LIVERPOOL 4 FULHAM 0

highlights..



skysports reports..



Jamie Carragher's first Premiership goal for almost eight years was the highlight of a comfortable 4-0 Liverpool victory over Fulham at Anfield. The Cottagers have never won at Anfield and, after conceding five last season, were on the wrong end of another heavy defeat despite a solid first half showing.

Steven Gerrard broke the deadlock in the 54th minute as he slotted in the rebound after his own penalty was saved by the unlucky Jan Lastukova. The Kop was then privileged to witness a first league goal from Carragher in almost eight years to effectively seal the points - and Fulham must have then known it was not to be their day.



Luis Garcia added a third with a powerful header before substitute Mark Gonzalez sealed a good day's work all round by Liverpool with a fine free-kick with the last kick of the game.
Liverpool started brightly and Luis Garcia sneaked in to the six-yard box to flick Craig Bellamy's cross over Lastukova, but Liam Rosenior was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
Fulham responded by driving forward themselves and Moritz Volz's low cross was met by a first-time strike by Brian McBride - which forced Jose Reina into a smart diving save away to his left to turn the ball round the post.

The home side broke directly from the resulting corner, and the move concluded with a flashing John Arne Riise drive which flew just wide.
Fulham were stung by that attack and retreated to sit back and frustrate Liverpool, who then enjoyed the vast majority of possession for the rest of the half.
Dirk Kuyt was appealing for a penalty after 20 minutes when his header from Steve Finnan's cross hit Zat Knight's hand, but the big defender knew nothing as his back was turned when it struck him.

Xabi Alonso had a low curler well saved by Lastukova, before Kuyt had a second penalty shout turned down when Pearce blocked his volley with his hand, but referee Uriah Rennie again turned down the appeal.
After a frustrating first half, Liverpool looked to move up a gear after the break and Kuyt charged down the left before firing with the outside of his foot that forced Lastukova to palm over.

However, Fulham had started with much more adventure than the first half and Volz fired a drive wildly over the bar after a good spell of pressure for the visitors.
Liverpool hit back with a flurry of corners and crosses, one of which from Jermaine Pennant somehow evaded both Kuyt and Craig Bellamy just six yards out.

The Reds got the breakthrough in the 54th minute when, at the third time of asking, Kuyt was given a penalty after his well-hit shot was blocked by the raised hand of Pearce as he flew out to challenge.
The skipper stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his poor effort was saved by Lastukova, only to rebounded straight back to Gerrard who gladly slotted in his second league goal of the season.
Buoyed by the goal, Liverpool piled forward and Bellamy was unlucky when he could not react quick enough at the far post after a corner flicked off Knight's head and he could only knee over the bar.

The corner routine did work in the 61st minute when Daniel Agger flicked on Gerrard's set-piece, and of all people it was Carragher who arrived with perfect timing to slot home at the far post like a veteran striker - although it was his first Premiership goal since January 1999.
A third Liverpool goal arrived on 66 minutes and the other centre-half Agger was involved as he put in a good cross from the left for Garcia who powered a looping header into the far corner, via the crossbar, from 15 yards.



Although the game was won Liverpool still looked to add to the tally, which Gerrard almost achieved as he fired a fearsome volley towards goal from Pennant's cross, but Lastukova made another fine save.
There was time to add a fifth late on, as Gonzalez curled in a superb free-kick from the edge of the box with almost the last kick of the game to seal an emphatic victory for Liverpool and another torrid visit to Anfield for the visitors.


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louis' comments..

great performance. 4 goals. 4 different players scored. 4th place.

i was glad to see that we are patient even though we didn't managed to score in the first half. fulham did well in closing down on us but i knew that if we continued to pressure, we will be able to score. and yes, we did. 4 goals.

gerrard with a penalty rebound. carragher with a rare goal. garcia with a lopping header. gonzalaz with a free kick. all are beautiful goals. i'm pleased to see carragher scoring. if i'm not wrong, i was still a very young boy the last time i saw him scoring for liverpool. excellent set-piece. could see that carragher was alert to be at the back post after the flick on by agger. a good goal and liverpool was at comfort zone. garica's goal was purely class. a great finish. he has been trying that for the whole match, and i'm glad that one of his tries, went in as a goal.



i realised, for every season, we always have a slow start. this is the time where we getting warmed up and began to play good football. i really hope that it's not too late. now we are at 4th place, we shall go on a run and put some pressure on the top 2. every player knows what they should do and we know that our strengths.

come on reds.. keep on the good form ..

you'll never walk alone.

cheers,
11.51am

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