LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Liverpool climbed level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, thanks to goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota.
Liverpool trail Arsenal on goal difference with both on 74 points with five games remaining, however holders Manchester City, who are third on 73 points, have a game in hand.
A week after Crystal Palace had dealt Liverpool's title hopes a crushing blow with a 1-0 defeat, Sunday's victory infused Juergen Klopp's men with renewed hope.
"This is the strongest league in the world, the most intense league in the world, and we are here in this fight with two sensational football teams," Klopp told Sky Sports. "If we didn't have character, we wouldn't be here. No chance."
Alexander-Arnold, in his first league start since Feb. 10, curled a stunning free kick into the top corner in the 32nd minute that keeper Bernd Leno had little chance of stopping.
It was the England international's sixth direct free-kick goal.
In a title fight with no room for error, Alexander-Arnold called the victory "huge".
"At this point of the season, you don't (always) get the results you want. It was a very important result for us. We need five big ones, five finals," he said.
Timothy Castagne, however, drew Fulham level when he fired home just before the break with a side-footed shot past keeper Alisson.
Gravenberch, a summer signing, put the Reds back on top in the 53rd minute, when Harvey Elliott pounced on a loose Fulham pass across the centre of the pitch. He rolled it to Gravenberch, who curled a shot inside the far post for his first league goal.
Jota sealed the win in the 72nd minute with his 100th English club career goal across all competitions with a low strike inside the far post after a pass from Cody Gakpo.
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