Liverpool just had their 2019/20 moment, the title is INEVITABLE now

Liverpool have just lost 3-2 to Fulham at Craven Cottage, the club's 2nd loss of the Premier League season, and the reaction from the fans has been fascinating to say the least.

It should not be understated how much the Reds were off the boil today. It was a lacklustre and complacent performance to say the least, after a really positive win in midweek against Everton in the derby at Anfield.

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Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate made uncharacteristic defensive errors, Andy Robertson had one of his bad days and the vulnerability of having Curtis Jones at right-back was clear for all to see.

Of course, this introspection should not make the error of dismissing how good Fulham were - a side who have looked revitalised this season under Marco Silva and are set to surpass their current best finish in a first-division season (ninth in the 2003-04 season).

When the Cottagers visited Anfield back in December, they helped themselves to a point in a 2-2 draw, where the Reds had to come back from behind twice after Robertson was sent off.

As such, this result should not be a surprise and in fact there are plenty of reasons to be positive moving forward. Let's unpack them.

Liverpool have unknowingly taken the same path as the 2019/20 winning team

Going into the match against Fulham, Liverpool had delivered some unconvincing performances. A 1-0 loss at Anfield to Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League, a 2-1 dismantling in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, before a nervy 1-0 derby win on the back of the international break.

The result against Everton was largely regarded as a steely performance, although the Fulham loss has now put a new narrative on the result where Liverpool are 'stumbling'.

But let's put this into context. Fulham scored three goals from 0.75xg today - a fact that can only be explained by small chances being taken. The defending left a lot to be desired, but Liverpool were hardly torn apart. Slot's side on the other hand created 1.11xg (per Sofascore).

A 15-minute period defined the game. It was enough to inflict a 2nd loss of the season on the Reds, but that's it. 11 points were required to secure the title before the game and nothing has changed.

Of course, it's deflating and given the club's recent results, it's not what you want to see. Fans are desperate for the team to win the Premier League as soon as possible. But there are still seven games to play.

While this season might not seem anything like the 99-point winning 2019-20 season, there are actually a lot of similarities, and in my honest opinion, Liverpool could actually benefit from losing today.

Let's think back. The year is 2019, it's October, and Liverpool are heading to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, coming off the back of eight consecutive wins. The team draws. It's a disappointing, but the team is still unbeaten, so it's a result that's relatively straightforward to move on from.

Fast-forward to February 2020, Liverpool have followed up the draw to United with 18 consecutive wins.

The team heads to Vicarage Road for a clash against relegation threatened Watford and out of nowhere the Reds get battered 3-0, Ismaila Sarr getting on the scoresheet twice before Troy Deeney added the finishing touches.

Dreams of an 'Invincible' season are trashed and the club faces it's first Premier League loss since Manchester City's 2-1 win at the Etihad back in January 2019 - 44 games ago.

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In a vacuum, the loss to Watford is killer, but all great unbeaten runs come to an end and whether the team needed it or not, it was a welcome reality check that you cannot afford to lose focus when challenging for the title.

Now of course, back in 2025, this Fulham loss feels strange, The team were outplayed, although that doesn't seem surprising, but it's also the first loss the club has felt in the Premier League for some time.

To be exact, it brought to an end Liverpool's 26-game unbeaten streak, which stretched all the way back to September where the team lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

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On the face of it, the 2019-20 team looks incomparible to this team. That side dropped points in just six games, whereas this side has already dropped points in nine, but the principle remains.

Winning the league is hard. When everything is smooth sailing and you're winning every week, the task of succeeding looks relatively straightforward, but when you have a wobble, everything becomes that bit trickier.

For Watford, beating Liverpool was everything. No one had done it for so long that the achievement became a metaphorical piece of silverware. But while the same cannot exactly be said for Fulham, the impact on the team should be extremely similar. A chance to refocus and learn from your mistakes.

In response to the Watford loss, Liverpool beat Bournemouth the following week, taking the team to 82 points - a total that would not be beaten by anyone that season. The league was essentially wrapped up.

But while the task remaining for Slot's side is slightly bigger - 11 points need to mathematically win the league - the opposition waiting in the wings is a 16th placed West Ham side and an 18th placed Leicester side, in the next two weeks.

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In summary, while the loss to Fulham is a bitter pill to swallow, the pressure is firmly off. The unbeaten run is gone, but so are the team's rose-tinted glasses in this title charge. Points are there to be won and the remaining games need the utmost focus. Once we're across the line, then the partying can begin. But no title is ever supposed to be won at a canter and Liverpool fans should know this better than most.