Liverpool, the runner-up last season, drew 0-0 at Wolves despite Steven Gerrard’s return from a hamstring injury. It overtook Manchester City to take fifth place. City has played two fewer games.

Two lapses in Fulham’s defense gave Spurs its opener after 28 minutes. Goalie Mark Schwarzer missed a ball, and Luca Modric then robbed Bjorn Helge Riise and passed to Crouch, who scored from close range.

Early in the second half, Riise deflected Bentley’s free kick past Schwarzer.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez was again forced to defend his team selection after its tally of dropped points moved to 31, three more than it conceded in the whole of last season.

Alberto Aquilani, who cost £20 million, or $32.27 million, from Roma, was again left on the bench.

“We had another 11 players on the pitch who did well,” Benítez told the BBC. “We had to decide between Gerrard and Aquilani, and we thought Gerrard would be more dangerous going forward. The positive was Gerrard playing 90 minutes.”

ITALY Daniele De Rossi scored with a blistering shot as Roma reached the Italian Cup semifinals with a 1-0 win over a brave Catania side that finished the tie with nine men on Tuesday.

The Italy midfielder struck in the 74th minute shortly after a last-man foul by Blazej Augustyn had left the visitors two players down. The Sicilians had lost Giuseppe Bellusci in the 58th minute for a second yellow card.

FRANCE Bordeaux, the French league leader, battled to a 3-2 victory at Ligue 1 struggler Le Mans to reach the League Cup quarterfinals.

Czech midfielder Jaroslav Plasil grabbed the winner as Bordeaux extended its unbeaten run to 14 games.