Liverpool find new scoring hero in Torres

It was practically with the last kick of the season that Fulham made certain of their place in the Premier League in 2008/09.

The Londoners only lasted the pace because of a better goal difference than relegated Reading after both clubs finished on the same number of points.

The Cottagers have conserved their stay in the Premiership, that started in 2001-02 for seven straight seasons. They were never as close to losing their status as last season. Fulham finished 16th in the final standings.

After sacking Chris Coleman, Fulham brought in Lawrie Sanchez who left Northern Ireland to take over the London club in May 2007.

Yet, his stay did not last long as he was dismissed in December. The hot seat was offered to former Blackburn boss Roy Hodgson.

At Anfield, Rafael Benitez had to keep his doubters silent. He was criticised for the rotation system he applied (also used at other big clubs in England) and the failure to launch a serious challenge to the Premiership title that has eluded the Reds for the last 18 years.

This latest setback was due to a series of stalemates against modest teams in the championship. Yet, if Benitez had to leave, Liverpool would become an ordinary side.

Indeed, some critics do have a short memory and forget what the Spaniard has done for the club especially winning the Champions League on his very first year at Anfield.

Last season, Benitez also had to contend with a different battle, that still rages on in the boardroom, against the two owners from the US. Fans staged demonstrations against them but it was all in vain and a solution appears to be far away.

The signing of Spain forward Fernando Torres in summer of 2007 was a masterstroke by Benitez.

Torres has broken all records with regards to foreign strikers in their first season in the Premier League.

His total of 24 league goals since he arrived from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool set a record for goals scored by a foreign player in his debut season in the Premier League.

Torres's overall total of 33 is also a record for someone making his baptism in the top flight in England.

Meanwhile, Fulham fans had a great admiration for Sanchez as he brought in a good number of players who played for him in his international period with Northern Ireland.

His biggest splash was for West Brom striker Diomansy Kamara.

Yet, Fulham spent most of the second half of the campaign in the drop zone. Finally, club owner Mohamed Al-Fayed called upon Hodgson to get the team out of the mess.

The fans branded Fulham's salvation as the 'great escape' and it went down as one of the greatest fights against demotion in the history of the Premier League.

Although there was an eight-point improvement over the previous season, it was still not enough for Liverpool. They did well once more in the Champions League and only lost in the semi-finals to Chelsea.

In the domestic scene Liverpool were among the shocked sides in the FA Cup, going down to Barnsley at Anfield in the fifth round. In the League Cup, Chelsea were again their executioners, in the last eight of the competition.

Fulham went down at home to Bolton in the third round of the League Cup and lost on penalties at lowly Bristol Rovers in round three of the FA Cup.