The Reds still have a seven-point gap to make up to Manchester United having played a game more, so Klopp was unsurprisingly still pessimistic about his side’s fleeting hopes of Champions League qualification, especially with his side now conceding at least once in each of their last five matches.
On the flip side, Liverpool have now found the back of the net at least twice in each of those contests – racking up 17 across their last 450 minutes of top-flight football – while their domestic unbeaten run at Anfield now stands at nine matches ahead of the visit of a dejected Fulham crop.
The Fulham faithful had every reason to feel proud of their side’s efforts on the day, but back-to-back defeats have dented the Cottagers’ European dreams as they occupy 10th place in the table, five points better off than Crystal Palace and five below Brentford, both of whom have played a game more.
However, Fulham have impressively managed to avoid defeat in each of their last three meetings with Liverpool across all tournaments – drawing 2-2 at Craven Cottage in August following a 1-0 Anfield success last term – but it has been 56 years since the Cottagers last went four games unbeaten versus their Merseyside counterparts.
The latest occupant of the Liverpool treatment room is, rather incredibly, Jurgen Klopp, who visibly tweaked a muscle when running to celebrate in the face of fourth official John Brooks at the weekend – a dose of karmic retribution, perhaps.
While the 55-year-old waits to learn the extent of his diagnosis, Liverpool continue to cope without Calvin Ramsay (knee) and Stefan Bajcetic (adductor), while Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita’s muscular problems will rule them out too.
