Fulham gave Liverpool a run for their money with Marco Silva’s side almost getting the best of Jurgen Klopp’s first 11.
The Reds had to stage a second-half comeback to force a draw after a shaky start to their campaign.
Three points were at stake as the two sides kickstarted the new English Premier League season at Craven Cottage on Saturday, August 6.
Anfield faithful were undeniably a distressed lot at the halftime break, with The Cottagers leading Liverpool a goal to nil.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was the man to watch (and of the match) as his will to score seemed as eager as the Fulham fans at home, excitedly welcoming the new Premier League season.
Fulham fans can thank Mitrovic for his timely runs and aerial threat that posed enough of a constant headache to the Reds, to score his first goal.
Despite the equally exceptional Virgil Van Dijk paired with Joel Matip in central defence, there was nothing stopping the 27-year-old.
The Serbian broke the deadlock with a perfectly executed header (typical Mitrovic) that squeezed past Allison into the top side of the net to take the lead in style.
On the opposite attacking front, Luis Diaz came agonisingly close to equalising for Liverpool when his finely struck shot hit the top corner of the post, minutes before halftime.
However, after Jurgen Klopp had a moment with his team during the break, they emerged a more reinvigorated side with more gusto.
Fulham having drawn blood, were looking for the kill in the second half, and almost came close when Kebano’s effort rattled off the post in the 57th minute, to Allison’s relief.
Darwin Nunez who replaced Firmino after the break, scored his first Premier League goal after Liverpool’s relentless high press eventually yielded fruit, as Fulham buckled to the ensuing onslaught.
Nunez, who now has Sadio Mane’s big boots to fill in terms of expected goals, tapped in the ball with a sleek back-heel off a Mohammed Salah assist that ricocheted off Tosin Adarabioyo and went inside the net to level the scores.
The goals were after a series of impressive passes that Liverpool stringed up, building play from the back to service Nunez in the end.
Yet, Mitrovic’s menacing presence and resolve to score was not to be deterred as he prodded on pushing his team to snatch the lead again which they did through a penalty.
Van Dyk was deemed to have brought down Mitrovic after the lanky forward drove the ball directly at Liverpool’s centre-back, who was left with no choice but to lunge recklessly in for the tackle after being cunningly pulled in by the Serbian.
Mitrovic buried the ball passed Allison with a firmly placed low shot that gave Fulham the lead for a second time as Craven Cottage came alive.
However, it wasn’t long before Salah arrived on the scene for the second time to rescue Liverpool and secure a point from a tightly contested match, after slotting the ball home with a well-timed snapshot.
The two sides share points to save victory or defeat for another opponent on another matchday.
