Fulham 2-2 Liverpool: Reds set unwanted Premier League record as draw raises doubts about Arne Slot and top four

Liverpool's failure to win against Fulham was the fourth latest a team has led without claiming three points in the Premier League since records began.

The Reds were held to a 2-2 stalemate by Fulham at Craven Cottage, though they should have left London with a victory.

Florian Wirtz equalised before the hour mark, before Cody Gakpo then put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

However, a strike from distance from Harrison Reed in the 97th minute saw the spoils shared at Craven Cottage.

Opta report that only three sides on record have taken the lead later in the Premier League and failed to win than when Gakpo scored (93:53), with records beginning in the 2006-07 season.

© Imago / Pro Sports Images

Champions League race: Will Liverpool finish in the top four?

The draw may not prove damaging in the immediate term considering Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds United, while Chelsea played Manchester City on Sunday.

Liverpool boast a three-point advantage over fifth-placed United, and they are currently four points in front of sixth-placed Chelsea.

However, the Reds have drawn their past two games in the league, failing to take advantage of the fact that their rivals have also dropped numerous points over recent weeks.

The Merseysiders will face Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle United in three of their next five Premier League fixtures, and damaging results in January could drastically change how the table looks.

© Imago / Propaganda Photo

Arne Slot future: Should Liverpool sack their manager?

After spending in the region of £450m in the summer, a title race would have been the expected aim for Arne Slot, but the fact his side are 14 points from first-placed Arsenal after 20 games is alarming.

The draw against Fulham extended the club's unbeaten streak to nine matches, but the team's performances have been consistently poor in that period.

Slot has sacrificed much of the team's offensive output for defensive solidity, but setting up not to lose is not a sustainable way to achieve success.

The Dutch boss is only contracted to Liverpool until the end of 2026-27, so a decision will have to be made about his future sooner rather than later, and it would not be surprising if his time at Anfield came to an end in the summer.