FA Premiership
4th April 2009, 5.30pm @ Craven Cottage
Liverpool moved back to the summit of the Premier League after a 92nd minute winner in a game in which Liverpool had as many shots as in the 5-0 hammering of Aston Villa a fortnight ago. With Dossena picked to start on the wing, he found himself frequently denied by the woodwork, as did Alonso, as the reds peppered the Fulham goal in the first half.
In the second half the reds had more chances, many edging narrowly wide, until in the 2nd of the 4 minutes of injury time at the end of the game when substitute Benayoun made sure Liverpool got a deserved three points.
With Mascherano’s long trip to Argentina, meaning he missed training yesterday, Benitez elected to start with Lucas in central midfield. Emiliano Insua returned to the side at left back in place of Fabio Aurelio.
Liverpool started on the front foot, Dossena getting the reds first chance but his shot was tipped over. From the resulting corner Skrtel’s shot was flicked on by Dossena’s head, on to the cross bar.
Torres then had a shot that Schwarzer got finger tips to, before Alonso hit a wicked volley from outside the box which, yet again, made the ball best friends with the cross bar.
Gerrard then threw in a cross that Dossena managed to get a diving header at – the ball agonisingly hit the bar again.
After the break Liverpool didn’t come out immediately on the front foot, in some way appearing consigned to their fate.
But a couple of Benitez’ substitutions re-awoke the reds with around 20 minutes to go and the peppering of the Fulham goal resumed.
Babel could have done better when presented with the ball near the penalty spot and Yossi himself could have scored in normal time, but his shot went the wrong side of the post.
As it was, eventually the ball found it’s way in to his path in the corner of the penalty box and he eventually fired in from the angle.
Cue celebrations on the pitch, on the bench and in the stand.
The travelling Kop got the three points that they deserved today.
Goal video
Team News
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Alonso, Lucas, Kuyt (Benayoun 76), Gerrard (Agger 90), Dossena (Babel 65), Torres.
Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Riera, Mascherano, Ngog.
Booked: Babel, Skrtel.
Goals: Benayoun 90.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Dempsey, Murphy (Dacourt 76), Etuhu, Davies (Gera 79), Zamora, Johnson (Nevland 87).
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Kamara, Kallio, Baird.
Booked: Pantsil, Gera.
Att: 25,661
Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).
Fulham 0-1 Liverpool – In the Forum
Pre Match Thread
In game Match Thread
Post Match Celebration Thread
You have to give the players credit for this game. Not knock them. They kept going right till the end. Ive lost track of how many points weve won this season with goals right at the end of games! You’ve got to remember aswell Man U lost at Craven Cottage just a couple of weeks ago, its been a very hard place to go this season. Its only thanks to the woodwork we didnt win by 4 or 5 goals! A matter of inches between a comfortable win.
Just need to smash Chelsea in the Champions League now to keep the momentum going.
If only we had turned a couple of those sh-t home draws into wins????? We are playing great football at the moment because i think Rafa has adopted an attitude that we must win at all costs. He has abandoned systems etc and we seem to play of the cuff, the players look to be enjoying themselves and their new found freedom.
Hopefully when next August comes around we can play like this also.
Man Utd pulled it out of the bag today and i hate to say it look champions. We need them to loose 2 and we must drop NO points.
We have a chance, it’s only an outside one but it’s a chance nonetheless. Utd are still in a healthy poition becuase of their games in hand but we’ve done as much as we can to make life difficult for them.
The onus is back on them now, and after the poor / nervy performances they gave in back to back games against us and Fulham, it shows this Utd side isn’t as experienced at mopping up titles as Alex Ferguson likes to tell us. True, they are in a superior position, but a month ago people were callign this season a procession for Utd.
If the last three weeks have told us anyhting, it’s that Utd are not invincible and that the best is yet to come from this Liverpool team. We are creating so many chances right now, we could have quite easily gone in at half time 4-0 up last night. And it’s on that note where I’ll finish. Though we’ll all be tuning in to see how Utd get on, I want everyone to remember that Liverpool FC was built on the idea that we get our own house in order first and leave worrying about others to the teams that never win anything. Regardless of whatever happens this season, we are heading in the right direction. Who knows, if Torres had been fit for most of the campaign, we might even have been points clear at this stage.
Come you Pool, we were unlucky not to score more but the end of the day we won and top of the league. Hope Villa can upset the odds.
Keep it going lads and bring Premiership title back home were it belongs.
We should not knock the Pool as I agree how many over teams have won down at the Cottage.
Hope this is the Year our drought finally finishes.
I think we are being consistent. Long may it continue. Rooting for Villa today
Phew that was close but we won in the end so it’s all that matters!.The woodwork kept us out but the boy’s were fantastic so can’t take anything away from them.Man Utd’s fate is in their own hands out of our hands,cummon Villa!!!
Can’t stop thinking of how we should have buried Spurs at the Lane and the disallowed goal against Stoke at home.Things could have been so different,sigh….tut…tut…tut!
Well we deserved to win we done better than Man Utd. Craven cottage hasnt been kind to the big four. So we have to look at the positives – Rafa sub changes were right on. Now we just have to pray villa do a number on utd tomorrow.
Byron, it was indeed.
Two baldy heads had me foxed.
Wonderful outcome..wasnt it Skirtel’s shot that Dossena flicked on to hit the crossbar?
The title can be achieved
Come on Matt! Give us some credit, the hatful of chances that came are a sign of the greatness that is emerging in our football. Just look at the stats of all the other top teams that have entered the Cottage, it’ll put it all into perspective. It was an unlucky day for the most part of the match. Think Positive! I know the players are.
GO the CHAMPS……March On…
How many misses in a first half we totally dominated? I thought our first half performance was great until we got to Fulham’s penalty area when we lost the plot. How can we win the premiership whe we still miss a hatful of chanves against teams we should beat quite easily. If we win all our remaining games and Man Utd lose a few of theirs we have a chance but we need to be more consistant and put our chances away.
Strange comments Matt.
We hit the woodwork four times in the first half. I’d hardly say we lost the plot.
Thought we had thrown it away when we couldn’t score, but kept pushing to the end.