a scare in their 1-1 draw against Fulham in the
semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

Holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, Liverpool took the lead through
Luis Diaz early in the first half at Craven Cottage.

That should have been the signal for a comfortable evening for Jurgen Klopp’s
side.

But they missed several chances to kill off Fulham before Issa Diop’s late
goal set the stage for a dramatic denouement.

Liverpool barely held on under Fulham’s barrage of pressure before finally
clinching a 3-2 aggregate success.

In a repeat of the 2022 final won by Liverpool on penalties, the Reds will
make their 14th appearance in the League Cup showpiece against Chelsea at
Wembley on February 25.

Liverpool have won the League Cup a record nine times, while Chelsea, who
routed Middlesbrough 6-2 on aggregate on the other semi-final, have lifted
the trophy on five occasions, most recently in 2015.

With Mohamed Salah suffering a serious hamstring injury on Africa Cup of
Nations duty with Egypt, Liverpool will be bereft of star power for several
weeks.

But in Salah’s absence, Liverpool’s victory over Bournemouth on Sunday took
them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds are also competing in the FA Cup and Europa League, giving them a
chance for an incredible quadruple trophy haul this season.

Black and white billboards with the slogan ‘dare to dream’ had surrounded the
Craven Cottage pitch in a pre-match message to the Fulham fans, who responded
with a raucous atmosphere that belied their sedate reputation.

It didn’t take long for Liverpool to puncture Fulham’s optimism.

– Deadly Diaz –

Klopp’s men wasted no time getting on the front foot as Diaz glanced a header
narrowly wide from Harvey Elliott’s free-kick inside the first two minutes.

Crucially, Joao Palhinha wasted a golden opportunity to put Fulham ahead when
the unmarked midfielder met Andreas Pereira’s corner with a volley that
whistled over from 10 yards.

Diaz made sure Liverpool took advantage of that escape in the 11th minute,
the Colombian rising to win an aerial challenge before darting into the area
for a low drive that squirmed through Bernd Leno’s weak attempted save at his
near post.

A constant thorn in Fulham’s side, Diaz had the ball in the net again midway
through the half but this time his strike was disallowed for offside against
Darwin Nunez.

So dominant in the opening stages, Liverpool let their guard down after that
and Raul Jimenez’s effort from outside the edge brought a sprawling save from
Caoimhin Kelleher.

Deputising for the rested Alisson Becker, Kelleher held Willian’s 25-yard
blast moments later.

Kelleher gifted Fulham a chance by coming off his line in a failed bid to
catch Willian’s cross, with Tosin Adarabioyo’s knock-down smashed against the
post by Pereira.

That lucky let-off re-energised Liverpool, who threatened a second goal as
Nunez’s curler forced a fine save from Leno at full stretch.

But Harry Wilson came off the bench to provide a spark for Fulham in the
closing stages, whipping over a perfectly-placed cross that Diop flicked past
Kelleher from close-range.

In a tense finale, Kelleher made a good stop to keep out Wilson’s blistering
strike before Liverpool could finally celebrate. (BSS/AFP)