Source: Telegraph
Fulham 3 Liverpool 1: match report
Liverpool suffered their sixth defeat in seven outings in embarrassing fashion, finishing with nine men after both Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were sent off against Fulham. [LNB]After the jubilation of the 2-0 win over Manchester United, Liverpool stumbled to another loss ahead of next week's crucial Champions League trip to Lyon. [LNB] Related ArticlesRafael Benítez slams referee following defeatLiverpool woes leave Benítez putting out fires in EuropePremier League tablePremier League actionPremier League fixturesSport on televisionFulham took a 24th-minute lead against the run of play through Bobby Zamora before Fernando Torres levelled two minutes before the interval. But substitute Erik Nevland regained a 74th minute lead before Clint Dempsey claimed the third, in the 87th minute. [LNB]The first half was memorable for the fact that Liverpool enjoyed almost total domination yet went behind to Fulham's first attack of the game. [LNB]Before Zamora's goal, Liverpool had bombarded Mark Schwarzer and should have been comfortably ahead. [LNB]Missing seven players including Steve Gerrard and Glen Johnson, with groin strains, and Alberto Aquilani, with a virus, Liverpool first threatened in the sixth minute when Schwarzer had to punch clear from Yossi Benayoun's deft header. [LNB]Torres, passed fit before the game, saw one opportunity run just clear and then right-back Degen, playing in a forward roll, fed Benayoun and the Israeli struck the cross-bar. [LNB]Fulham responded with a well-crafted and easily finished goal, in the 24th minute, with what were their first foray forward. [LNB]Diomansy Kamara fed Damien Duff and his quick cross was side-footed beyond Pepe Reina by Bobby Zamora for his fifth goal of the season. [LNB]It was the first goal Fulham had scored against Liverpool in five meetings, but the visitors responded before the interval through Torres. [LNB]Andriy Voronin's header struck Chris Baird and rebounded into the path of Torres and the Spaniard responded in typical fashion, finding the bottom corner for his 10th goal of the season, in only 12 starts. [LNB]Fulham manager Roy Hodgson gambled with two half-time changes, with Zoltan Gera and Erik Nevland replacing Zoltan Gera and Damien Duff. [LNB]And Nevland had an early chance to make an impact when Jonathan Greening's ball sent him into the Liverpool area, but Emiliano Insua cleared the danger. [LNB]Fulham could have had a penalty when Carragher leant into Zamora and both fell to the ground, but referee Lee Mason was adamant that no foul had been committed. [LNB]In the 63rd minute, Torres was taken off Liverpool fans will hope it is to rest the striker ahead of the trip to France with Ryan Babel coming on. [LNB]And in the 73rd minute, Fulham were ahead again when Konchesky crossed, Reina punched the ball to Gera, his headed pass went back into the goal area and Nevland scored from close range to claim his first goal since May. [LNB]It got worse for Liverpool when, in the 79th minute Degen was dismissed for lunging at Clint Dempsey and, three minutes later, Carragher was dismissed for a professional foul on Zamora, with the defender reluctant to leave the field. [LNB]With Liverpool down to nine men, Nevland fed Dempsey for the third, in the 87th minute. [LNB]
