Stand-in skipper Jamie Carragher and right-back Phillipe Degen were dismissed for the Reds and manager Rafa Benitez is sure to attract further criticism for substituting arguably his biggest match-winners; scorer Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun.
Liverpool welcomed Torres back to their starting line-up after resting him for the Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal.
Yet Benitez could not boast a full-strength side as England internationals Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson were both missing due to injury.
Roy Hodgson's Fulham also had first-choice players missing through injury and were clearly second-best in the early exchanges.
So it was against the run of play when, after Benayoun rattled the Fulham bar in the 24th minute, Fulham launched a break which gave Bobby Zamora Fulham's first shot of the match.
Zamora, lucky to keep his place after a horrific miss from six yards against Manchester City last week, made no mistake today - rifling home Damian Duff's cross.
Liverpool dominated possession for much of the first half but still failed to provide any decent chances for their talisman Torres.
All that changed two minutes from half time when the Spanish superstar needed just one touch to pounce on a deflection and fire a superb low shot past Mark Schwarzer - his tenth goal of a season interrupted by injuries.
A shot on the turn provided Fulham with a golden chance early in the second half and when the impressive Zamora and stand-in Liverpool skipper Jamie Carragher fell to the turf after competing for the ball in the penalty area, Fulham could consider themselves unlucky not to have a penalty.
But the Craven Cottage team received a boost just after the hour mark when an annoyed-looking Torres was substituted by Benitez.
Fulham's choice of substitutions proved to be more assured. They took the lead when Erik Nevland entered the action to justify his reputation as a fox-in-the-box by flicking the ball past Pepe Reina inside the six-yard box.
Benitez reacted by hooking the imaginative Yossi Benayoun and he was soon joined on the bench by Phillipe Degen, sent off for a foul on Clint Dempsey.
When Carragher again tussled with Zamora, Liverpool received their second red card. Has Carragher lost his speed and timing? He certainly took an eternity to leave the pitch.
The nine men went 3-1 down when a series of one-twos allowed Dempsey to slide the ball under Reina.
So, yet again, the Champions League seems to offer Benitez and Liverpool their best chance of glory this season. Defeat today means their forthcoming game against Lyon assumes even greater importance.
Liverpool welcomed Torres back to their starting line-up after resting him for the Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal.
Yet Benitez could not boast a full-strength side as England internationals Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson were both missing due to injury.
Roy Hodgson's Fulham also had first-choice players missing through injury and were clearly second-best in the early exchanges.
So it was against the run of play when, after Benayoun rattled the Fulham bar in the 24th minute, Fulham launched a break which gave Bobby Zamora Fulham's first shot of the match.
Zamora, lucky to keep his place after a horrific miss from six yards against Manchester City last week, made no mistake today - rifling home Damian Duff's cross.
Liverpool dominated possession for much of the first half but still failed to provide any decent chances for their talisman Torres.
All that changed two minutes from half time when the Spanish superstar needed just one touch to pounce on a deflection and fire a superb low shot past Mark Schwarzer - his tenth goal of a season interrupted by injuries.
A shot on the turn provided Fulham with a golden chance early in the second half and when the impressive Zamora and stand-in Liverpool skipper Jamie Carragher fell to the turf after competing for the ball in the penalty area, Fulham could consider themselves unlucky not to have a penalty.
But the Craven Cottage team received a boost just after the hour mark when an annoyed-looking Torres was substituted by Benitez.
Fulham's choice of substitutions proved to be more assured. They took the lead when Erik Nevland entered the action to justify his reputation as a fox-in-the-box by flicking the ball past Pepe Reina inside the six-yard box.
Benitez reacted by hooking the imaginative Yossi Benayoun and he was soon joined on the bench by Phillipe Degen, sent off for a foul on Clint Dempsey.
When Carragher again tussled with Zamora, Liverpool received their second red card. Has Carragher lost his speed and timing? He certainly took an eternity to leave the pitch.
The nine men went 3-1 down when a series of one-twos allowed Dempsey to slide the ball under Reina.
So, yet again, the Champions League seems to offer Benitez and Liverpool their best chance of glory this season. Defeat today means their forthcoming game against Lyon assumes even greater importance.
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