Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool FC 0 Fulham 0
A GOALLESS draw with Fulham at Anfield all but sealed Liverpool's European fate for next season. [LNB]That the two teams could meet in the Europa League final next month is telling. [LNB]Fulham will have to win the competition to participate in it again next season. [LNB]Liverpool look likely to be playing in Europe's second competition regardless of what happens in Hamburg on May 12. [LNB]Despite creating a hatful of chances, Liverpool failed to break the Cottagers down. [LNB]With Manchester City kicking off an hour later against Birmingham, and Aston Villa and Tottenham both in FA Cup action this weekend, this was an opportunity for Liverpool to put some pressure on the fight for fourth place. [LNB]But with Rafael Benitez claiming after last week's draw at Birmingham that it would take five wins from five to reach that target you have to assume it is now out of reach. [LNB]There were four changes to the team that dismissed Benfica in such impressive fashion on Thursday night. [LNB]The main omission was Fernando Torres, rested to nurse the knee injury that saw him dragged off at Birmingham last week. [LNB]David Ngog started in his place with Maxi Rodriguez in for Dirk Kuyt. Ryan Babel replaced Yossi Benayoun while Alberto Aquilani came in for Lucas. [LNB]Roy Hodgson made just two changes to the Fulham side that beat Wolsfburg 1-0 in Germany in midweek to join Liverpool in the last four of the Europa League. [LNB]Jonathan Greening started in place of Simon Davies while Erik Nevland came in for Zoltan Gera [LNB]Bobby Zamora's Achilles injury was not as serious as first thought and the Cottager's top scorer led the line from the start. [LNB]Despite Torres missing out, Benitez set his team up to get at Fulham. [LNB]And, as in previous league games against Sunderland and Portsmouth, the Reds spelled out their attacking intent from the start. [LNB]Liverpool had a chance to take the lead in the opening minutes when Babel managed only a fresh air shot from Daniel Agger's back post knock down. [LNB]A searching diagonal ball from Steven Gerrard then picked out Ngog's run into the area but the Frenchman was always stretching to get there. [LNB]Paul Konchesky did well to chest the ball back to Schwarzer when, again, Gerrard looked to split the defence and find Ngog with an angled pass from the left [LNB]On 22 minutes Babel spread the ball right for Johnson on the overlap. The England defender clipped the ball to the back post where Gerrard headed back to Aquilani. [LNB]With his back to goal, the Italian displayed great skill and agility to flick the ball up for an overhead kick that found its way into Schwarzer's grateful hands. [LNB]Another good pass from Gerrard found Rodriguez over the top. The Argentinian controlled well but Schwarzer read the situation and the Fulham keeper got down quickly to smother the danger. [LNB]A neat interchange involving Johnson and Aquilani on the edge of the Fulham area saw Mascherano try his luck from long range, forcing another good save from Schwarzer. [LNB]Greening was fortunate to stay on the pitch when he escaped a second yellow card for a clear obstruction on Johnson 10 minutes before half time. [LNB]A rare Fulham attack saw Nevland's appeals for a penalty waved away when he appeared to go to ground very easily under pressure from Carragher and Johnson.
