Liverpool finally strike rich vein

Liverpool 5 Fulham 1

Before the match Fernando Morientes, Peter Crouch, Robbie Fowler and Djibril Cisse had managed one goal between them in 51 combined hours on the pitch.

By the end Fowler had netted his first since his return from Manchester City and Morientes and Crouch had both got on the scoresheet with young full-back Stephen Warnock also weighing in with his first for the club.

For long spells Fulham ambitiously playing with two wingers throughout gave Liverpool plenty of jitters.

But a side who have not won away all season were never going to keep it up to the end and Liverpool found their opponents' soft underbelly to achieve their highest league score of the season.

After successive defeats by Benfica and Arsenal, it was just the boost they needed with boss Rafael Benitez believed to be adding another year to his contract at the club.

Liverpool made five changes from the side which lost at Arsenal, with Xabi Alonso suspended, Sami Hyypia still nursing a hamstring strain, Crouch and Warnock rested to the bench and Jan Kromkamp not in the squad. In came Daniel Agger, Fowler, Morientes, Djimi Traore and Harry Kewell.

Fulham also made changes with Ian Pearce, Wayne Bridge, Michael Brown, Collins John and former Everton striker Tomasz Radzinski returning to the side following the 3-1 defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Liverpool had the ball in the net inside two minutes after a succession of crosses were not cleared properly but Luis Garcia's close-range finish was flagged offside.

In the 16th minute, the Kop and Fowler got the goal they had been waiting for since his return.

Kewell's ball in from the left was flicked across goal by Luis Garcia and Fowler reacted instantly to turn a header past Warner.

Fulham were level on 25 minutes after Agger's poor pass in midfield eluded Steven Gerrard, allowing Mark Pembridge to find John in yards of space and he took full advantage to home in on Jose Reina and drill a low shot past the goalkeeper.

A low cross from Kewell was turned into his own net by Brown.

In the 69th minute, Cisse replaced Fowler and Phillippe Christanval took over from Knight.

A minute later, Liverpool got their third when Morientes blasted high into the net from six yards after Cisse's header from Gerrard's cross had been blocked by Warner.

Bridge was booked in the aftermath of Morientes' goal his first in 16 games and soon after Brian McBride replaced Radzinski.

Crouch replaced Morientes nine minutes from time, with Warnock taking over from Kewell with two minutes left.

Both were soon on the scoresheet, with Crouch getting a faint touch on a Gerrard shot, before Warnock netted in the last minute after a parry from Tony Warner.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Traore, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell (Warnock 88), Fowler (Cisse 68), Morientes (Crouch 81).

FULHAM: Warner, Rosenior, Knight (Christanval 69), Pearce, Bridge, Radzinski (McBride 78), Malbranque, Brown, Pembridge, Boa Morte, John.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).