Nine-man Liverpool crashed to a 3-1 defeat away to Fulham on Saturday. Torres equalised for the visitor’s on 42 minutes with an instinctive volley from outside the box to cancel out a Bobby Zamora strike. But second-half goals from Nevland and Dempsey clinched all three points for the Cottagers as the Reds fell to their 5th defeat in 11 league games.

Fernando Torres started the clash in London as the Merseysiders looked to build on last weekend’s win over Man U. The forward, who hit his tenth of the season in the 3-1 loss, was substituted on 63 minutes with the score still standing at 1-1.

It was the Reds who started the better, Benayoun seeing an effort come back off the bar. But it was Fulham who opened the scoring with a goal against the run of play. Bobby Zamora hit the first of the afternoon on 24 minutes, tapping home a cross from Damien Duff.

Liverpool drew level just before the interval. A headed pass from Andriy Voronin struck a Fulham defender before falling to Torres. The Spaniard didn’t think twice, and unleashed an un-stoppable right-footed volley past Mark Schwarzer.

The Premier League top scorer was taken off by coach Rafa Benitez with just over a quarter of an hour gone of the second-half.

Liverpool continued to dominate possession but they were to be caught out once again, as Fulham regained the lead on 73 minutes. Gera headed a Konchesky cross back across the face of goal for Nevland to finish.

Degen was sent off the Merseysiders four minutes after Nevland’s goal, seeing red for a late challenge on Dempsey. Ten men soon became nine, as Carragher was given his marching orders for a professional foul on Zamora.

Liverpool continued to pile everyone forward in search of an equaliser, but it was Fulham who were to add a third. Dempsey sliding the ball into the net following a pass from Nevland.

The loss now leaves Liverpool nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea. The Reds next travel to Lyon for the Wednesday’s Champions League game against the current group leaders. A game Liverpool need to win.


- Match Stats: Fulham 3-1 Liverpool

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Duff (Nevland, 46), Greening (Etuhu, 85), Baird, Dempsey, Zamora (Gera, 46), Kamara

Booked: Baird

Goals: Zamora 23, Nevland 73, Dempsey 87

Liverpool: Reina, Insua, Degen, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt (Ayala, 84), Benayoun (Ecclestone, 77), Mascherano, Lucas, Voronin, Torres (Babel, 62)

Goals: Torres 42

Sent-off: Degen, Carragher