No matter how much money may have been invested, Fulham apparently still have no answer to taming Robbie Fowler who capped an unconvincing Liverpool display with a decisive penalty last night.

The England striker began his career with a goal in the League Cup against Fulham five years ago, followed that with five in the return a fortnight later, and last night decided the tie after a rash challenge by Gus Uhlenbeek on Michael Owen in the 65th minute.

Paul Ince's glancing header from Steve Staunton's rightwing free-kick 11 minutes later only served to put a flattering gloss on the Merseysiders' display.

Liverpool do not treat the League Cup with the same disdain as, for arguments sake, Manchester United but it was still a marginally weakened side they fielded, in so far as any team can be "weakened" by the recall of Fowler.

Within a minute Fowler combined intelligently with Owen, capitalising on a poor clearance from Rufus Brevett, although the attempted one-two failed to materialise. When full-back Brevett was next called into action it was to play a much more telling role, clearing Ince's goal-bound header off the line.

But, with Anfield legends Kevin Keegan and Peter Beardsley, denied what would have presumably been an emotional last start at the stadium, watching from the bench, Fulham passed their early test of nerves.

Steve Haywood's low 20-yard free-kick was smothered by stand-in keeper Brad Friedel.

Paul Peschisolido continued to worry the Liverpool defence, forcing Friedel into an acrobatic reflex save, a prescient warning of the drama to come.

First, there was Liverpool's 53rd minute opening goal, a fortuitous deflected effort from a David Thompson shot. The Premiership team worked the ball across the top of the Fulham area, Ince finally finding the young midfielder whose 20-yard strike hit Simon Morgan and cruelly wrong-footed Taylor.

It took only six minutes for Fulham to equalise, however, with a goal every bit as striking. Peschisolido looked in a harmless position some 30 yards from goal, turned Bjornebye before putting the ball onto his left foot and sending a treacherous curling, dipping shot over Friedel into the top left-hand corner.

Liverpool joint manager Roy Evans admitted afterwards that luck had been on his team's side.

Fulham boss Keegan agreed - and had more than the defeat to get over as he returned to Anfield. "I'm still struggling a bit after my neck operation, I'm stapled up at the back and it has hurt a fair bit," he said. "They always make me welcome, but I could have done without the Scouser who came up to me before the game and slapped me on the back and said `nice to see you back'."

Liverpool: Friedel; McAteer, Carragher, Staunton, Bjornebye; Thompson, Ince, Murphy (Harkness, 74), Berger; Owen (Dundee, 84), Fowler. Subs not used: James, Kvarme, Riedle.

Fulham: Taylor; Uhlenbeek, Symons, Morgan, Coleman, Brevett; Davis (Smith, 90), Collins, Hayward; Peschisolido (Beardsley, 84), Lehmann (Betsy, 84). Subs not used: Neilson, Arendse.