Saturday 10 November 2007 17:15 Barclays Premier League
"Liverpool"	2 - 0	"Fulham"
	(0-0)
GOAL
Torres 81, Gerrard 85 p.
Team: 25. Jose Reina, 17. Alvaro Arbeloa, 4. Sami Hyypia, 6. John Arne Riise, 12. Fabio Aurelio, 23. Jamie Carragher, 20. Javier Mascherano, 8. Steven Gerrard, 11. Yossi Benayoun, 15. Peter Crouch, 10. Andriy Voronin. Subs: 40. David Martin, 3. Steve Finnan, 21. Lucas Pezzini Leiva, 19. Ryan Babel, 9. Fernando Torres.		Team: 29. Antti Niemi, 34 Chris Baird, 18. Aaron Hughes, 6. Dejan Stefanovic, 3. Carlos Bocanegra, 23. Clint Dempsey, 10. Steven Davis, 27. Danny Murphy, 25. Simon Davies, 9. David Healy, 14. Shefki Kuqi. Subs: 12. Tony Warner, 37. Adrian Leijer, 8. Alexy Smertin, 24. Hameur Bouazza. 11. Diomansy Kamara.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Riise (Babel 63), Voronin (Torres 71), Mascherano (Leiva 81)		Healy (Bouazza 60), Dempsey (Kamara 69)
OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS
Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)
Booked:		Booked: Murphy 54, Dempsey 64
VENUE		MANAGERS
Anfield (capacity: 45,362) Attendance: 43,073		Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) Lawrie Sanchez (Fulham)

  Price: J3,00

  REDS LATE SHOW SEES OFF FULHAM

  Fernando Torres came off the bench to inspire Liverpool to victory as Rafa Benitez's men left it late to see off Fulham at a flood-lit Anfield.

  The Spain international broke the deadlock with a fine solo goal nine minutes from time after it had looked like Lawrie Sanchez's men would escape with a fortunate point.

  Steven Gerrard put the seal on a 2-0 win with a well-struck penalty four minutes later as the Reds clinched all three points and only their second home league victory of the season.

  Liverpool dominated throughout but struggled to recapture the prowess in front of goal that saw them hit eight past Besiktas in midweek as a combination of poor finishing and heroic goalkeeping kept the visitors in the game.

  Rafael Benitez started with the same line-up that served him so well against the Turks and they enjoyed a bright opening with Sami Hyypia forcing Anti Niemi into a great save with a 20-yard strike.

  And the Finnish centre back was at it again less than a minute later but this time he failed to direct his header after Andriy Voronin picked him out with a delightful cross from the left.

  Steven Gerrard was next to try his luck but he drilled over from 20-yards after Voronin mis-kicked Alvaro Arbeloa's fine cutback.

  The visitors responded with their best effort of the half as former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy forced Pepe Reina into action with a dipping volley from the edge of the area.

  A frustrating first-half could have ended on a high when Peter Crouch directed a towering header goalwards on 44 minutes but he saw his header crash back off the crossbar.

  It was a similar story after the restart as Liverpool upped their game and began to create chances at will.

  Liverpool's Steven Gerrard scores his sides second goal from the penalty spot  (Photo: Empics)

  Yossi Benayoun was the first to hold his head in anguish when he somehow fired over from five yards after Niemi had spilled Fabio Aurelio's free-kick, before the keeper redeemed himself on 57 minutes with a smart save to deny Voronin.

  The Ukrainian then missed his kick when well positioned after great work by Gerrard and he was left frustrated again moments later as he dragged his effort wide of the far post following a neat interchange with Benayoun.

  It was one-way traffic and the Israeli was next to test the Fulham stopper with a brilliant curling effort as Liverpool turned the screw.

  It looked like it was going to be one of those days until substitute Fernando Torres produced a moment of magic that caused Anfield to erupt.

  The Spaniard, who replaced Andriy Voronin on 71 minutes, took down Reina's long clearance and cut inside Aaron Hughes before firing in at the near post.

  And it was all over four minutes later when Steven Gerrard converted from the spot after Peter Crouch was tripped by Carlos Bocanegra.

  Teams

  Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Carragher, Arbeloa, Riise, Gerrard (captain), Mascherano, Benayoun, Crouch, Voronin. Subs - Martin, Leiva, Babel, Torres, Finnan.

  Fulham: Niemi, Baird, Hughes (captain), Stefanovic, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Davis, Murphy, Davies, Kuqi, Healy. Subs - Smertin, Bouazza, Leijer, Warner, Kamara.

  Referee: S Tanner

  Conditions: Windy

  Attendance: 43,073

  Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Yossi Benayoun

  Breakdown

17:16 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Fulham kick off attacking the Kop End
2 mins : Crouch almost creates an early chance for Riise, but his pass is cut out
3 mins : Liverpool have made a bright start
6 mins : A foul on Voronin brings a free kick 25 yards out
6 mins : Gerrard roles the ball to Hyypia and he brings a good save out of Niemi from 20 yards
8 mins : Crouch wins a corner as the pressure grows on Fulham
9 mins : Voronin swings one into the area where Hyypia finds himself in a centre forward postion and heads wide
11 mins : Carragher's screams for offside can be heard around the ground and the linesman obliges and raises the flag against Healy
13 mins : Arbeloa breaks into the area on the right, but his pull back misses Voronin before Gerrard shoots over
14 mins : Liverpool old boy Danny Murphy nearly gets what he probably dreamt about last night, a goal at the Kop End, but Reina saves his dangerous volley
16 mins : Liverpool hit back straight away, but Riise's shot is wayward
19 mins : Davies finds himself in a good position on the right, but he balloons his cross into the Kop
24 mins : Gerrard hits a superb pass to Crouch, but he is dispossessed just as he's about to shoot
27 mins : Liverpool pile on the pressure as Arbeloa does brilliantly on the right before crossing to Benayoun, but he cant control his header
32 mins : Gerrard puts Voronin clear on goal, but he's flagged offside. It was a tight call, but Niemi saved Voronin's shot anyway
36 mins : Aurelio's cross is heading for Crouch, but Stefanovic intercepts
39 mins : Hyypia gets the Kop chanting his name after winning two good tackles
40 mins : Niemi spills Benayoun's looping header, but he gathers again before Crouch can pounce
42 mins : Gerrard bursts into the box from Benayoun's slipped pass, but Fulham close the door again
45 mins : There will be a minimum of 1 minute stoppage time
18:02 GMT : Half Time Reached
18:19 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool get the game restarted. They almost scored right at the end of the first half when Crouch hit the bar
47 mins : Crouch nods the ball back to Voronin and his volley is well saved by Niemi
48 mins : Liverpool sportingly put the ball out of play so that the injured Dempsey can get some treatment
51 mins : Arbeloa fizzes a low cross into the six yard box, but Fulham do well to clear
52 mins : Benayoun does well to beat Bocanegra, but his cross into the area is easy for Niemi
54 mins : First Booking: Danny Murphy: Murphy is booked for a cynical foul on Gerrard
55 mins : Niemi can only parry Aurelio's free kick into the middle of the goal, but Benayoun shoots over under heavy pressure
58 mins : Voronin bursts into the area and his shot brings a fine save from Niemi
58 mins : Gerrard squares the ball for Voronin, but he misses his kick
60 mins : Substitution: Hameur Bouazza for David Healy:
63 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for John Arne Riise:
63 mins : Today's attendance is 43,073
63 mins : Babel finds Benayoun and his lofted effort looks in before Niemi makes a brilliant save
64 mins : First Booking: Clint Dempsey: The American is booked for kicking the ball away
66 mins : Danger for Liverpool as Kuqi just fails to connect at the far post
66 mins : Benayoun threads a superb pass for Voronin, but his shot is agonisingly wide. Liverpool deserve a goal
69 mins : Substitution: Diomansy Kamara for Clint Dempsey:
70 mins : Gerrard races into the area, but Niemi beats him to the ball
70 mins : Substitution: Fernando Torres for Andriy Voronin:
75 mins : Babel goes on a great run but his shot is easy for Niemi
76 mins : Mascherano weaves his way through a couple of players before shooting into the arms of Niemi.
81 mins : Substitution: Lucas Leiva for Javier Mascherano:
81 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Supersub Torres turns inside and slides it low into the net
82 mins : Torres gets through on the right again and forces Niemi into a fine save
84 mins : Crouch is fouled in the box and the Reds have a penalty
85 mins : First Booking: Carlos Bocanegra:
85 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Gerrard surely wraps up the points as he sends Niemi the wrong way from 12 yards
90 mins : From frustration to jubilation, the Reds are firmly in the driving seat now
90 mins : There will be a minimum of 3 minutes added time
19:07 GMT : Match Over

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