Coleman down but not out as Reds rule

Fulham 1 Liverpool 2

As Chris Coleman climbed on to the little platform to begin his press conference he slipped and almost fell.

For a moment he didn't know whether he was in Harrods or Woolworths but at least his gammy leg stood the test.

He quickly recovered his equilibrium as befits a well-balanced, former professional footballer and with a wry smile, he said: "It's just not my day today."

He was right there because his Fulham team, fresh from that monumental result over Manchester United, deserved at least a point for their efforts against Liverpool.

They nearly made it as well, with just four minutes left on the clock when Liverpool's fleet-footed substitute Florent Sinama-Pongelle, to name but one, pushed the ball past Fulham central defender Zat Knight in the penalty area.

Knight, who had enjoyed an excellent match, stuck out a telescopic leg almost by reflex and over went FSP.

The Fulham youngster held his head in his hands, Luis Boa Morte lost his and began a rant which ended with him being booked, the rest of the Fulham players looked suitably downcast - and Danny Murphy duly tucked away the penalty.

England coach Sven Goran Eriksson was already on his way back to Regents Park by then which is just as well, because the subsequent challenge by Boa-Morte was an unedifying spectacle and got just what it deserved, a straight red from referee Rob Styles.

Boa-Morte's frustration was understandable but his actions were not and to be fair to Coleman, a refreshing new face in an often cynical football world, he did not seek to make excuses or claim myopia.

"No complaints at all about the sending-off," said Coleman. "It was an horrific challenge but fortunately their lad wasn't hurt too badly.

"Luis will be disciplined by the club for that. The maximum we can fine him is two weeks wages but I wouldn't want to say right now if that is what he'll get.

"I've no complaints about the red card or the penalty but I did think the referee had a poor game and I will probably be talking to the match delegate about it.

"His assistant puts up three minutes added time and the referee plays two minutes. What's all that about?"

Coleman was also unhappy that another earlier high challenge, by penalty-taker Murphy on Malbranque, was not treated similarly by Styles.

It was all an unhappy end to what had been a reasonably entertaining match, with Liverpool, prompted by a top-class performance from Steven Gerrard, taking a deserved lead in the 16th minute when Fulham old boy Steve Finnan crossed from the right and Emile Heskey superbly volleyed home.

Heskey spent most of the rest of the game limping around, trying to catch Gerard Houllier's eye but it wasn't until the 80th minute that the Liverpool manager finally looked Heskey's way and brought him off.

By that time Michael Owen, who had a thoroughly subdued afternoon, had also been substituted, prompting fresh speculation that he could really be on his way to Real Madrid at some point in the future.

The Spanish giants were rumoured to be ready to bid £ 25million for the England striker but Houllier said: "We would want to keep Michael even if the numbers were reversed.

"The words are trust and care. I'm convinced he wants to stay and, at some point, we'll find a conclusion. There's no deadline. We want to keep Michael, we love him in Liverpool and I'm sure we'll get an agreement at some stage."

Whatever the future holds for Owen, he will not remember this blustery afternoon at Loftus Road. He was well handled by a combination of Andy Melville and Knight and is obviously not fully recovered from the injury he sustained last month.

Coleman though, will be completely unmoved by the speculation surrounding Liverpool. His main priority, if he can't talk Saha into staying, is to persuade Arsenal not to recall Moritz Volz.

It was the full-back's surging run, in the 39th minute, which ended with Malbranque pulling the ball back in the box for Gerrard to deflect it to the unmarked Saha.

The Frenchman duly celebrated and, as is the vogue these days, had a message for us all to read on the back of his t-shirt.

It read "Tigana, merci," and we were not the only people mystified.

"I don't know what that was about," said Coleman, "You'll have to ask Louis.

"He had close links with Jean, he brought him to Fulham and he improved him as a player.

"I don't have a problem with that." Should, one day soon, Saha strip off his Fulham shirt again to reveal another message which reads something like: "Bonjour, Sir Alex," Coleman might not be quite so understanding.

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