Fulham 3-2 Liverpool: Arne Slot’s men suffer second Premier League defeat of the season as hosts net three goals in 14 minutes in the first half

With the sun in their eyes and a welcoming breeze from the River Thames a stone’s throw to their left, some of the travelling Kop broke into a consolatory rendition of ‘now you’re gonna believe us, we’re gonna win the league’ at full-time.

They were right on one count: they surely will indeed win the Premier League. Anyone with common sense has known that for some time. But based on the evidence of this stinking display, it was hard to believe just how far clear of the chasing pack they are.

A catalogue of errors saw Liverpool surrender an early lead to allow a fabulous Fulham side to record their biggest and best win of the season to give Marco Silva’s men serious confidence they can book a European tour for next year.

Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz were the goal-scoring heroes as Fulham became just the second team to beat Arne Slot in the Premier League after Nottingham Forest way back in September.

There is no doubting Silva’s men deserved it, and equally no doubting this team’s credentials in the push for Europe, but boy they were given a leg-up by a lacklustre Liverpool. A balanced display from Fulham and a masterclass of mistakes from Slot’s side.

The bad news for the Dutch head coach is that this was one of the worst performances of the season from his men, who in the west London sunshine played like a team on the beach with flip-flops and shades on.

Muniz slotted home from close range after getting the better of defender Virgil van Dijk 

Alex Iwobi had put the home side ahead with a deflected strike midway through the first half

Iwobi (right) celebrates with his team-mates after giving his side the lead on Sunday afternoon

The good news is that it will not matter as Arsenal, their closest rivals, are so incompetent that this slip-up will ultimately not be punished. Liverpool are champions-elect for their blistering 204-day unbeaten league run before this — and will not be judged on days like today.

Perhaps Arsenal’s draw at Everton on Saturday had invited a tad of complacency into the minds of Liverpool’s squad. They have not been at their best for some weeks now, to be fair, going back to the Southampton game a month ago.

Slot rollicked them at half-time then and they won but then they crashed out of the Champions League, lost the Carabao Cup and could have fallen behind in the Merseyside Derby midweek. Everton did not take several clear-cut chances in that game but, here, Fulham were clinical.

Silva’s side hunted Liverpool like hungry dogs, capitalising on every wayward pass – there were many – and every moment of hesitation in possession.

It had all started so brightly. A thumping strike from Alexis Mac Allister put them ahead after 14 minutes and, at that point, it felt like they were set for a lovely Sunday riverside stroll with an easy three points at the end of the trail.

A fast start and a positive end for Liverpool, that saw them nearly score an equaliser, but everything in between was sloppy. A slipshod sandwich if you like, to slightly alter a more explicit phrase not suitable for these pages.

Fulham have muscle memory for how to cause Liverpool problems having drawn at Anfield in December and, soon, they started to click into gear. They picked apart the league leaders three times in 15 minutes with the away side architects of their own downfall on each occasion.

First, makeshift right back Curtis Jones failed to clear a cross – instead letting the ball bounce off his thigh into the path of Sessegnon. Take nothing away from the winger, who unleashed a fine half-volley to equalise.

Ryan Sessegnon(30) drew the hosts level shortly after Liverpool had taken the lead

Caoimhin Kelleher conceded three goals as Liverpool had an afternoon to forget 

Luis Diaz halved the deficit in the second half as the visitors threatened to come back 

The Reds failed to find a winner despite plenty of late pressure in the end-to-end match

If that was sloppy from Liverpool, the second was diabolical. Andy Robertson, who was sent off in the reverse fixture and at fault for a goal before, was again haunted by Fulham as the Scotland captain produced a comedy of errors.

A hospital pass across the face of his own goal gifted Fulham possession, then when he got a second bite at the cherry to clear his lines he headed straight back to Iwobi. The Scotland captain got off the floor and threw himself at the shot, deflecting it past his goalkeeper.

Five minutes later, it was 3-1. Again, a highly preventable goal. Virgil van Dijk was spun by the lanky No 9 Muniz and the striker calmly slotted between the legs of Caoimhin Kelleher, again deputising for Alisson who remains out 16 days on for a head injury on Brazil duty.

Slot talked on Friday about how the Carabao Cup final defeat might have been good in the long run for his team as it will have ‘woken them up’ a bit. For much of this game, they looked like they were half-asleep, dozing in the splendid spring sun on the banks of the Thames.

Four substitutions later and around 25 minutes into the second half, they finally started to awaken and play the sort of football that has got them to this comfortable position atop the Premier League. Two of those introductions from the bench soon combined to pull one back.

Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring with a brilliant strike in the 14th minute of the game

Mac Allister celebrates after breaking the deadlock in the Premier League encounter 

It was just the second time this season that Arne Slot’s side have lost in the Premier League

Conor Bradley, who has missed the last six weeks, began his audition to be the long-term heir to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s throne at right back — if the vice-captain leaves — with a lovely run and pass for Luis Diaz, who finished in style.

Soon, it felt like Fulham were hanging on by a thread. Jones, Diaz, Harvey Elliott (twice) and Federico Chiesa all had sound opportunities to score. A combination of last-ditch defending, steely goalkeeping from Bernd Leno and wasteful finishing saw Fulham hang on.

In previous seasons, a slip-up like this from the leaders in April would be devastating. Not this year. A bad afternoon at the office for Liverpool but they have allowed themselves the luxury of an off-day or two.

Now they must make sure they pick themselves up and do not stumble over the finish line.