Benayoun´s late winner sends Liverpool top

Yossi Benayoun fired Liverpool to the top of the Premier League as the Israeli’s stoppage time goal clinched a dramatic 1-0 win against Fulham on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez’s side looked as though they had blown the chance to knock Manchester United off top spot after hitting the woodwork four times in the first half at Craven Cottage.

But Benayoun was brought on as a substitute for the final 14 minutes and, with time virtually up, he lashed a blistering strike past Mark Schwarzer to snatch a crucial victory.

It is the eighth time this season Liverpool have scored in injury time and it is that character that is pushing United all the way in this season’s title race.

The Reds are now two points clear of United, although the champions have two games in hand, including Sunday’s home clash against Aston Villa.

Liverpool were on top from the start and Andrea Dossena’s left footed effort was tipped over the crossbar by Australian goalkeeper Schwarzer.

Within 30 seconds Italian defender Dossena came close again, this time flicking a header onto the crossbar after Alvaro Arbeloa chipped the ball into the penalty area.

Fulham showed glimpses of attacking play, but were happy to try and frustrate their visitors.

Liverpool were inches from finding their breakthrough on 23 minutes, as only a brilliant double save from Schwarzer denied them.

Fernando Torres cleverly sidefooted towards the bottom corner after collecting a Steven Gerrard pass in the box, and as Schwarzer made a fingertip stop, he then scrambled across to push the ball away from the foot of Dirk Kuyt.

Liverpool were chasing a fourth consecutive win for the first time since October and refused to ease the pressure.

Aaron Hughes attempted to head away a Gerrard corner from the right on the half hour mark and Xabi Alonso met the loose ball with a drive from 25 yards that struck the top of the bar.

Then, on 35 minutes, the woodwork came to the rescue again. Brilliant interplay between Gerrard and Torres led to the latter stroking the ball past Schwarzer, only to bounce back off the inside of the post.

Incredibly it was only another two minutes until Liverpool were denied by the bar again.

Dossena’s diving header bouncing back into play after a superb right sided cross from England midfielder Gerrard.

As half-time approached, Clint Dempsey fired a free kick off target. It caused little worry for Pepe Reina, but it was the first effort of note from the hosts.

During the half-time break Liverpool may have begun to wonder whether Craven Cottage held some sort of curse over Premier League’s big four. Arsenal lost here in August, Chelsea only managed a draw in December, and United were put to the sword most recently.

Fulham put a little more emphasis on attack in the second half, but still it was Liverpool who created the first opening as Torres headed straight at Schwarzer.

The tempo of the game slowed drastically but Hodgson’s side threatened when Paul Konchesky’s free kick forced Reina into action.

A Liverpool counter attack almost led to substitute Ryan Babel forcing an opener, but John Pantsil was on hand to clear the danger. It signalled a new wave of pressure but Torres and Benayoun both failed to convert chances in the late stages.

Then as Babel moved forward one final time, Brede Hangeland tackled Gerrard on the edge on the area and the ball squirmed into the path of Benayoun.

He wasted little time before drilling across Schwarzer to spark wild celebrations on the Liverpool bench and among the club’s 3,000 travelling fans.