Reds win ugly in London - Fulham 2-3 Liverpool

Captain Sensible: Gerrard to the rescue... Again!

Following the demolition of Arsenal over the weekend, one was asking too much for Brendan Rodgers' side to do the same in an away fixture to a team firmly rooted to the foot of the Premiership and fighting for survival. Last night at Craven Cottage proof was given  without doubt that this was indeed an ask too far. 

Liverpool were forced to come from behind twice against a resolute and well-organised Fulham side to take three precious points back to Merseyside. The expression "to win ugly" is very apt to describe the Reds' performance. Dogged, determined, persistent, relentless will also suffice. I felt Brendan Rodgers' side was going to come out on top, but as is customary these days, the defence done it's collective and calamitous best to undo the teams efforts in a difficult enough situation. 

Many will feel sorry for Fulham and that they perhaps deserved something from the game, and I'd be among them. After all is said and done, there's no room for sentiment in the beautiful game. Ultimately, René Meulensteen's men just couldn't contain the relentless attacking play from Liverpool. The result is all that people will remember and this one went in The Reds' favor. This was for me, a pivotal result for Liverpool. 

Their desire to win the game was evident, and the team maintained a healthy mentality and work rate throughout what must be said, was a stern test for them. I honestly couldn't have seen Liverpool winning this match last season. Their focus was both evident and commendable last night. Even when the side went 1-0 down after eight minutes to what I thought was, an avoidable own-goal from Kolo Tourè - who seems to be at the heart of every defensive calamity at the moment - I felt the visitors could come back. I shared the teams resolve.  Something I haven't done in a long while. I'd have probably lost interest and checked the other scores to see how many places we'd be falling!

Liverpool's intensity improved when Steven Gerrard was pushed forward from his new role in front of the defence and started exerting his influence on the game with more attacking intent. It was his long range pass from deep that Daniel Sturridge was able to latch onto, steer past Marten Stekelengurg and restore parity in the match just ahead of the half time whistle. Rodgers had a face like thunder as the teams headed off the pitch and despite the equaliser, the man had every reason to be cross. The teams desire wasn't translating into a coherent display. 

Even after Kieran Richardson had put Fulham ahead again in the 63rd minute - through yet more woeful defensive work, I still felt Liverpool would get something from the game. I'd have settled for a draw in all honesty at that point but I never thought the team would lose. It seemed impossible for the pressure Liverpool were applying not to pay off. Attack after attack was taken to the hosts. Nine minutes later the visitors were back on level terms. Philippe Coutinho rifling a low shot past Stekelenburg's outstretched hand into the corner of the net within 10 minutes of Richardson's effort. 

Liverpool pressed and pressed. Occasionally rattled by the periodic onslaught of lofted balls into their goal area. Finally in the last minute of normal time, the breakthrough came when Sascha Riether needlessly brought Sturridge down in the box. Referee Phil Dowd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Captain Courageous Gerrard stepped up to put the ball past the home keeper, despite his getting a palm to it. The travelling support went wild. Again during the five minutes of injury time, a Fulham pumped long balls into their opponents box but they were coped with comfortably and hoofed  back to safety in response. There was no room for good looks in this period. The result, an ugly but deserved win to keep the Reds in the chasing pack at the top of the Premiership. 

Follow me on Twitter: @Mrbengreen

Fulham v Liverpool - Preview

The Reds of Liverpool travel down to the Capital

Luis Suarez: A sign of things to come?

tonight to take on rock-bottom Fulham, fresh from the emphatic 5-1 mauling handed out to Arsenal at the weekend. The inevitable title winning talk that followed, continues to be wide of the mark. Needless to say, anything can happen, but suffice to say Liverpool aren't quite Champion material quite yet.

Optimism has be the word for Liverpool fans and Brendan Rodgers' team going in to this match. Confidence is high and the team is playing with the freedom that this brings. Add to that the fact that Liverpool have not scored less than three goals against the bottom sides this season - 14 in total to be precise with only three against - and it would take a brave man to bet against Liverpool tonight. The players deserved the plaudits that came their way over the weekend after a result that few would have predicted. Few other than a friend and fellow Reds supporter who bagged a good few quid with a punt on... Liverpool to win 5-1!

The ease and efficiency with which the team dispatched with their visitors on Saturday left many a gasp but not everyone. When asked during the post-match interview if the plan was to score as many, and as early, as possible, Brendan Rodgers replied "Well we've been doing that all season, really..." and you have to say, he's correct. Against Manchester City and Chelsea however, that came back to haunt them, suffering 2-1 reversals on both occasions. Those two teams remain for me, the contenders for the title, and the only teams who can pose any threat to Liverpool. I wouldn't have counted Arsenal before the weekend and I certainly won't count them now. Despite that I think they'll give Manchester United a beating tonight as a result of Saturday.

Having said that, there are no easy games in the Premier League and Liverpool have been found wanting against the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa and Swansea City. The only upside there is that they were all drawn and points gained nonetheless. Games they'd probably have lost in recent years. However, the performances against Hull City where the Reds were well and truly done over 3-1 and the feeble 1-0 loss to Southampton are the kinds of matches that simply cement my view that Liverpool are not quite there yet. There is a pattern there. three of the five results I've mentioned were away from home, and this is my only concern going into tonight's match at Craven Cottage.

In terms of the starting eleven, I don't see any change from Saturday's team. Jose Enrique and Lucas Leiva are still not back in training and whilst Daniel Agger is, I suspect tonight's match may be a tad too soon for him. Mamadou Sakho shall remain out for the next month or so. The Liverpool Bench is looking very thin and quite unconvincing at this point and I'm not sure the squad can stand many, if any more, injuries for the time being. The bench on Saturday's consisted of just one defender and this fuels my opinion that Rodgers must strengthen the back line in the next window.

On the balance of things, I think Liverpool should come away with the three points tonight, and with a margin of a couple of goals, despite the apparent inconsistency on their travels. As a tactic, I'm sure the team will attack the Fulham left because at 33, I don't believe John Arne Riise is going to be able to do much with Raheem Sterling. I don't think even Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore can help the cottagers tonight. The Tube strike is off, and the match is on.  My message for the players, as Francis Underwood would say "...Don't disappoint me!"

Follow me on Twitter: @Mrbengreen