The restorative powers of a visit to Loftus Road may have worked wonders for Arsenal, but Liverpool found their own problems magnified as they failed to beware Fulham's masked man, Facundo Sava.
Having comfortably topped the Premiership only a few weeks ago, Gerard Houllier's side have now won just two of their past seven games in all competitions.
And if Houllier was to have criticised all of his out-of-form players at Loftus Road in the same way as he recently tried to reinvigorate Steven Gerrard,he would not have known where to start.
Liverpool scored twice, through a stunning free-kick by Dietmar Hamann and alate strike by Milan Baros.
However, they wasted countless chances, just as they did in spluttering to agoalless draw against Sunderland last weekend.
Even more culpably, they were porous and uncertain in defence, with Jerzy Dudek spilling a shot to enable Sava to embark on his latest masked celebrationafter just three minutes.
He even played an unwitting part in his side's second goal, as the superb Sean Davis was allowed space in which to fire home a deflected effort off his team-mate.
While Hamann pulled a goal back, Sava struck again to confirm Fulham's victory, allowing them to survive the sending-off of Alain Goma with 20 minutesleft, even after Baros' late effort.
And so, at the ground where Arsenal ended their four-game losing streakearlier this month, Liverpool failed to revitalise their own similarly falteringcampaign.
Fulham were themselves painfully short of confidence before kick-off after securing just two points from their own previous six league games.
But they immediately sprung into action, with Davis delivering two long-range efforts which tested Dudek, the second of which the Liverpool goalkeeper failed to hold, pushing the ball into the path of Sava.
The striker burst forward and clipped his shot over Dudek's body before producing a white mask from his right sock to continue a traditional goal scoring celebration which he started in Argentina.
Liverpool were roused into action, but Edwin van der Sar produced a superb reaction save when Emile Heskey's fierce shot was deflected and then also parried John Arne Riise's free-kick.
Michael Owen scooped Liverpool's next chance over the crossbar after a powerful run by Danny Murphy, although Fulham were otherwise managing to disruptthe visitors' supply lines in midfield.
Davis was certainly leading by example in central midfield and, shortly after treatment following a painful knock, he made his mark on the game by putting Fulham 2-0 up on 38 minutes.
Steed Malbranque teed up his team-mate 25 yards out, but Davis, who was notclosed down quickly enough, seemed to be indebted to a deflection off Sava whichleft Dudek wrong-footed as the ball flew into the net.
Houllier brought on Steven Gerrard and Milan Baros at the break, with firstlyvan der Sar and then Zat Knight managing to deny the young Czech.
Dudek flapped at another long-range effort but this time grabbed the loose ball and finally his team looked to be back in the game on 61 minutes. Steve Finnan was penalised for repeatedly tugging Baros' shirt off the balland, despite Fulham's complaints, Hamann produced an unstoppable 30-yard free-kick which flew into the top corner at full pelt.
This time, however, it was Fulham's turn to respond.
And how.
Steve Marlet's cross was headed clear by Djimi Traore but although he looked to have fouled Davis in the process, referee Graham Poll waved play on and Savaproduced a stunning 25-yard first-time effort to beat Dudek.
Fulham, who had two men sent off at Birmingham a week ago, found their task magnified again as Goma earned his second caution for a foul from behind on Owen.
Murphy wasted one clear chance but Baros showed the composure to control theball, turn his marker and finish past van der Sar with aplomb in the finalstages.
Even with four minutes of injury time, it was not enough, however, and Liverpool's problems continue, with their only source of relief from fullpunishment being Arsenal's own surprise defeat at Southampton.