Liverpool spurned another chance to return to the top of the Premiership when they crashed to a shock defeat at Fulham.

Facundo Sava scored twice for Fulham but Sean Davis did just as much damage on his return from more than a month out with a fractured toe.

The England under-21 midfielder set up Sava's opening goal in only the fifth minute and scored the second himself six minutes before half-time.

With Steven Gerrard and Milan Baros on at the break, Liverpool got back in the game when Dietmar Hamann hammered in a 62nd-minute free-kick.

Sava struck for the second time six minutes later with a crisp shot from the edge of the box.

But with Fulham's Alain Goma sent off for a second bookable offence 20 minutes from time and Baros scoring for Liverpool in the 86th minute, the home team had to endure a frantic finale before claiming the points.

Liverpool had been chasing the game from within five minutes of the kick-off.

Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek could only parry Davis' 30-yard shot and Sava was quickest to latch on to the loose ball.

The Reds responded by dominating possession but created few clear-cut chances for their frontmen.

Fulham keeper Edwin van der Sar made two sharp saves from long-range efforts by Emile Heskey and John-Arne Riise before Michael Owen fired over the bar.

But Davis deepened Liverpool's gloom in the 38th minute when he scored with a 25-yarder that took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Dudek.

Reds boss Gerard Houllier sent on Gerrard and Baros to start the second half in place of Salif Diao and Markus Babbel.

But with Goma dismissed just a minute later for collecting a second yellow card when bringing down Michael Owen, Baros converted Riise's cross to set up a grandstand finish.

However, Fulham held on through four minutes of added time to end their six-match search for victory and ensure Liverpool could not take advantage of Arsenal's defeat at Southampton.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Knight, Goma, Brevett, Goldbaek (Clark 89), Davis, Djetou, Malbranque, Marlet, Sava (Inamoto 74).

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Wome, Stolcers.

Sent Off: Goma (70).

Booked: Goma.

Goals: Sava 5, Davis 38, Sava 68.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Babbel (Baros 45), Traore, Diao (Gerrard 45), Murphy, Hamann, Riise, Owen, Heskey (Smicer 77).

Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Cheyrou.

Goals: Hamann 62, Baros 86.

Attendance: 18,144.

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).