Fulham gaffer Marco Silva believes Liverpool were “lucky” to find a way back into their League Cup semi-final against his side.
The visitors were in control having been given a first-half lead by William in their first leg clash at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
However, Liverpool scored twice within three minutes midway through the second half through Curtis Jones and substitute Cody Gakpo to earn a 2-1 victory.
The strike from Jones took a huge deflection off Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo that wrong-footed goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
And Silva said:
“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.
“It is a big frustration for us. We spoke about it before the game, how we were winning 3-2 (in December at Anfield in the Premier League) 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 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.
“In a competition where we are playing two legs, we cannot concede a fast attack like that (for the second goal). Liverpool had one or two chances to score the third. The reality is that Leno kept us in the game.”
“Two different halves (in the first leg). It wasn’t our best performance, even so first half we had a plan. We were ruthless in the first moment we got in their box, really good from Willian.
“Second half was different, we struggled a bit more. When you have players from the bench like Gakpo and Nunez it can give them more pace and intensity.”
Fulham had a great chance to double their lead early in the second half when Bobby De Cordova-Reid shot at Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher with Andreas Pereira unmarked in the area.
And Silva added:
“It is one of the key moments. We reacted really well after the first 10 minutes of the second half. Bobby didn’t see Pereira was going to be one on one with the goalkeeper.
“It is what it is. We had that moment to score the second goal. We are going to fight for what we want. It is going to be tough. Liverpool are winning the result now.”
