Torres scores as Liverpool go fourth; Derby humiliated

After 80 minutes of frustration at Anfield with no cutting edge, Torres broke the deadlock and Steven Gerrard scored the second from the penalty spot after a foul on Peter Crouch.

 The result lifted Liverpool to fourth, just three points behind the leading pair of Arsenal and Manchester United while Fulham, who have now conceded eight goals in the last 10 minutes of games this season, remain 13th.

 Bottom side Derby County look set for a long struggle to avoid relegation after they were humiliated 5-0 at home by West Ham United while Sunderland and Newcastle United fought out a 1-1 draw in a scrappy North-East derby.

 Having smashed eight goals past Besiktas in the Champions League in midweek, Liverpool fans probably expected another avalanche against a Fulham side who have not won away yet this season.

 Coach Rafael Benitez picked an unchanged side with Peter Crouch and Andriy Voronin up front, but Liverpool were frustrated by a determined Fulham side.

 The Londoners tested Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina early on but that was about their only attack as Liverpool dominated without finding the final ball.

 Gerrard fired over from outside the box and Crouch saw a header rebound off the crossbar as the two sides reached half-time all square.

 Voronin fired just wide but it was when he was replaced by Torres 20 minutes from time that the match changed. The Spaniard, back after injury, collected a long clearance from Reina and after cutting inside the full-back, slotted the ball into the near corner.

 That lifted the pressure on Liverpool's shoulders and after Torres went close again, they clinched the win when Crouch was tripped right on the edge of the box. Referee Steve Tanner pointed to the penalty spot and Gerrard sent Antti Niemi the wrong way.

 At Pride Park, Derby matched West Ham for 40 minutes but once Lee Bowyer had put West Ham ahead - after seemingly controlling the ball with his hand - the floodgates opened.

 Matt Etherington doubled the Hammers' lead six minutes after the break and an Eddie Lewis own goal made it 3-0 three minutes later. Bowyer scored his second and West Ham's fourth with half an hour to play and Nolberto Solano curled in a superb free-kick to complete the rout.

 The result moved West Ham up to ninth place while Derby, who failed to score for a fifth straight game - the first time they have done that for 87 years - remain bottom, with a goal difference of minus 26.

 At the Stadium of Light, Danny Higginbotham headed Sunderland in front six minutes into the second half, but James Milner equalised 13 minutes later with a cross-shot that evaded everyone and found the corner.

 Sunderland were the better side for much of the first hour. Michael Chopra almost won it for them late on but his header from an Ian Harte corner rebounded off the crossbar.

 Newcastle remain 10th in the table, while Sunderland are 15th, just two points above the relegation zone.

 "Sam (Allardyce) is probably slightly happier than me today," Sunderland manager Roy Keane said.

 "We had chances to win the game and these things come back to haunt you. But if we keep performing like that, we'll be okay."

   Allardyce said his side deserved their point.

 "Up to (the equalizer), Sunderland outmuscled us and we couldn't get our passing game going, but that happens in a derby match," he said.

 "In the end it was a fair result. We've gone behind, it's away, it's a derby and we haven't lost."

   Arsenal, who top the table on goals scored from United, are away to Reading on Monday, while United host Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

DPA