Liverpool’s title challenge was on the rocks for seven minutes late in the second half at Fulham before their experienced midfielder spared the goalkeeper’s blushes

For seven minutes, it is no exaggeration to say that Liverpool’s title hopes hung in the balance. The alarm bells had started to ring from the moment that the substitute James Milner miscued high into the sky and Virgil van Dijk extended his arms, looked at his goalkeeper, Alisson, and wondered where he was. Alisson had been a virtual bystander up until the 74th minute, such was his team’s control but there he was – or wasn’t – when Van Dijk needed him the most.

Liverpool go back to the top with Milner’s late penalty at Fulham Read more

What happened next appeared to unfold in slow motion. Alisson did reach Van Dijk’s back header first, ahead of Ryan Babel, the former Liverpool winger but, inexplicably, he challenged with his feet, rather than plunging low to gather with his hands. Perhaps, Alisson was worried that he had left his area. He had not. Cue the ricochet, a tap in for Babel and a major flutter for the travelling support. Liverpool could not afford to drop points at Fulham. Their margin for error in the Premier League title battle with Manchester City had stood – and continues to stand – at zero. So how was their bottle now? The demons from the recent draws at West Ham, Manchester United and Everton circled.

In every title challenge there are moments such as these. It was not a test of Liverpool’s technical ability or their tactical approach. It was all about their mentality, their patience, their capacity to stick to what they know best; what had served them positively over the previous 30 league matches.

When they got themselves back in front, it was a statement that resonated with force across the blue half of Manchester. Yes, there was an element of fortune. Happily for Liverpool, Sergio Rico had a blunder in the Fulham goal to rival that of Alisson. Sadio Mané is arguably the most slippery attacker in the division but it was pure folly on the part of Rico to put his hands on him, having just spilled Mohamed Salah’s shot.

And so there was Milner, standing over the penalty and there were simply no grey areas. Put yourself in his shoes. He had only just come on – with the idea being that he would help to see out the game – but, with practically his first touch, he had inadvertently put his team on the back foot.

Play Video 2:04 'Nothing is decided': Jürgen Klopp praises Liverpool's nervy win at Fulham – video

The Yorkshireman is made of stern stuff. Indeed, he has built a career on responding to knocks, on proving the doubters wrong, on showing he can make himself more than the sum of his parts. When Milner is on the field, he takes the Liverpool penalties – ahead of Salah, who endured an afternoon when little came off for him.

Did anybody truly doubt the outcome? On so many levels, Milner is a symbol of the never-say-die spirit that is driving Liverpool’s challenge and, when the dust had settled, it was his sixth goal of the season that tasted impossibly sweet.

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Jürgen Klopp was without the injured Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita and he had preferred Adam Lallana to Milner in the starting XI, turning the dial slightly in favour of attack-mindedness. Yet balance and discipline were the watchwords. They have been throughout the season.

Liverpool’s first-half ascendancy owed much to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson. Keen to press high up the pitch, the full-backs were ever available for the long diagonals while they frequently drove the transitions. Alexander-Arnold was magnificent in Wednesday’s Champions League triumph at Bayern Munich and one detail bears repeating: the Liverpudlian is just 20 years of age. Robertson, meanwhile, caught the eye yet again with his pace and remorselessness.

Jürgen Klopp praises Liverpool for ‘sensational result’ against Fulham Read more

The worry for Klopp was that Liverpool were even in the position to be reeled in by a defensive mistake. They had the openings to have built a cushion. Perhaps, tiredness was a factor. There has been plenty of travelling, to and from Munich and now to London which, as Klopp pointed out “is not around the corner.”

Liverpool were sloppy, and not only with their final action. For 10 minutes or so before Babel’s equaliser, they lost their rhythm; inviting Fulham on, giving them encouragement. It had certainly been jarring to see Fulham break with three on two in the 68th minute, when only poor decision-making from Babel spared them.

Klopp responded, in part, by swapping Lallana for Milner and telling the veteran to “calm things down.” Initially, Milner did the opposite but the reaction from him and his teammates was everything.

The markers of Liverpool’s progress under Klopp are numerous but here is the latest – this result took them to 76 points, which equalled the manager’s best return from a Premier League season. Of course, they still have seven games to go and the run-in looks relatively kind. Then again, it was supposed to be straightforward at Craven Cottage.

In the end, it was all about finding a way to win and, as they enter the international break, Liverpool are on top and where they want to be. “Average game, sensational result,” Klopp said. Liverpool’s dream continues to burn.