Liverpool drop points again, Hull shock Chelsea and continue brilliant return to the Premier League
Liverpool drew 0:0 with Fulham at Anfield on Saturday, 12 September 2026, making it their third draw in the first four matches of the new Premier League season. Andoni Iraola's side remained unbeaten, but collected only six points after four rounds, a modest return for a club that entered the league campaign with ambitions of challenging at the top. At the same time, at Stamford Bridge, newly promoted Hull City once again confirmed that their excellent start to the season was no coincidence. Sergej Jakirović's side drew 2:2 with Chelsea, even though the hosts took the lead as early as the seventh minute, leaving Hull with eight points after four rounds and still unbeaten. According to the current table published after Saturday's fixtures, Hull are third, Chelsea fourth with seven points, and Liverpool sixth with six.
The results from Liverpool and London defined the fourth round because two major clubs once again displayed problems that had already become apparent during the opening weeks of the season. Liverpool, after two consecutive 2:2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, finally beat Ipswich 2:0 in the previous round, while in midweek they defeated Atlético Madrid 2:1 in the Champions League. Against Fulham, however, they failed to carry over either the rhythm or the attacking efficiency from those matches. Chelsea, on the other hand, scored first in each of their opening four league matches, but their defence failed again. Hull punished that weakness with two Mohamed Belloumi goals just six minutes apart.
Liverpool without an answer against organised Fulham
Liverpool had more of the ball against Fulham and finished the match with 14 shots, but only three were on target. According to Opta data, the hosts created chances worth 1.13 expected goals, while Fulham finished on 0.71. The numbers confirm that Liverpool produced slightly more in attack, but not enough clear chances for victory to have been the expected outcome. Fulham defended in an organised manner, closed the central areas and remained dangerous in transition at the same time. Álvaro Arbeloa's side therefore earned their first league point after three consecutive defeats at the start of the season.
Liverpool's best situations in the first half came in short spells. Bradley Barcola, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool, created space early for Alexander Isak, but the Swedish striker failed to find the far corner. Víctor Muñoz then headed the ball towards goal following a set piece, and Bernd Leno reacted quickly enough to clear it from the danger area. Florian Wirtz tried twice, but both shots went wide of the right post. Fulham were not content merely to defend, and young Josh King was among the visitors' most active players.
Liverpool's most dangerous moment of the first half came after a mistake while building an attack. Alisson's pass put Ryan Gravenberch under pressure, Sander Berge won the ball, and after the move continued Gonzalo García was given a chance to shoot towards the almost empty space in front of goal. Jérémy Jacquet saved Liverpool with a timely intervention on the goal line. Shortly afterwards, Oscar Bobb failed to control a precise Alex Iwobi ball properly, and another good Fulham situation went to waste. According to The Guardian's report, the visitors looked calmer and better organised than the home side during that period.
Iraola introduced Miloš Kerkez at half-time, and later Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister, trying to gain width, freshness and greater control in midfield. Liverpool raised the intensity, but did not significantly change the pattern of the match. Leno stopped attempts from Isak and Mac Allister, while at the other end Alisson had to intervene after a King shot. Fulham still had enough space for counterattacks in the closing stages, while Liverpool's pressure remained more territorial than genuinely dangerous. In stoppage time, Isak headed the last more serious chance wide of the goal.
Iraola: Liverpool lacked freshness
After the match, Andoni Iraola admitted that his team had not created chances at the level of their previous matches. In comments reported by the British media, he stressed that Liverpool lacked freshness after the match against Atlético, played only a few days earlier. He also emphasised that the team would have to adapt to such a schedule during the season, regardless of the short recovery time. In his assessment, matches like these are often decided by a set piece, a long-range shot or an individual moment, and Liverpool did not find such a moment this time. The coach particularly stressed that the forwards were not sharp or precise enough in the final third.
Opta's data further illustrates how unusual Liverpool's home start has been. The club have drawn four consecutive league matches at Anfield, including the end of last season, for the first time since November 2011. Also, according to the same statistical database, this is only the third time in the past 63 seasons that Liverpool have failed to win either of their first two home league matches of a season. Particularly interestingly, this is the first time in the club's history that both of their opening home league matches have ended in draws. For Iraola, it is a warning that remaining unbeaten alone will not be enough if Liverpool want to keep pace with the leading teams.
For Fulham, meanwhile, the point at Anfield is important both because of the result and the context. Álvaro Arbeloa's side opened the season with defeats against Chelsea 3:2, Sunderland 1:0 and Crystal Palace 3:2. They arrived in Liverpool without a single point, under increased pressure after three lost matches, but produced their most complete league performance of the season. Arbeloa praised the balance, control of transitions, character and personality of his players after the match. Fulham remain in the lower part of the table, but a first point won at one of the league's most difficult away grounds could provide an important psychological boost.
Hull silence Stamford Bridge after Chelsea's early lead
At Stamford Bridge, the match had a completely different rhythm. Chelsea took the lead as early as the seventh minute through Morgan Rogers, after a quick move in which João Pedro released the ball at the right moment towards his new teammate. Rogers broke through down the left and beat Konstantinos Tzolakis at the near post with a powerful shot. Chelsea therefore opened their fourth league match of the season by scoring within the first seven minutes. According to Opta, the London side took the lead in each of their first four league matches for the first time since the 2021/22 season.
Hull, however, did not collapse after conceding early. In the 28th minute, Ryan Giles won a duel on the left and sent the ball towards the far post, where Jorrel Hato misjudged its trajectory. Mohamed Belloumi took advantage of the mistake and equalised at 1:1 with a powerful strike. Just six minutes later, Hull completely turned the score around. After pressure from the visitors and a Lewie Coyle shot that Levi Colwill managed to stop in front of goal, Hull stayed on the attack, and Belloumi regained the ball after the corner and, with the help of a deflection, scored for 2:1.
For Chelsea, it was another example of their defensive problems. Xabi Alonso said after the match that the team had been too soft in phases without the ball and had not reacted well after taking the lead. He was particularly bothered by the way Hull were given hope after their first equalising goal. According to Opta, Chelsea have conceded at least two goals in each of their first four league matches this season, something that last happened to them in 2015/16. Their attacking potential is not in question, but the lack of control after taking the lead has already become a recurring pattern.
Alonso reacted at half-time by replacing Hato, and Chelsea began playing more directly in the second half. Reece James forced Tzolakis into a save from a free kick, but Hull continued to threaten. Emiliano Martínez had to rescue Chelsea after attempts by Regan Slater and Oli McBurnie, preventing the hosts from falling two goals behind. The equaliser arrived in the 66th minute. Cole Palmer drove the move down the left, found João Pedro in the penalty area, and the Brazilian forward fired powerfully under the crossbar for 2:2.
Belloumi the hero, but Hull could have taken all three points
Hull did not retreat into complete defence even after the equaliser. The visitors maintained their compactness, but tried to move forward and complete attacks whenever the opportunity arose. Semi Ajayi, Ryan Giles and John Egan played important defensive roles, while Tzolakis stopped several more attempts from the hosts. Chelsea had a late chance through Rogers, but Hull's goalkeeper was ready again. The best late opportunity, however, fell to the visitors: Giles once more broke down the left and crossed in front of goal, where Mohamed-Ali Cho shot straight at Martínez from close range.
According to Opta, Hull finished the match with higher-quality overall chances than Chelsea. Their expected goals total was 1.49, while Chelsea finished on 0.89. That difference supports the impression that the result was not the consequence of lucky defending or one isolated moment from the newcomers, but of an organised performance in which Hull created enough chances even to win. The Guardian's report also highlights that Sergej Jakirović's team pushed Chelsea to the limit and that a point was the least they deserved. Chelsea had more possession, but were unable consistently to turn control of the ball into clear goalscoring opportunities.
Hull's record after four rounds now stands at two wins and two draws. They opened the season with a 2:0 home victory against Manchester United, then beat Coventry City 1:0 away, and before travelling to Stamford Bridge drew 0:0 with Aston Villa. Chelsea therefore became the first team to score against them in the Premier League this season, but not the first to beat them. Eight points from the opening four matches represents an exceptionally strong return to the league. According to Opta, among newly promoted teams only Nottingham Forest in 1994/95 and Bolton Wanderers in 2001/02 collected more points from their first four Premier League rounds, with ten each.
After the match, Jakirović did not raise expectations towards European places, instead repeating that the primary objective was survival in the Premier League. That approach fits Hull's profile so far: organised defending, disciplined play without the ball and quickly punishing opponents' mistakes. In their first four matches, the team have shown that they can beat a favoured opponent, survive a match in which they do not have most of the possession and respond after conceding. The draw at Stamford Bridge only strengthened the impression that Hull will be a considerably more demanding opponent than might have been expected from a side returning to the top flight after nine years away.
Chelsea's attack works, but the defence wipes out the advantage
While Hull are the story of the season's early surprise, Chelsea are sending contradictory signals after four rounds. The attack creates and scores, and Morgan Rogers, João Pedro and Cole Palmer have already developed combinations that regularly produce chances. According to Opta's data, Rogers became only the fifth Chelsea player to be involved in a goal in each of the first four matches of a Premier League season. Before him, Didier Drogba, Cesc Fàbregas, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard achieved the same feat. After the match against Hull, João Pedro had three league goals and three assists, showing how important he is to the team's attacking structure.
The problem is that Chelsea are simultaneously struggling to close out matches. The team have collected seven of a possible 12 points, despite scoring first in all four league matches. Victories against Fulham 3:2 and Brighton 4:3 were followed by a 2:1 defeat against Arsenal and now a 2:2 draw against Hull. Alonso spoke openly after the match about the need for greater solidity, control and competitive discipline. At a stage of the season when the system is still being built, Chelsea look dangerous when attacking, but vulnerable as soon as they lose the ball or allow the opponent to extend an attack after the first defensive reaction.
Liverpool and Chelsea already feeling pressure from the top
After four rounds, neither Liverpool nor Chelsea are in a crisis situation, but at this early stage of the championship they have already missed opportunities to collect more points against opponents whom their direct rivals at the top will be trying to beat. Liverpool are unbeaten, but with three draws in four rounds they have only one league victory. Chelsea have one more win, but have already conceded nine goals in four league matches. In both cases, the coaches can point to a new team structure, summer changes and a congested schedule, but a points deficit in the Premier League can quickly become significant if the run of draws and defensive mistakes continues.
At the same time, the results of Fulham and Hull show how the early table is more complex than the standings alone suggest. Fulham remain near the bottom with one point, but at Anfield they showed a level of organisation that had not been visible in all of their previous matches. Hull, by contrast, have already built up a points cushion that gives a newly promoted team calmness and belief in their own playing model. Their eight points after four rounds are not just an interesting statistic, but a concrete advantage in the fight for survival. For Chelsea, it is a warning that favourite status can no longer be converted into victory without defensive stability, while for Liverpool it is a reminder that dominant possession and an expensive attacking line do not guarantee a solution against a disciplined block.
The coming weeks will give a clearer picture of whether Saturday's draws were merely early setbacks or symptoms of deeper problems. Liverpool must find a way at Anfield to turn their initiative into a greater number of clear chances, particularly against opponents who defend compactly and patiently. Chelsea must stop the run of matches in which, after taking an early lead, they reopen the door for their opponents. Hull, on the other hand, will continue the season with the belief that they can compete even with the league's most expensive squads, while Fulham leave Liverpool with their first point and a performance that gives them reason for optimism. In the fourth round of the Premier League, it was precisely the underdogs who dictated the main story of the day.
Sources:
- Opta Analyst – statistical analysis of the Liverpool – Fulham match, including shots, expected goals and historical data on Liverpool's home run (link)
- Opta Analyst – statistical analysis of the Chelsea – Hull City match, data on expected goals, Hull's performance and individual statistics of Chelsea's players (link)
- The Guardian – report from Anfield and comments by Andoni Iraola and Álvaro Arbeloa after the Liverpool and Fulham draw (link)
- The Guardian – report from Stamford Bridge, the course of the Chelsea – Hull City match and reactions from Xabi Alonso and Sergej Jakirović (link)
- Premier League – official schedule and context of the 2026/27 season matches (link)
- NBC Sports – current Premier League table after Saturday's fourth-round matches (link)