Liverpool recorded a fifth successive Premier League victory as they eased past Fulham to keep up the pressure in the race for the top four.
Mo Salah’s penalty delivered a 1-0 win to move the fifth-placed Reds within four points of Manchester United.
Liverpool dominated from the first to the final whistle of the opening 45 minutes. On eight minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range effort was down Fulham keeper Bernd Leno’s throat before he sent a shot from the edge of the box narrowly wide two minutes later.
The Cottagers did fire the Reds a warning when Harry Wilson beat the offside trap but Alisson Becker made a fine stop in the home goal.
For all of Liverpool’s monopolisation of the ball, they did suffer to fashion any clear-cut chances. Yet they were given a golden one to open the scoring in the 39th minute when Darawin Nunez pilfered the ball from Issa Dop inside the penalty box, with the Fulham defender taking out the Reds striker. Salah stepped up calmly tucked his spot-kick home.
Liverpool continued in the ascendancy in the second half and Salah should have done much better with an effort when teed-up by Luis Diaz in the 50th minute.
Yet as the Reds’ hunt to double their advantage continued to no avail, Fulham started to get into the game and Alisson was forced into another excellent save from Carlos Vinicius.
But Liverpool saw the game out to tighten the gap on Manchester United with four games remaining.
Here’s how we rated the Liverpool players.
1. Alisson Becker - 7
Made a good stop from Wilson in the first half and then one from Vinicius after the break.
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7
Ran the show in the first half and when agonisignly close to opening the scoring. Passing again caught the eye in the second period and defensively sound.
3. Ibrahima Konate - 7
Made a couple of well-timed challenges in the first half. Solid after the interval.
4. Virgil van Dijk - 8
Made a vital sliding clearance early in the first half. Dominant in the second period.