THE NOTEBOOK: Trent Alexander-Arnold eyes swift return as Conor Bradley fills the gap, Darwin Nunez is achieving cult status… and Willian finally gets show on the road
Conor Bradley #ConorBradley
Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo scored three minutes apart as Liverpool fought back from a goal down to beat Fulham 2-1 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at a chilly Anfield on Wednesday.
Fulham threatened to hand the record nine-time League Cup winners their first home defeat across all competitions this season after Willian scored in the 19th minute. Capitalising on Virgil van Dijk’s poor clearance, the Brazilian slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box between keeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s legs.
Premier League-leading Liverpool dominated possession and finally got the better of Fulham’s well-organised back line when Jones netted in the 68th minute, his shot from 25 metres out taking a big deflection off the back of Tosin Adarabioyo.
Substitute Gakpo fired Liverpool in front in the 71st, tapping in Darwin Nunez’s cross at the near post.
Mail Sport’s Joe Bernstein takes a look at some of the things you might have missed.
Conor Bradley started at right-back against Fulham in only his fifth start for Liverpool
Trent Alexander-Arnold eyes swift return
Conor Bradley’s run in the Liverpool first-team may not be that extensive with Trent Alexander-Arnold targeting the Premier League game against Chelsea on January 31 as his return date.
Jurgen Klopp played the 20-year-old Bradley at right back against Fulham in only the Northern Ireland international’s fifth start for the club.
Alexander-Arnold, who has hyper-extended his knee, will now sacrifice the opportunity to have a ‘break’ or partake in any warm-weather training in order to report to the AXA Training Centre for daily rehab sessions.
The vice-captain will miss the league game against Bournemouth on January 21 as well as Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg at Fulham and FA Cup fourth round tie.
Nunez is achieving cult status
Darwin Nunez already achieving cult status at Liverpool.
Goalscorers Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo must have been puzzled as they celebrated to hear The Kop chanting ‘Noo-nez, Noo-nez’ instead for providing the assists.
Jurgen Klopp started the Uruguayan on the bench but brought him on after 56 minutes with Liverpool trailing and the crowd making their opinion known.
Sub Darwin Nunez delighted The Kop by making an instant impact in the win over Fulham
Willian finally gets show on the road
Willian’s tidy finish to put Fulham ahead after 19 minutes dispelled the notion that he’s something of a ‘home bird’ when it comes to scoring.
The 35-year-old winger’s previous eight goals had all been at Craven Cottage and you had to go back to October 2022 at Elland Road against Leeds for his last away strike.
Another oddity about the Brazilian is he’s already a serial winner compared to his latest club. Willian won the Premier League (twice), FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League in his trophy-laden spell with Chelsea.
Fulham, however, are still waiting for the first major trophy in their history.
Tribute to Merseyside football legend
Local rivalry was put aside at Anfield for the sad passing of Peter Johnson, the one-time chairman of Everton and Tranmere.
Johnson, who died on Wednesday aged 84, was in control at Everton when they won the 1995 FA Cup which remains their last major trophy.
He also had three spells at Tranmere where his backing for Liverpool great John Aldridge as manager led to their appearance in the 2000 League Cup final.
Liverpool’s biggest-ever win in domestic football was also against Fulham in the League Cup – a 10-0 romp at Anfield in 1986 when Steve McMahon scored four.
Back then, second round ties were played over two legs and when Kenny Dalglish’s side turned up for the return, they were amused that the Fulham programme carried details of extra-time and penalties being required if the overall scores were level!
Joe Gomez tried to replicate the runs of left back regulars Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas
Gomez runs are too left field
Joe Gomez standing in at left back on his 200th appearance, tried to replicate the runs of regulars Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas but it’s fair to say he looks more comfortable in the tackle.
Gomez did try to take up some advanced positions.
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But when he arrived, the quality was lacking.
There were groans when he sliced a cross or shot into the side-netting.
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