Fulham 1 - 0 Liverpool: Setback for Reds as Dempsey strikes late

CLINT Dempsey’s last-gasp goal earned Fulham victory against ten-man Liverpool.

After an even first period last night, Liverpool looked rejuvenated and dominated proceedings until Jay Spearing was controversially sent off in the 72nd minute. The red card swayed the match in Fulham’s favour and their pressure paid dividends when Dempsey tucked home from close range five minutes from time after Jose Reina could only parry a shot from John Arne Riise.

Spearing was handed his first Barclays Premier League start of the season in place of Brazil international Lucas Leiva after he suffered a season-ending knee ligament injury last week.

Fulham almost took a sixth-minute lead when Ruiz’s superb through-ball found Mousa Dembele, who was thwarted by the onrushing Reina.

Liverpool responded well to the early threat and had two chances of their own minutes later, starting when an exquisite Charlie Adam volley was blocked by Stephen Kelly. The Scot then played through Suarez down the left flank, but his ball across to Carroll was wasted as the £35 million striker shot straight at keeper Mark Schwarzer.

Both sides were finding space in the final third as the game ebbed and flowed, with Jordan Henderson hitting the frame of the goal in the 28th minute. The summer signing from Sunderland dribbled into the Fulham box, only to see a curling effort rebound back off the far post. Liverpool came close once again moments later when Suarez fired just wide, before Carroll saw a close-range effort blocked by Hangeland.

Liverpool were looking comfortable at Craven Cottage, but the game’s dimensions changed when Spearing was sent off in the 72nd minute.

The 23-year-old academy graduate was handed a straight red card during an innocuous passage of play, apparently for following through with a kick on Dembele having won the ball cleanly in the tackle.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was frustrated by the dismissal of Spearing and felt it changed the outcome of the game. “He won the ball,” the Scot said. “He probably upset the referee with his follow-through but it’s not his fault there’s somebody standing there.

“You see them sometimes get a red, other times they get away with it. The problem everybody has is the level of interpretation – that’s not consistent. I think we would have taken something if we’d been left with 11 men. I dont think we played as well as we have been but we did enough to come away with something but we haven’t done it.”

Spearing’s departure saw Fulham attack in numbers and rattle the crossbar with ten minutes left as Dempsey found space on the edge of the box to curl in an effort. Dembele had a shot parried by Reina as the Cottagers pushed for a winner, before the Belgium international then saw an effort sneak just wide.

Fulham had Schwarzer to thank for tipping substitute Stewart Downing’s shot onto the post moments later, before Dempsey fired home the winner at the other end. Former Liverpool left-back John Arne Riise unleashed a powerful shot that Reina could only palm into the path of Dempsey, who finished from close range to secure the home side three points.

Fulham: Schwarzer,Kelly,Hangeland,Senderos,Riise,Dempsey, Murphy (Gecov

90),Etuhu,Ruiz,Dembele,Zamora (Johnson 71). Subs not used: Etheridge,Kasami,Hughes,Frei,Briggs.

Liverpool: Reina,Johnson,Skrtel,Agger,Jose Enrique,Henderson, Spearing,Adam,Bellamy (Downing 77),Suarez,Carroll (Kuyt 77). Subs not used: Doni, Maxi, Coates, Carragher,Kelly.