By Mandeep Sanghera
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge scored his first ever hat-trick as the Reds consigned Fulham to a fifth league defeat in a row.
Dimitar Berbatov headed Fulham into the lead from Sascha Riether’s cross only for Sturridge to lash in an equaliser.
The home side were denied a penalty for a Lucas Leiva handball before Sturridge slotted in his side’s second.
Liverpool were creating chances at will and Sturridge grabbed his third when he chipped over keeper Mark Schwarzer.
Fulham boss Martin Jol had a suitably concerned expression on his face at the final whistle after his side’s capitulation left them with just one point from their last seven games.
It is a run of results that means the Cottagers are still not mathematically safe from relegation, although it would take an unlikely set of scores for them to go down.
They were easily undone here by a Liverpool side without two of their pivotal players, with midfielder Steven Gerrard injured and striker Luis Suarez suspended.
The visitors began in enterprising fashion but Fulham gradually worked their way back into the match before taking the lead.
Damien Duff fed Riether and the German full-back crossed for the previously anonymous Berbatov to head in at the far post.
Liverpool’s response was almost immediate, as they took just three minutes to equalise. A long Andre Wisdom ball was gathered by Sturridge, who twisted and turned Aaron Hughes before bursting past the defender to lash a shot past keeper Schwarzer.
The visitors made no further progress before half-time, however, and after the break the home side were furious that referee Mark Halsey failed to award them a penalty when a Bryan Ruiz cross struck the outstretched arm of Lucas Leiva.
The decision rocked Fulham and Liverpool capitalised by immediately going up the other end and scoring. Philippe Coutinho slipped as he attempted a shot but his effort fell to Sturridge, who controlled and slotted past Schwarzer.
Sturridge’s hat-trick bid was thwarted by two superb Schwarzer saves, while Reds keeper Pepe Reina pulled off equally impressive saves to keep out a Berbatov shot and Aaron Hughes header.
But Liverpool were in rampant form, regularly opening up Fulham’s defence, with Reds substitute Fabio Borini cutting inside and rattling the post with a well-struck shot.
Schwarzer was doing his best to limit the damage but Sturridge’s third finally arrived when he latched on to an incisive Coutinho pass before chipping the ball over the on-rushing keeper.
