Fulham fullback Sascha Riether apologised to teammates after fouling Steven Gerrard in injury-time to gift Liverpool a late spotkick winner.

Cottagers boss Rene Meulensteen felt they didn't deserve the defeat.

"We actually played quite well, were well organised, we didn't let them settle into a rhythm. They didn't cause us too much danger.

"Out of a nothing ball, Gerrard made a pass with the quality he's got and they stuck it in the net so you have to start again.

"We did, we took the chance which fell for us to see us go 2-1, but they came back.

"But what you will see from a team in this position is that they will try to hold on more than build on it, so you drop a little bit deeper, get the balls in the right area and stop them hurting you.

"That was the case with the Coutinho goal, letting him come inside and then there was a deflection. Then the third one was just a silly challenge that should not have been made by Sascha.

"The first thing he admitted when he walked in the dressing room was: 'Sorry, I shouldn't have done it'.

"But when you lose 3-2, which is very hard to take with the effort the boys put in they should have definitely earned a point."