Arne Slot insisted Liverpool were not complacent as he blamed first-half errors for their 3-2 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Liverpool had taken the lead through Alexis Mac Allister at Craven Cottage, but defensive mistakes saw Fulham score three goals in 14 first-half minutes.

Ryan Sessegnon profited from a loose block, while Andy Robertson gifted Alex Iwobi a chance that led to the second goal, before Rodrigo Muniz turned Virgil van Dijk to put Fulham in the driving seat.

The Reds were given hope by Luis Diaz's 72nd-minute strike but could not find an equaliser, leaving them 11 points ahead of second-place Arsenal with seven games remaining.

The defeat, only Liverpool's second of the season in the league, ended a 26-game unbeaten streak, while they suffered their first top-flight loss on the road since April last year.

It was also the first time they have conceded three goals in the first half of a game in the competition after opening the scoring.

Slot brushed off claims that Liverpool endured a poor first half, instead focusing on the positives from their much-improved performance after the break.

"It wasn't 45 minutes of disaster, but the errors we made were something we're not used to," Slot told Sky Sports.

"There's no reason for us to be complacent. We are not number one at the moment because we win every match by three or four goals.

"It takes us so much hard work to win the games, and everyone can see that. We are fully aware of the fact we have to compete for seven more games.

"We showed on Wednesday [against Everton], that was a close call and today was too. We were on the right side of that then and the wrong side today.

"Unfortunately, we lacked time in the end to score a third. People want to make stories, which is their job. Many teams find it difficult to play Fulham. The second half performance was outstanding. We had chances, but in the end, we lacked time."

This was Fulham's first Premier League win over the team topping the standings since March 2009, when they beat Manchester United, while it also marked their first back-to-back home victories in the top flight since March last year.

The Cottagers dominated the first half, having nine attempts with five on target, with Liverpool unable to cope with their relentless pressure.

Marco Silva was delighted with Fulham's response to losing their last two matches in all competitions, noting how important this win was to their European hopes this season.

"I can't rate this higher than some of the other big results we've had," Silva told Sky Sports.

"Maybe it looks a bit bigger because Liverpool haven't lost an away game, and we know what will happen with them this season.

"It has been a great season for this club, but in some important moments, we haven't been at our best overall, like last Saturday [against Crystal Palace].

"It was a great reaction. To be losing after two defeats is tough, but to then react and score three goals in the first 45 minutes – and show the resilience in the second half, what a way to bounce back."