Bradley Barcola made his first Premier League start for Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, alongside two of the most expensive attackers in English football history. None of the three scored.

Alexander Isak, signed from Newcastle for a British-record £125m fixed fee on deadline day this summer, and Florian Wirtz, whose £116.5m move from Bayer Leverkusen included £100m up front, could not break down a Fulham side coached by Álvaro Arbeloa. Barcola himself joined from Paris Saint-Germain in a £120m deal late in the summer window. All three finished the afternoon without a shot on target.

Iraola made three changes from the side that beat Atlético Madrid 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday. Kostas Tsimikas started for the first time this season, Ryan Gravenberch returned to midfield, and Víctor Muñoz kept his place. Barcola started despite a bout of cramp in midweek, and Cody Gakpo was named on the bench after an adductor problem.

Muñoz’s header hits the crossbar

Liverpool’s clearest first-half opening came in the 22nd minute, when Muñoz met a Tsimikas corner and headed against the crossbar. Bernd Leno denied the same player from close range moments later. At the other end, Jeremy Jacquet cleared a Gonçalo García effort off the line after an early Alisson error.

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Fulham created the sharper chances after the break. Josh King forced Alisson to tip a long-range shot wide, and substitute Rodrigo Muniz failed to control fellow substitute Kevin’s cross when clean through on goal. Liverpool’s best late chance fell to Isak in the first minute of stoppage time, but the Sweden striker glanced Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner wide.

Iraola blames Champions League turnaround

Iraola pointed to the short turnaround from Wednesday’s Atlético game.

“Our players were tired. There is a lack of freshness, definitely,” he told Sky Sports after full time.

Three of his first four Premier League matches as Liverpool head coach have now ended in draws. He is still waiting for a first league win at Anfield.

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Arbeloa’s first Premier League point

Arbeloa had lost his opening three Premier League matches in charge of Fulham before taking a point on Saturday.

“When you are not winning games, it’s not easy players believe in your ideas,” Arbeloa said.

Liverpool sit sixth on six points from four games. Fulham move onto one point.

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