Liverpool's woeful season continues with loss

Reuters

DESPAIR: Liverpool's Maxi Rodriguez (L) and Jonjo Shelvey react after a scoring chance was missed during their 1-0 loss to Fulham.

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Liverpool, who made nine changes to the team in their last game before the FA Cup final with Chelsea at the weekend, slumped to a 1-0 home defeat by Fulham in the Premier League much to the annoyance of manager Kenny Dalglish.

"I don't think it can be described as a performance," Dalglish told the BBC after a fifth-minute own goal by defender Martin Skrtel handed the Londoners their first win at Anfield at the 49th attempt. "The attitude was very poor.

"I think we got what we deserved from the game and that was absolutely nothing. If you don't approach the game properly you're not going to get anything.

"I take part of the blame because I thought I was being fair to everybody by giving them the opportunity to get some minutes on the pitch," added Dalglish. "The game coming up on Saturday is important to the club."

Liverpool stayed in eighth place with two matches left this season, level on 49 points with Fulham who are ninth.

In the night's other game, seventh-placed Everton drew 1-1 at Stoke City.

Everton went in front with a Peter Crouch own goal on the stroke of halftime but Stoke, who are 13th, equalised through Cameron Jerome midway through the second half.

Chelsea warm up for Saturday's final at Wembley by hosting Newcastle United in the league on Wednesday.

Champions League finalists Chelsea are sixth, a point behind Newcastle and fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who travel to relegation-threatened Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday.

- Reuters