The Reds suffered their first defeat since mid September at the hands of Fulham but it was a game we could have taken more from and certainly turned on a very poor Red card for Jay Spearing. With five minutes to go and a fumble from Jose Reina in his goal allowed Clint Dempsey - himself lucky to be on the pitch to score the winner.
The Reds took to Craven Cottage with Jay Spearing in for the injured Lucas in the centre of midfield whilst Andy Carroll partnered Luis Suarez up top.
The Reds got the game started and the early stages of the game were quite open at both ends. Dembele got in behind Skrtel after just five minutes but couldn't beat Reina whilst at the other end Adam had a volley deflected over the bar and Carroll shot straight at Schwarzer after great work from Suarez.
The Reds gradually took hold of the game and they were the side more likely as Adam tested Schwarzer at his near post with a shot on twelve minutes.
Just before the half hour mark and the Reds finally did beat Schwarzer in his goal as Henderson clipped a fantastic shot past him only to see the ball hit the inside of the post and bounce across the goal where it was cleared. Just an inch tighter in and that would have bounced in but hitting the woodwork is becoming normal for us these days.
The Reds continued to press Fulham who looked quite ordinary but they did start coming in to it the later the half got and Clint Dempsey was the main threat really as he drifted inside and had a number of shots on goal from distance. On one occasion he nearly got it past Reina as the ball swerved late on and Reina had nearly dived past the ball.
Suarez was given a warning by the ref shortly after for what I can only assume was making the most of tackles. Danny Murphy had reacted at him at one point and this is what leads to Luis getting a reputation set in people's minds. If you play at such a high tempo and move so much then slight hits will send you flying but the ref needs to be aware of this kind of movement and protect where necessary. I do think Luis can exaggerate things a bit much sometimes so in some ways he doesn't help himself.
Suarez was caught by Dembele just before half time and the Fulham man found himself booked for it. It meant the sides went in at half time all square.
No changes were made at the break and Fulham got the game started again. Just three minutes in and Dempsey reacted to a tackle and twice squared up to Bellamy by shoving his face in tot he Reds striker. This wasn't a case of just once because the American went in for a second go at Bellamy but the ref who clearly didn't see it all decided best course of action was to book both players. That's the usual cop out of I haven't got a clue of what's gone on but for me it could easily have been a Red card for Dempsey as they've been given in the past. Bellamy for me did the right thing and just stood there doing nothing so why he got booked I don't know.
Fulham had started the second half quite well but the Reds quickly got on top of the game again and were pushing forward and I thought a goal was inevitable at some point.
On fifty five minutes Suarez was obstructed in the box and went down but the ref waved it away - always one of those that you never get in the box but often do in the middle of the pitch sadly.
There was an even closer shout for a penalty just before the hour mark as Adam stormed forward but just as he reached the box he was clipped by Senderos. A foul was instantly given but the defender was quick to point to the divot he'd made which was bang on the edge of the box and a free kick was given. The defender then got away with a yellow card and the Reds made a hash of the free kick.
The Reds did finally find the net on sixty seven minutes when Suarez shot past Schwarzer only for the assistant to flag for offside. My first reaction was offside I have to admit but I hadn't noticed a man in the middle who could well have played him on.
On seventy two minutes came the turning point for me when Jay Spearing was red carded.The ball broke loose in the midfield and Jay raced in and cleared the ball long down the field well before Dembele got there but the follow through from Spearing hit the Fulham man who went down injured. The ref blew straight up and showed a straight red card. Outrageous decision for me as spearing clearly took the ball a long time before the Fulham man got there and it's inevitable that there is some follow through but the ref deemed it foul play and the little midfielder had to walk off the pitch. I see this kind of tackle every week at youth level and the game just goes on - I grew up seeing players like Jimmy Case and Graeme Souness put that tackle in and players get on with the game. A referee has to realise that you can't prevent yourself following through. Whether we appeal the decision I don't know but the game changed after it.
The Reds made a couple of changes with Kuyt and Downing replacing Carroll and Bellamy and although we continued to look for a goal Fulham had the numerical advantage now.
In fact just before Fulham scored Downing had sent a shot on goal which Schwarzer managed to tip on to the post - woodwork again!
The goal came a minute later as Murphy shot on goal which Reina fumbled and Dempsey slotted home before he could react. That was gutting because it was the end of good league run and despite pushing hard late on a goal this late was critical to us.
MotM : Jose Enrique - solid defending all night and played well supporting the left wing throughout the match.
