Steven Gerrard scored a 90th minute penalty as Liverpool left it late to beat Fulham and move within four points of Premier League leaders Chelsea. Fulham led twice through a Kolo Toure own-goal and Kieran Richardson's first of the season, but Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Gerrard ensured Brendan Rodgers' team engineered a comeback. Liverpool may have started Saturday's victory over Arsenal on fire but it was Fulham who began the match brightly at Craven Cottage, Ryan Tunnicliffe drawing a good save from Simon Mignolet and Dan Burn heading just over from a corner. The home side deservedly took the lead after 8 minutes, former Arsenal defender Toure slicing Richardson's tame cross into his own net from inside the six-yard box. After going behind the visitors slowly began to find their feet in the game, Luis Suarez testing the hands of Dutch international Maarten Stekelenburg with a left footed strike from inside the box. The Uruguayan went close again moments later, this time rolling centre-back Dan Burn on the edge of the box but skewing his effort high and wide. As the half moved into the final 10 minutes, Fulham continued to show that they carried a serious threat on the counter, with loanees Darren Bent and Lewis Holtby nearly doubling their lead. However, Liverpool levelled the match just before half-time, Gerrard's defence-splitting pass finding Sturridge, who slotted the ball home to score for the seventh game in a row. The visitors started the second 45 minutes the same way they ended the first, Suarez curling a dangerous free-kick from the edge of the box just wide of the post. Liverpool's top scorer was causing Fulham all kinds of problems, chesting down Sturridge's chipped pass but dragging the ball wide from inside the area. It was all Liverpool and Suarez went even closer on 60 minutes, the 27-year-old unluckily seeing his 20-yard effort hit the post after he had found space with a neat turn. Despite the Merseysiders' dominance, Fulham regained the lead against the run of play, Rodgers' side once again failing to deal with a simple cross and allowing Richardson to tap home. Spurred on by the setback Liverpool pressed forward and were rewarded with an equaliser just after 70 minutes, Coutinho's shot finding its way past a motionless Stekelenburg thanks to a deflection. With time running out the visitors threw caution to the wind as they searched for an elusive winner, Coutinho firing a half-volley inches wide after Suarez had cut the ball back. It appeared as though Liverpool were going to have to settle for a point, but in the 90th minute Sascha Riether brought down Sturridge in the box and Gerrard confidently slotted home the penalty. The defeat means Fulham remain bottom of the table and four points from safety, while Liverpool strengthen their credentials as title challengers.
Simon is an NCTJ qualified sports journalist. He has conducted interviews with Tony Adams and Peter Shilton, while also having work published in The Daily Telegraph and The Sun. Follow him on Twitter via @sr_collings.
