Gerrard sparks Reds

There was no sign of that yesterday when Jamie Carragher, who seems to have been at Anfield longer than the Shankly Gates, came up with his first league goal in nearly eight years. “His first of the century,” said Rafael Benitez.

The manager had suggested that, with representatives of Dubai International Capital watching in the stands, the prospect of one or two high-profile arrivals in the next transfer window might motivate his existing players. In a rampant second-half display that yielded all four of Liverpool's goals, he was proved right, as Fulham reverted to their away form of old and headed home without the Anfield victory that history has never allowed them.

For all the foreign money set to flood the club's coffers, this was a victory made on Merseyside. Quite apart from Carragher's rare strike, only his fourth for the club in any competition, there was an opener by Steven Gerrard, who netted the rebound from his own penalty, and a late appearance by substitute Robbie Fowler, who might have scored his third in two matches had he not dragged a low shot wide of the target.

Add to that Luis Garcia's header, as well as a late free kick by substitute Mark Gonzalez, and it was a satisfying way for Benitez to secure his 50th win as manager. It was the second successive league match in which they had scored four goals, and as Benitez was keen to add, their fifth consecutive clean sheet in the Premiership. If only they hadn't waited until now to play like this.

Only in the first half did they lack the cutting edge that has too often gone missing this season. Dirk Kuyt could claim to have been denied two penalties during the opening period. While Zat Knight seemed to know little about the hand with which he blocked the striker's header, Ian Pearce was altogether more culpable when the Dutchman's shot struck the defender's raised arm.

On both occasions, referee Uriah Rennie waved away Liverpool's claims with the same haste that Liam Rosenior had cleared off the line early on. The Fulham defender was in the right place when Xabi Alonso, advancing to the front post, did just enough to flick Craig Bellamy's cross over Jan Lastuvka.

There was little evidence of Fulham as an attacking force, but they did almost score with one sweeping first-half move. When Tomasz Radzinski, charging towards the corner flag, checked his stride to lay the ball back, Moritz Volz swung a low ball across the edge of the area, and Brian McBride's shot had to be tipped round the post by Jose Reina. Lastuvka, though, was easily the busier goalkeeper. The Czech player had to be smart when he stooped to parry Alonso's curling shot, and tall when he reacted to Kuyt's lob early in the second half. He, of all people, did not deserve to go behind by way of a penalty. He even blocked Gerrard's spot kick nine minutes after the interval, only to be helpless when Liverpool's captain rammed home the rebound.

The penalty was for handball, this time spotted by the referee. Pearce had come rushing out to block Kuyt's shot, and after appearing to use his forearm, fell to the ground, clutching his face. If Rennie was to be questioned for his first-half decisions, he made no mistake at the third time of asking, even booking the defender.

The breakthrough served to relax Liverpool, and Fulham fell further behind to the most unlikely of scorers. When Daniel Agger's head helped a corner on its way to the back post, Carragher was the man who appeared from nowhere to slide it home. Agger again was involved when Liverpool scored their third. His cross seemed to be harmless enough, as did Garcia's header from beyond the penalty spot, but with a looping trajectory, it somehow clipped the underside of the crossbar and sneaked over the line.

The last-minute goal was more direct. Gonzalez, who had come on for Kuyt, stepped up to a free kick 25 yards out, and delivered a shot that curled away from the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.