- Date:2010-04-11
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Anfield
- Attendance:42331
- Referee:Marriner, A
Live Commentary
90mins
The full-time whistle goes and Liverpool slip up again in the race for fourth place.
89mins
A Liverpool corner is cleared by Chris Baird who has been very impressive today.
88mins
Damien Duff is booked for a foul on Glen Johnson.
88mins
Javier Mascherano is sure he's earned Liverpool a corner but the linesman signals for a goal-kick and Fulham are able to use up a few more seconds.
86mins
Daniel Pacheco has a shot which is blocked in the area by Kagisho Dikgacoi.
84mins
Erik Nevland concedes a free-kick for a foul on Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
82mins
Bjorn Helge Riise is on for Jonathan Greening as Roy Hodgson makes his final change.
81mins
Into the final 10 minutes and Fulham are still holding firm against almost incessant pressure.
79mins
Daniel Pacheco replaces David Ngog in Liverpool's final change.
77mins
Another Liverpool corner, this time taken by Yossi Benayoun and headed over by Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
76mins
Kagisho Dikgacoi is on for Danny Murphy.
75mins
Steven Gerrard's cross finds David Ngog but he heads just over the bar.
73mins
Daniel Agger's free-kick finds Dirk Kuyt and he passes to David Ngog who isn't able to get a shot in.
72mins
Ryan Babel is replaced by Yossi Benayoun.
71mins
Danny Murphy is booked for a foul on Steven Gerrard.
70mins
A rare mistake from Mark Schwarzer as he spills Maxi Rodriguez's cross but manages to get hold of the ball ahead of Dirk Kuyt.
69mins
Not good news for Fulham fans as Bobby Zamora has limped off the pitch.
68mins
Stefano Okaka is on for Bobby Zamora.
67mins
Ryan Babel crosses into the area but the ball is cleared by Brede Hangeland.
65mins
Dirk Kuyt replaces Alberto Aquilani.
63mins
Ryan Babel forces a fine save from Mark Schwarzer at his near post and Sotirios Kyrgiakos heads wide from the resultant corner.
63mins
Steven Gerrard finds Daniel Agger who produces a left-foot volley which flies wide.
62mins
Bobby Zamora is getting no joy on his own up front for Fulham.
60mins
How much longer can Fulham withstand this Liverpool pressure, it seems only a matter of time before the home side scores.
58mins
Steven Gerrard has an effort from 20 yards which is blocked by Aaron Hughes.
56mins
David Ngog has a 20-yard run witrh the ball but can't find Steven Gerrard who looked in a good position to have a shot.
54mins
Maxi Rodriguez is flagged offside.
53mins
Steven Gerrard finds David Ngog in the box but the striker is given no space by the Fulham defence.
51mins
David Ngog was down with a head injury but seems to be okay to continue.
49mins
Alberto Aquilani blasts another shot wide - he's looked lively today.
48mins
Alberto Aquilani has a right-foot shot from 18 yards out but Mark Schwarzer is equal to it.
46mins
Liverpool are immediately on the attack and Steven Gerrard has a shot which rebounds off David Ngog.
46mins
Fulham kick off the second half.
45mins
The whistle goes for half-time.
45mins
Daniel Agger has a shot from long range which flies into the Kop.
43mins
Fulham have a rare foray goalwards and Daniel Agger concedes a throw-in which comes to nothing.
41mins
Chris Baird takes the free-kick but it's straight into the wall.
40mins
Sotirios Kyrgiakos fouls Bobby Zamora and Fulham have a free-kick 35 yards out.
38mins
Alberto Aquilani sends over a cross which is cleared by Chris Baird.
36mins
Erik Nevland tries to find some room on the edge of the Liverpool box but his shot is blocked.
35mins
Jonathan Greening concedes another free-kick for a foul on Glen Johnson and needs to be careful as he's already been booked.
34mins
Another long-range volley from Javier Mascherano flies wide of the post.
32mins
Javier Mascherano has an effort from 20 yards that forces a diving save from Mark Schwarzer.
31mins
Brede Hangeland concedes a free-kick for a foul on Maxi Rodriguez, Steven Gerrard swings the ball goalwards but Fulham deal with the danger.
29mins
Fulham haven't managed a shot on or off target yet but they're managing to frustrate Liverpool.
27mins
Jamie Carragher goes into the book for a deliberate handball.
26mins
Bobby Zamora tries to get Fulham moving forward but gives the ball away and concedes a free-kick.
24mins
Fulham escape as Alberto Aquilani heads over the bar.
23mins
Maxi Rodriguez has an effort from 12 yards out which forces a good save from Mark Schwarzer.
23mins
Alberto Aquilani tries an overhead kick after some good build-up play by Liverpool but Mark Schwarzer makes the save.
21mins
Liverpool are well on top but they're yet to really test Mark Schwarzer.
19mins
Liverpool have a couple of corners in quick succession but they're dealt with by the Fulham defence.
18mins
Jonathan Greening is booked for a foul on Glen Johnson.
16mins
Fulham have a free-kick after a handball by Ryan Babel, Damien Duff swings in the ball but it's cleared by Steven Gerrard.
15mins
The Kop aren't happy when nothing is given despite Brede Hangeland having a good hold of David Ngog's shirt.
13mins
Dickson Etuhu concedes a free-kick on the edge of the area but it's blasted straight into the wall by Alberto Aquilani.
12mins
Javier Mascherano sets up David Ngog 20 yards out but his shot is well wide.
11mins
Fulham win a corner which is swung in by Paul Konchesky but Pepe Reina make a comfortable save.
9mins
Liverpool are dominating so far and Fulham are finding this hard work.
8mins
Steven Gerrard's corner is met by David Ngog but again the effort goes wide.
7mins
David Ngog has a shot from inside the area but it flies wide of the post.
5mins
Paul Konchesky moves forward for Fulham down the left but can't keep the ball in play.
4mins
Another Steven Gerrard corner isn't dealt with by the Fulham defence and there's a goalmouth scramble with the ball eventually cleared by Bobby Zamora.
3mins
Ryan Babel wins Liverpool a corner which is taken by Steven Gerrard and cleared by Jonathan Greening.
2mins
Dickson Etuhu concedes a free-kick for handball as Fulham look to overcome their Anfield hoodoo, having not won here in 28 attempts.
1mins
The game gets underway.
0mins
The players are making their way onto the pitch, there will be a minute's silence ahead of kick-off as Thursday marks 21 years since the Hillsborough tragedy.
Match Preview
The two teams who have recently been defending the Premier League's reputation in the Europa League come together on Sunday, in a match that looks far more important to Liverpool than it does to Fulham.
Rafa Benitez's team could only draw against bogey side Birmingham last weekend and if they are to overhaul Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth, then five wins from their last five games looks like being a likely requirement.
The good news is that Fulham's recent record at Anfield is poor, with the Whites failing to score in six of their eight Premier League trips there, including the last three.
Furthermore, the west London side have never won away at Liverpool in 28 attempts so any sort of result for Roy Hodgson's men would be a massive upset, especially given that Liverpool have won their last eight league games on their home turf, a run they have bettered only once before in Premier League history.
And as good as Liverpool are at home, Fulham are as poor on the road, with only nine wins from their last 92 trips.
Their last three-point away haul came on the opening day of the season at Portsmouth, and the last six away games have all seen the London side fail to score.
Both teams should have fairly healthy squads to choose from, with Liverpool expecting to have left-back Fabio Aurelio back in contention after a thigh injury, while Fulham hope to have John Paintsil back available after recovering from a knee problem.
Liverpool have been quick out of the traps in recent league matches at Anfield, scoring at least two goals in their last three games before half-time, but if Fulham can hold the Reds early on then the pressure may become too much for Rafa Benitez's fragile side.
Captain Steven Gerrard has attempted to rouse his troops, saying: "We will keep fighting all the way to the end.
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Match Report
Liverpool were indebted to goalkeeper Jose Reina after an afternoon of domination from the home side very nearly ended in a unlikely winner for Damien Duff in a goalless draw with Fulham.
The Spain keeper saved magnificently to deny Fulham their first away win in 16 games and earn a dominant Liverpool a deserved point.
With both teams celebrating midweek Europa League wins, Premier League hangover seemed likely, but the home side started at a furious pace and David N'Gog was unlucky to see his audacious chip fly wide on six minutes.
And the lively N'Gog continued to cause the visitors problems and should have punished the Fulham backline when he was given too much space on the edge of the area but again he shot just wide.
With Liverpool continuing to completely dominate proceedings, Alberto Aquilani was the next to have the Kop on their feet, but his first time shot on 22 minutes was well saved by Mark Schwarzer, who also kept out Maxi Rodriguez's follow-up.
So dominant were the home side that it took Fulham 41 minutes to register their first shot, a rasping effort from Chris Baird that was comfortable for Reina.
Liverpool continued to dominate after the break but could not break down their hard-working visitors.
Aquilani was denied by Schwarzer twice in as many minutes early in the half before Baird and Aaron Hughes both made important blocks to deny Steven Gerrard.
With Liverpool frustrations beginning to boil over, manager Rafael Benitez brought on Yossi Benayoun for the ineffective Ryan Babel and Spanish wonderkid Daniel Pacheco for only his second Premier League outing in place of N'Gog.
Fulham, sensing a point may be on the cards, also made changes, bringing on Bjorn Helge Riise to shore up the defence in place of Jonathan Greening.
Despite spending most of the match on the back foot, Fulham so nearly stole it in injury time when Duff's 18-yarder was brilliantly kept out by the flying Reina.
Liverpool Team
Fulham Team
Liverpool | Fulham |
Corners
| 10 | 1 |
Fouls
| 8 | 19 |
Goal attempts
Shots off target
| 10 | 0 |
Offsides
| 2 | 0 |
90mins
Damien Duff has a shot which is saved by Jose Reina in Fulham's only attack of the second half.