Liverpool late show defeats Fulham

Liverpool showed strength of character to clinch a late winner against Fulham after coming from behind twice at Craven Cottage yesterday.

While Saturday’s lunchtime demolition of Arsenal was a footballing master class, Liverpool’s less spectacular victory over their London neighbours Fulham in midweek was arguably equally important, since it showed that the Reds’ possess the perseverance necessary to pick up all three points on the road even when they are not performing at their phenomenal best, a trait that could prove crucial in the fight for Champions League qualification, and perhaps even in the title race.

After Kolo Toure’s embarrassing own goal gave Fulham an early lead, Sturridge latched onto a world class pass from Gerrard to level before the break. Frustratingly, another defensive error, this time from Skrtel, allowed Fulham to regain the lead through Richardson’s goal just after the hour mark, although the noticeably improving Coutinho soon equalised with his first goal since Boxing Day.

Sascha Riether’s stupid foul of Sturridge in the box then gave Gerrard the opportunity to net a last gasp winner from the spot, and the skipper took the chance with consummate ease to thrillingly conclude an entertainingly eventful match.

Unsurprisingly, Brendan Rodgers picked the same starting line-up that annihilated Arsenal on the weekend. Unfortunately, Liverpool didn’t begin the match in the manner which they had against the Gunners, and found themselves a goal behind after only eight minutes thanks to some truly awful defending.

The ball-watching Gerrard left Richardson with space inside the Liverpool area and the Fulham number 15 sent a low cross into the six-yard box, which Toure ridiculously turned into his own net with a horrendously sliced attempted clearance that reminded Kopites of the calamitous Djimi Traore’s own goal in Liverpool’s FA Cup third round defeat at Burnley in 2004/2005.

Is Toure Traore in disguise?

It was a memory that many Reds had long since repressed, and being reminded of it was deeply distressing.  

The ball was admittedly bobbling awkwardly, but the Ivorian can have no excuses for yet another error that cost the Reds a goal, particularly coming so soon after his nonsensical pass allowed Anichebe to equalise for West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Vice-captain Daniel Agger, who came off the bench in injury time, will surely replace Toure in the team when he has fully recovered from the calf injury that has kept him out for over a month.

Liverpool’s reply was predictably led by Luis Suarez, although the Uruguayan somehow failed to add to the four goals in four games he’d previously managed against Fulham, despite being one of the Reds’ top performers on the night.

The number seven forced Stekelenburg into a good save after receiving the ball from Aly Cissokho, before firing off target from a tight angle after gliding beyond Burn.

The other half of the famous SAS also threatened, as Sturridge’s 20-yard shot was claimed by the keeper just before the half hour mark, and it was the England striker who combined with his international teammate Steven Gerrard to level the score line four minutes before the break.

The remarkable assist Sturridge received from Coutinho for his goal against Arsenal was dwarfed in quality by Gerrard’s pass to set him up last night. Spotting a pass that nobody else in the ground did, Gerrard pounced on the ball after Fulham had lost possession and sent a world-class pass into the path of Sturridge with the outside of his boot. The former Chelsea man did the rest, as his shot clipped the post before nestling in the net.

Sturridge just can't stop scoring, which isn't surprising considering the service he gets from Liverpool's midfield

The second half began brightly, with chances at both ends. First, Sidwell attempted to lob Mignolet from inside his own half eight minutes after the restart but, thankfully, the Belgian keeper collected. Suarez then went close three times, volleying wide, firing threateningly across the face of goal and agonisingly seeing his shot bounce back off the post in the space of six minutes.

Against the run of play, however, the Cottagers reclaimed the lead, and woeful defending from the visitors was once again to blame.

A breakdown in communication caused confusion between Skrtel and Flanagan, allowing Richardson the freedom to run into the box and turn home from point blank range after the Slovakian, who had been the hero on Saturday after netting twice in the opening ten minutes, inadvertently knocked a cross right into the midfielder’s path.

Richardson celebrates capitalising on Liverpool mistakes for the second time

As bad as their defence may be, Liverpool always seem able to rely on their exceptional attack to bail them out and help them pick up points regardless of how many they concede. It was no different last night.

Only ten minutes after falling behind for the second time, Liverpool were level. Coutinho, whose creativity has been abundant recently, claimed possession 25 yards from goal and proceeded to cleverly find space for himself to brilliantly curl a left-footed effort beyond Stekelenburg and into the corner of the net.

Coutinho quickly levelled

Things got even worse for Stekelenburg a minute later, as the 31-year old Dutch stopper had to be replaced by David Stockdale after a collision with Luis Suarez as the pair battled fairly to reach Sterling’s return pass.

Rodgers made a substation of his own eight minutes before the end, swapping Sterling for 21-year old Portuguese midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira. The debutant displayed potential during his brief spell on the pitch and even had the chance to add a fourth to Liverpool’s tally in the dying stages but shot just over after combining with Suarez.

Thankfully, though, his failure to find the net proved inconsequential, as Gerrard had already secured the points from the spot moments earlier. Riether inexplicably fouled Sturridge in the box when he was going nowhere and referee Phil Dowd had no choice but to point to the penalty spot.

There is no better penalty-taker than Steven Gerrard in that situation. Cool and calm, the scouse skipper converted the spot kick with class before celebrating euphorically with his teammates in front of the away supporters, whose joy at the last gasp winner couldn’t be dampened despite the travel chaos they knew they would face on the way back to Merseyside.

Gerrard couldn't care less about the booking that ridiculously, but inevitably, followed his celebration

Their delight was justified as well, as wining against Fulham was absolutely crucial, particularly with rivals Tottenham Hotspur convincingly beating Newcastle 4-0 at St James’ Park. Dropping points at Craven Cottage would have destroyed a large part of the momentum built up by the annihilation of Arsenal.

The fact that Liverpool bagged a late winner against Fulham, whereas Manchester United conceded late on versus the Cottagers to drop two home points only three days earlier, shows the considerable difference between the two teams, which now stretches to a remarkable eleven points following the Red Devils’ dreary goalless draw at the Emirates.

Fifth-placed Spurs may be only three points adrift of the Reds, but, in the other direction, Liverpool are not too far behind Manchester City and Chelsea, who are one point and four points ahead of the Merseysiders respectively.

If Liverpool can combine the quality they showed against Arsenal with the character they demonstrated at Fulham, they’ll comfortably claim a top four finish and should be able to compete for the title as well.

YNWA