Liverpol vs. Fulham: Final score 4-0, Reds run riot over diabolical Cottagers

Liverpool stayed second with an easy win over the horrific Cottagers.

By Graham MacAree Nov 9, 2013, 12:11pm EST

Are Fulham even a Premier League team right now? They're certainly not playing like it. Granted, going to Liverpool and getting a result is a very tough ask these days, but as the Reds' loss to Arsenal last weekend rather comprehensively demonstrated, Brendan Rodgers' side are hardly immortal. But immortal is just what they looked like against the Cottagers, who utterly annihilated in a 4-0 rout.

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The match was basically a parade of Liverpool chances. Fulham defended like a gaggle of small schoolchildren, and it didn't take long before the hosts grabbed the lead. Fernando Amorebieta apparently had an idea what was coming and wisely defected to the winning side, heading a free kick past his own goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

Liverpool's second arrived in more conventional fashion, albeit from another set piece. A corner was whipped in, Fulham's defenders ran away, and Martin Skrtel was on hand to nod past Maarten Stekelenberg. Luis Suarez added to the visitors' woes ten minutes later with a well-taken finish.

The game was already over by the time the second half rolled around, which gave Suarez and striker partner Daniel Sturridge the opportunity to compete for a place in the pantheon of how-did-he-miss-thats. Eventually Suarez got bored of wasting chances and completed the scoring with a close range finish following a neat pass from Steven Gerrard.

It's difficult to overstate just how poor Fulham were. They were outshot 32-4. They looked like they had no idea what a football was, let alone how to play it. Surely, these are the final days of Martin Jol's reign. That was diabolical.

Liverpool starting lineup (4-4-2): Simon Mignolet; Aly Cissokho, Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson; Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson; Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez.

Fulham starting lineup (4-4-1-1): Maarten Stekelenberg; Kieran Richardson, Fernando Amorebieta, Philippe Senderos, Elsad Zverotic; Alexander Kacaniklic, Scott Parker, Steve Sidwell, Ashkan Dejagah; Pajtim Kasami; Dimitar Berbatov.

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