Dempsey's opportunist goal five minutes from time at Craven Cottage settled the Premier League game in Fulham's favour, though they only came into the ascendancy after Spearing was dismissed for a challenge on Moussa Dembele 13 minutes previously. The midfielder clearly won the ball but followed through recklessly with both feet and caught the Cottagers forward just above the ankle. The net result of the decision was summed up by Dempsey, who told Sky Sports 1: "We had more space, more time on ball and we were able to open them up. "We've not been able to score enough goals but we got one tonight and it's an important win." The goal came when the United States international followed in after visiting keeper Jose Reina uncharacteristically spilled Danny Murphy's low shot. And Dempsey said: "You've always got to take a chance. Danny did a good job getting the shot off and you've got to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes you get lucky and it falls to you. "Any points right now are big because the table's so tight. We're just happy to get the win." Manager Martin Jol said: "Clint is a good player. He scored 13 goals in the league last year and tonight it was a much-needed goal and a much-needed win. "We dropped points at home against Everton when we were the better team - we were pretty unlucky. Tonight we had the rub of the green. We weren't the better team but it was even. "Mark Schwarzer is one of the best in the business and he saved us." On the disputed red card, the Dutchman added on Sky Sports 1: "I think it was a bad tackle. His ankle was there and I think it was a sending-off." Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish was frustrated by the dismissal of Spearing and felt it changed the outcome of the game. "He won the ball," the Scot told Sky Sports 1. "He probably upset the referee with his follow-through but it's not his fault there's somebody standing there. "You see them sometimes get a red card, other times they get away with it. The problem everybody has is the level of interpretation - that's not consistent. "I think we would have taken something if we'd been left with 11 men. "I dont think we played as well as we have been but we did enough to come away with something but we haven't done it."
