No Pool party at the Cottage as Fulham's high octane triumph stuns title-bound Liverpool

Expectant Cottage: Picture by @YTJourno

By Yann Tear at Craven Cottage

Fulham (3) 3 Sessegnon 23, Iwobi 32, Muniz 37

Liverpool (1) 2 Mac Allister 14, Diaz 72

Fulham produced a stunning energy-filled display they could have done with a week ago as they ended the unbeaten away record of champions-elect Liverpool.

It was a thrilling afternoon for the Whites in the Thameside sunshine as they shrugged off the setback of conceding an early goal to plunder an abject Reds defence three times in less than a quarter-of-an-hour.

First, home fans revelled in 'One of Our Own' Ryan Sessegnon cancelling out Alexis Mac Allister's opener in his first Premier League start since his return to the fold, then watched on in disbelief as Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz fired the Whites in front.

Fulham were everything they had not been in succumbing so disappointingly to Crystal Palace in last week's FA Cup tie. Aggressive, tenacious, determined.

Liverpool were punished for coasting after their opener and no doubt received a rocket from boss Arne Slot at the interval. They were much less passive after the restart and it was no surprise when sub Luis Diaz reduced the arrears and the man Whites fans love to hate almost made it 3-3 when he came off the bench to smash a shot against the crossbar.

More half chances were fashioned and it was a nervy finale to say the least, but Marco Silva is back in the good books after overseeing this famous win - a first at home to the Reds since Clint Dempsey gave them a 1-0 win 14 years ago.

The Whites were given an early hint that there was vulnerability in the visitors' defence when Ibrahima Konate allowed Andreas Pereira to steal the ball off him and lay the ball back for Muniz - only for the large frame of Virgil van Dijk to clatter into the Brazilian before he could get a shot away.

That said, it did look as though the Reds must seize the day when they got their noses in front. All it took was a simple bit of midfield tussling for Mac Allister to shrug off the attentions of Sander Berg before slipping into the zone of interest and unleashing a drive past the despairing dive to his right by Bernd Leno.

Then came a moment to cherish for home fans as Sessegnon followed up to crash home first-time after a Pereira cross had come back towards him off Curtis Jones - who is filling in at right back at the moment for Slot's team.

Not long after, Iwobi put the Whites in front - courtesy of three moments of calamity from Andrew Robertson. First the Scotland left back played a square ball that invited trouble, then he headed a ball that fell back towards him out to Iwobi and then deflected the final shot that gave Caoimhin Kelleher no chance.

Then it really was dreamland time as Muniz managed to hook a miscued lob forward from Iwobi around van Dijk, before outpacing the Dutchman and drilling low through the legs of Kelleher.

Of course it was a very differnt tale after the interval as Fulham had to graft without the ball to protect what they had.

Leno's sharp reflexes denied Diogo Jota a goal at the start of the second half - the Liverpool striker slipped through by an otherwise quiet Mo Salah, who had won the ball off Calvin Bassey.

Salah also skied a good chance after getting on the end of a Diaz cross, summing up his dip in form.

Leno was grateful a low shot in injury time from Federico Chiesa was straight at him as the Whites massed in defence to thwart the rampaging Reds. But they deserved to hold on and inflict a first loss for Liverpool on the road in the league after going 15 unbeaten.

Whites: (4-2-3-1) Leno - Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson - Pereira (Smith Rowe 76), Berge - Iwobi (Tete 82), Lukic (Reed 76), Sessegnon (Traore 82) - Muniz (Jimenez 76)

Reds: (4-2-3-1) Kelleher - Jones, Konate (Bradley 84), van Dijk, Robertson (Chiesa 83) - Gravenberch, Mac Allister - Salah, Szoboszlai (Elliott 55), Gakpo (Diaz 55) - Jota (Nunez 67)

Attendance: 27,770