Match reportWirtz and Gakpo score as Liverpool denied in draw at Fulham
Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw at Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, with the game seeing two goals in stoppage time shared between the teams.
Arne Slot's side fell behind to a low, drilled Harry Wilson effort in the first half, which required VAR intervention following the attacker initially being ruled offside.
In similar fashion midway through the second period, Florian Wirtz also saw the video assistant referee award his strike after a flag was again raised to deny his sweeping finish at first.
Cody Gakpo then struck from close range in the fourth minute of added time at the end, though his possible winner was cancelled out three minutes later by a stunning solo goal from substitute Harrison Reed.
Team
Liverpool made three changes for the Craven Cottage clash as Gakpo, Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister returned to the starting line-up.
Hugo Ekitike missed out due to a hamstring issue, while Joe Gomez returned as a substitute after injury.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz (Frimpong, 76), Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Bradley, Jones (Chiesa, 85), Gakpo (Gomez, 90+6), Gravenberch.
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Ngumoha.
First half
The game began with Gakpo leading the attack for the Reds and he was the first of the afternoon to work an attempt on goal.
It came in minute six of the opening exchanges, with the No.18 turning inside the area to shoot low, though Joachim Andersen blocked the chance behind.
He again burst through on goal a short while later thanks to a clever pass from Curtis Jones that split the Fulham defence. Gakpo, though, could only shoot wide of the mark with goalkeeper Bernd Leno untroubled.
Shortly ahead of the 20-minute mark, Fulham opened the scoring with their first opportunity of the contest.
Wilson darted through after a flick from Raul Jimenez released him in on goal and found the bottom corner with a well-placed strike past Alisson Becker.
His goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR intervened to award the effort after replays showed he was behind the last defender.
Liverpool pressed on in search of a leveller, dominating the ball, though were unable to work any openings of note.
Gakpo struck the post with a guided a header from a Dominik Szoboszlai cross yet was flagged offside, which is as close as the visitors came to netting before the break.
Second half
Following the interval, Liverpool applied serious pressure to the Fulham defence in their attempts to restore parity.
Gakpo had the ball in the back of the net from a Kerkez cross, though had strayed offside as the delivery entered the area.
Szoboszlai also drilled a free-kick past the post from around 25 yards out, while Mac Allister sent a header against the crossbar from a corner kick.
Just ahead of the hour mark, the Reds found the goal their play had warranted, with Wirtz sweeping home inside the box from a Conor Bradley flick.
The goal was first flagged for offside once more, but after a lengthy VAR check the effort was eventually awarded.
Liverpool were buoyed by the strike, but it was the hosts who next threatened via goalscorer Wilson, who saw a deflected hit fly wide, ahead of also being thwarted by the crossbar.
Jimenez's run forced Alisson to race out to sweep up the pass forward, though the 'keeper spilled the ball to Wilson, who then floated a shot onto the woodwork from the edge of the box.
Liverpool thought they had won the game late on, with Gakpo darting into the six-yard box to score from close range following Jeremie Frimpong's inch-perfect delivery from the right flank.
However, Reed's solo strike from around 30 yards out in minute 97 saw the match end level.