Fulham 0-2 Liverpool - match report
Anelka, who started in place of the rested Michael Owen, scored on 13 minutes after his first shot had been blocked by Fulham skipper Rufus Brevett.
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Stephen Wright replaced the suspended Jamie Carragher in Liverpool's only other change, while Nick Barmby started on the bench in a Premiership match for the first time since damaging ankle ligaments in October.
Fulham, who last beat Liverpool in 1966, made four changes and in came Louis Saha, Luis Boa Morte, Sean Davis and Abdeslam Ouaddou for Andy Melville, John Collins, Barry Hayles and Zat Knight.
Fulham fans have not forgotten how John Arne Riise snubbed their club in favour of a move to Liverpool in the summer and they booed his every touch.
Fulham were presented with the first sight of goal when Sami Hyypia fouled Steve Marlet, but Saha's weak free-kick was easily gathered by Dudek.
Despite Fulham's bright opening it was Liverpool who took the lead on 13 minutes when Anelka scored his third goal for the club. The French striker's initial shot hit Brevett and he collected the rebound, advanced into the Fulham box from where he beat Edwin van der Sar with a left-foot curler into the bottom corner.
Back came the Cottagers and Marlet and Steed Malbranque linked up well to set up Saha on the edge of the area only for his volley to cannon off the crossbar.
Fulham pressed again and Stephane Henchoz made a superb tackle on Marlet in the Liverpool box as the Fulham striker shaped up to shoot.
Marlet cut Henchoz's left leg and the Swiss needed several minutes' treatment before he could continue.
Saha then teed up Boa Morte, but the ball was played slightly behind him and he fired over.
Boa Morte tried again from Marlet's beautiful pass only for Dudek to block his shot and Hyypia headed the loose ball over for a corner.
Fulham made the first change when Lee Clark came on in place of the injured Sean Davis to make his comeback after over two months out with an Achilles injury.
Fulham were presented with another opportunity from a free-kick, this time from just over 25 yards out on the right, when Henchoz fouled Marlet. But once again they failed to take it and Boa Morte fired harmlessly over Dudek's bar.
Fulham maintained the pressure and Malbranque wrong-footed Abel Xavier only for his drive to come off Henchoz's chest and go behind for a corner.
For all their pressure, Liverpool's backline refused to crack and Fulham's frustration was summed up when Sylvain Legwinski caught Vladimir Smicer late and became the first player to be booked. Brevett was then booked for a two-footed tackle.
HT: Fulham 0 Liverpool 1
Fulham thought they had won a penalty two minutes after the interval when Boa Morte went down under a challenge from Xavier.
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It seemed a harsh decision and Xavier had been leaning on Boa Morte with his left arm.
Henchoz was having a towering game at the heart of the Liverpool defence and he did well to cut out Boa Morte's whipped in centre for a corner.
He then got his head to Clarke's rasping drive to deflect it behind.
Van der Sar denied Liverpool a second when he touched Murphy's right-foot curler around his left-hand post for a corner.
The game was opening up and Dudek saved a Marlet header from Steve Finnan's free-kick before Anelka blazed well wide after being set up by Murphy on the left.
Dudek needed to be alert to save Saha's attempted cross after it was deflected off Henchoz's head.
Fulham had lost their way somewhat after their energetic display in the first half and as the match entered its final quarter, Jean Tigana brought Barry Hayles on for Boa Morte.
Marlet missed a great chance to equalise for Fulham four minutes from time when he shot wide after being played through on the left.
In stoppage time, substitute Jari Litmanen made sure of the points when he nodded Xavier's long ball past the stranded van der Sar and then scored from the tight angle on the right.