Premier League: Fulham 1 Liverpool 0

Liverpool’s strong away run in the English Premier League was ended after they were beaten 1-0 by a late Fulham goal on Monday.

With Brazilian Lucas Leiva out for the duration of the season, Kenny Dalglish called up Jay Spearing for his first Premier League appearance of the campaign.

But it lasted just 70 minutes, after he was sent-off by referee Kevin Friend for clattering into Moussa Dembele with his studs showing.

The visitors were aiming for the seventh-straight away win, which would have equalled a club record.

But the Reds left Craven Cottage in defeat thanks to a winning goal by Fulham’s all-time Premier League-leading goalscorer Clint Dempsey.

Dembele had the game’s first chance after six minutes when Bryan Ruiz put the Belgium forward through, but Pepe Reina made himself big to block his shot.

Moments later Luis Suarez cut back for striker partner Andy Carroll, but his powered effort on the stretch was straight at Mark Schwarzer. Charlie Adam’s shot from range was then deflected goal-ward, but the Australia goalkeeper had it covered at his near post.

Suarez had a shot from range after Carroll’s clever header set him up, but his attempt sailed over the bar.

Dembele rifled a left-footed drive from outside the box after making space on 17 minutes and Reina had to get down smartly, with the ball travelling into his bottom corner.

Dempsey then fashioned a chance out of Reina’s poor clearance after a pass back, with his half-volley well saved by the Spaniard.

On 28 minutes, Jordan Henderson’s run into the box ended with a dinked effort coming back off the inside of the post, before being cleared away.

The sides traded chances before half-time, with Dempsey immediately sparking proceedings after the interval when he overreacted to Craig Bellamy’s challenge.

Jose Enrique volleyed from outside the box on 52 minutes, forcing a fine save from Schwarzer.

Liverpool continued to press, forcing corner after corner. Suarez again went on a darting run to the byline and then cut inside, but Friend could not be convinced after the Uruguayan went down in the area.

Friend again was in the middle of controversy after Adam went on a trailblazing run.

The Scotland midfielder had options either side of him but continued with the ball and was bundled over by Philippe Senderos inches outside of the penalty area, with the referee correctly gave a free-kick.

Bellamy thundered the resulting set-piece into the wall and out for a corner, in which Daniel Agger headed wide.

Glen Johnson fed Bellamy through with a well-weighted ball through the defence, but the striker drove straight across the face of goal.

Liverpool did find the back of the net on 66 minutes, but Suarez was adjudged to be off-side after getting on the end of Enrique’s ball an finishing well. The replays showed the linesman to be correct.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men with twenty minutes remaining, when Spearing clattered into Dembele and his follow through took most of the Belgian with him.

Dempsey hit the bar on 81 minutes before scoring the game’s only goal soon after. Danny Murphy’s drive was fumbled into the path of the American by Reina, and he slotted past the normally reliable goalkeeper to hand Fulham their second home win of the season.