"A deflection that changed completely the game" - Marco Silva makes 'lucky' Liverpool claim after Fulham's 2-1 loss
Fulham boss Marco Silva believes Liverpool were lucky to find a way back into their first-leg Carabao Cup semi-final meeting on Wednesday (January 10).
The Reds went a goal down in the first half (19') but managed to win 2-1, netting twice in the second through Curtis Jones (68') and Cody Gakpo (71'). Jones was a tad lucky as his left-footed effort from outside the box caught a deflection and looped over Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.
Claiming that this bit of fortune brought the Merseysiders back into the match, Silva said after the game (via Liverpool Echo):
"A bit lucky goal the first goal, a deflection that changed completely the game. The only thing that is disappointing is the way we managed the next 10 minutes."
“The goal they scored at 1-1 lifted everything. After that, for five or 10 minutes we have to keep the cohesion. We have to be really smart and unfortunately for us we weren’t."
Fulham suffered a similar fate when the two sides met in the Premier League on December 3. The Cottagers, who were leading 3-2, conceded twice in the 87th and 88th minutes to hand Jurgen Klopp's side the victory.
Recalling that fixture at Anfield, Silva added:
"It is a big frustration for us. We spoke about it before the game, how we were winning 3-2 and we lost the match in the last five minutes. We know what can happen against these sides and this crowd. It was a big boost for them after that."
The return leg at Craven Cottage is scheduled for January 24. Before that Fulham travel to Chelsea for a Premier League fixture on Saturday (January 13), while Liverpool take on Bournemouth on January 21.
Marco Silva urges Fulham to fight in second leg against Liverpool
Fulham manager Marco Silva still harbors hopes of a comeback against Liverpool in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. The Reds were fairly dominant in the first meeting, keeping 67% possession.
They registered 21 attempts on goal compared to the Cottagers' six and found the target on seven occasions. However, Silva believes the tie is still in the balance and said post-match (via Liverpool Echo):
"It’s still tight. We lost the first half (of the tie) and we have to go for it in the second."
Before entering their Carabao Cup knockout fixture, Fulham had managed to win two consecutive matches across competitions. They first beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League on December 31 and then secured a third-round FA Cup win against Championship side Rotherham (1-0, January 6).