MAXImum Fire Power

A hat-rick from Maxi Rodrigues helped Liverpool to a 5-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The visitor wasted little time in opening the scoring Rodrigues firing home a lose ball in the Fulham box with just 34 seconds gone after Suarez's cross caused Schwarzer and his defence problems.

The Liverpool midfielder had his second 5 minutes later when Glen johnson broke down the right flank, clipping in a delicious ball that Rodriguez volleyed past the Fulham keeper.

Dirk Kuyt made it three when his effort from the right corner of the box flew straight at Schwarzer and near post, but in a Gomez like moment of madness the Australian number one failed to deal with the powerful strike, letting strike his arm and ping into the back of the net.

Liverpool were a joy to watch, their one touch passing and speed from midfield leaving Fulham chasing shadows and creating chance after chance.

Suarez was pulling many of the strings, drifting wide and cutting inside at every possible moment and his play gave Maxi a chance to grab his third inside 25 minutes, finding the Argentinian on the edge of the box, but his volley sailed over to the delight of the fans.

His third eventually came after 70 minutes, picking up a lose ball 25 yards out before drifting right and unleashing a cracking strike across goal that roared past Schwarzer and lashed into the top left-hand corner.

Liverpool's fifth capped a magnificent Suarez performance, substitute Shelvey sliding the ball between the Fulham defence allowing Suarez to round Schwarzer and cap a wonderful night for the Reds.

Fulham had their moments but they were few and far between. Poor passing and lack of composure meant their first half performance was little more then an annoyance to the visitors, Clinton Dempsey providing the only real effort on goal but his volley was cleared off the line by Johnson.

Dembele made it 3-1 after Baird and substitute Zamora linked well to create an opening for the Fulham striker to curl his low shot into the bottom corner of Reina's net and Steve Sidwell's emphatic strike late on got Fulham a second, but the spectacular strike from 20 yards out did little to sweeten the bitter taste of a 5-2 thrashing in front of a home crowd.