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The Reds arrived at Craven Cottage off the back of a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Carling Cup, but were without midfield-stalwart Lucas. Lucas was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign earlier this week, and the question arose on how the Reds would cope without their Brazilian. Jay Spearing was called upon to fill the void, and though the Academy-product played well, Liverpool did not look the same. Charlie Adam admitted that it was a huge blow to lose Lucas as the pair were really starting to click, but there were players who could fill the void.
The first half opened to a bagful of chances for both sides, with both finding their final decisions the wrong ones. Fulham would shoot when they should have passed to an open man, while Liverpool would pass when they should have taken a one-on-one shot with keeper Mark Schwarzer. Liverpool’s closest chance came midway through the first half, when Jordan Henderson took down a lobbed pass and blasted a beautiful shot past Schwarzer, only to be denied by the woodwork, a recurring enemy for the Reds this season.
With the match dead-set at 0-0, it always seemed one goal would win the game, and that goal would come from American Clint Dempsey. Danny Murphy fired in a shot which should have been a routine sasve for Pepe Reina, but the Spaniard bobbled the shot into the path of Dempsey who slotted home. Liverpool came close late on when Stewart Downing ripped past two Fulham defenders and fired a shot on goal, only to be thwarted by Mark Schwarzer who tipped the goal-bound shot onto the post.
Liverpool will take on QPR this weekend as the Reds look to get back on the winning road.
Tags: Barclays premier league highlights, Clint Dempsey, Danny Murphy, Fulham FC, Jay Spearing, Liverpool, Luis Suarez, Stewart Downing
