Ian Rush, Nigel Clough and Robbie Fowler scored the goals as Liverpool banished their league demons to beat Second Division Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the second round of the League Cup this evening.
Graeme Souness’ side fought the quaint environs of SW6 much more to their taste than the challenge of Chesterfield, who held them to a pulsating 4-4 draw at the same stage last season. Toxeteh-born Fowler, part of the England side that won the European under-18 Championship in July, seized his opportunity to shine on the senior stage by setting up the first two Liverpool goals before rounding off an eye-catching display with a strike of his own.
The Premiership outfit eased into the lead with a simple goal on seventeen minutes. Fowler’s ball in from the right found Don Hutchison in space and the midfielder’s cross shot was badly missed by Jim Stannard in the Fulham goal, giving Ian Rush the simplest of tasks to turn his third goal of the season into an empty net. Clough then forced in another Fowler cross five minutes before half time to double the visitors’ lead although the last touch might have come off the unfortunate Martin Pike.
Fulham were far more feisty in the second half with Mark Wright forced to clear a shot from Julian Hails off the line. Sean Farrell channelled his disappointment in being left out in the best possible way and looked to have kept the contest alive just three minutes after coming on for the injured Jeff Eckhardt by lobbing Bruce Grobbelaar from 25 yards after latching onto Martin Ferney’s through ball.
But Fowler restored Liverpool’s two-goal lead ahead of the return leg at Anfield with seven minutes left. He hammered a half volley past a startled Stannard after making an impressive run to convert a hanging ball from Hutchison. This wasn’t the 10-0 thrashing that the Reds handed down to Fulham at Anfield ten years ago – and the Cottagers could take some heart from that when they received a rapturous ovation from the 13,000 fans at the final whistle.
FULHAM: Stannard; Morgan, Pike, Jupp, G. Thomas; Eckhardt (Farrell 60), Onwere, Ferney, Hails, Baah, Brazil. Subs (not used): Harrison, Angus.
GOAL: Farrell (62).
LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; R. Jones, Dicks, Wright, Ruddock; Stewart, Clough, Hutchison, Redknapp (McManaman 68); Rush, Fowler. Subs (not used): James, Piechnik.
GOALS: Rush (19), Clough (40), Fowler (83).
REFEREE: Paul Danson (Leicestershire).
ATTENDANCE: 13,599.
