Liverpool 0 Fulham 0

Last updated : 11 April 2010 By Footymad Previewer
Liverpool were indebted to goalkeeper Jose Reina after an afternoon of domination from the home side very nearly ended in a unlikely winner for Damien Duff in a goalless draw with Fulham.

The Spain keeper saved magnificently to deny Fulham their first away win in 16 games and earn a dominant Liverpool a deserved point.

With both teams celebrating midweek Europa League wins, Premier League hangover seemed likely, but the home side started at a furious pace and David N'Gog was unlucky to see his audacious chip fly wide on six minutes.

And the lively N'Gog continued to cause the visitors problems and should have punished the Fulham backline when he was given too much space on the edge of the area but again he shot just wide.

With Liverpool continuing to completely dominate proceedings, Alberto Aquilani was the next to have the Kop on their feet, but his first time shot on 22 minutes was well saved by Mark Schwarzer, who also kept out Maxi Rodriguez's follow-up.

So dominant were the home side that it took Fulham 41 minutes to register their first shot, a rasping effort from Chris Baird that was comfortable for Reina.

Liverpool continued to dominate after the break but could not break down their hard-working visitors.

Aquilani was denied by Schwarzer twice in as many minutes early in the half before Baird and Aaron Hughes both made important blocks to deny Steven Gerrard.

With Liverpool frustrations beginning to boil over, manager Rafael Benitez brought on Yossi Benayoun for the ineffective Ryan Babel and Spanish wonderkid Daniel Pacheco for only his second Premier League outing in place of N'Gog.

Fulham, sensing a point may be on the cards, also made changes, bringing on Bjorn Helge Riise to shore up the defence in place of Jonathan Greening.

Despite spending most of the match on the back foot, Fulham so nearly stole it in injury time when Duff's 18-yarder was brilliantly kept out by the flying Reina.