Liverpool 4 Fulham 0: Carragher keeps home fire burning

Those who believe Premiership competition is under threat had only to look at the chief executive of Dubai International Capital trying out the Anfield directors' box for size for confirmation of their fears. Those who believe the shop has already closed had only to look at the pitch.

The presence of Sameer Al Ansari reinforced the sense of impending change at Liverpool on Saturday but, in front of him, came evidence that foreign ownership will merely accentuate an existing divide as the third of the usual four faces pressed up against the Champions' League window for the first time this term. Rafael Benitez's side had not lost at Anfield all season; Fulham have never won a competitive game there. The stage was hardly set for DIC to witness the equality of the English top flight and even the manager of a side who had recently vanquished Arsenal commenced battle by conditioning his players against the predictability of defeat.

"I said to the lads before the game that nobody expects us to get anything in games like this except us, and that we had to set out to get something," said Chris Coleman. Sadly, for the Fulham manager, his appeal had no discernible effect. "If you go 1-0 up it gives you a little boost, but when you go 1-0 down you can't afford to cave in and for 15 minutes it was like, 'Oh no, here we go again'."

With their identity threatened by the demise of local ownership, it was appropriate that Liverpool won through two players who represent the core of the team and the value of investing in home-grown produce as well as a new stadium and global branding. Jamie Carragher's back-post conversion from a corner by Steven Gerrard - who opened the scoring when he converted his own, saved penalty - was the defender's first Premiership goal for 262 games and the end of the longest period a Liverpool player has waited for his next League goal. The most joyous celebrations of the week at Anfield offered a poignant illustration of how, even with millions in the bank, real interest lies in the success of those with whom the Kop identify.

"Maybe it was symbolic that me and Stevie scored the first two," Carragher said. "But the most important thing is for the club to win trophies, not just have local lads on the pitch. We are paid no matter who is in charge but we are supporters as well and we want to see the club doing well."

Victory brought Benitez a 50th League triumph in 93 matches as Liverpool manager - a ratio greater than Gérard Houllier, Roy Evans and Bob Paisley - although there was no indication of an onslaught until the Fulham defender Ian Pearce handled a shot from Dirk Kuyt at close range in the 54th minute and the referee, Uriah Rennie, pointed to the spot. "I don't think we'd have got that penalty if it had been at the other end," offered Coleman, who, having survived two previous penalty appeals for handball, was stretching his luck to expect another reprieve.

For 49 minutes his visitors were solid, Jose Reina's superb save from Brian McBride a defining moment, but once Papa Bouba Diop departed with a thigh strain that will keep him out for at least a fortnight, their strength, structure and spirit disintegrated. Luis Garcia glanced a header in off the underside of the bar for Liverpool's third in 12 second-half minutes and, with the final kick, Mark Gonzalez whipped a free-kick into the bottom corner of Jan Lastuvka's goal. Al Ansari headed home with news of a rich portfolio.

Goals: Gerrard (54 pen) 1-0; Carragher (60) 2-0; Garcia (66) 3-0; Gonzalez (93) 4-0.

Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Pennant, Alonso, Gerrard, Garcia (Fowler, 80); Bellamy (Crouch, 77), Kuyt (Gonzalez, 72). Substitutes not used: Dudek (gk), Hyypia.

Fulham (4-4-1-1): Lastuvka; Volz, Knight, Pearce (Helguson, 90), Rosenior; Radzinski, Brown, Diop (Christanval, 49), Boa Morte; Jensen; McBride (John, 72). Substitutes not used: Batista (gk), Routledge.

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).

Booked: Liverpool Pennant; Fulham Pearce.

Attendance: 43,189.

Man of the match: Carragher.