17th October 2010
Kickoff: 12:30
The long awaited fixture is always of importance to the people of Merseyside dividing the city blue and red and was described by Alan Hansen as “Liverpool’s biggest game in thirty years or possibly the biggest Merseyside derby in thirty years.”
With Liverpool lingering third from bottom today’s defeat could almost cost the club premier league status as Liverpool’s once righteous rein looks far from over leaving nothing but distant memories of 2005 for fans.
The teams stood as:
Everton: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Heitinga, Arteta, Osman, Cahill, Yakubu. Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Mustafi, Baxter.
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Konchesky, Gerrard, Lucas, Meireles, Cole, Maxi Rodriguez, Torres. Subs: Jones, Aurelio, Jovanovic, Babel, Ngog, Spearing, Kelly.
Referee: Howard Webb
To Everton’s advantage Phil Jagielka was back fighting fit and in the starting line-up. Although, Poulsen and Johnson where both missing for the visitors.
The story of Liverpool’s recent takeover was the high talking point before the game with David Moyes commenting “takeover story has taken the pressure off Liverpool players a little bit.” Newly appointed Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson also added “it won’t affect the way we play. But there’s no doubt the change of ownership….can only be absolutely positive.” The recent takeover has enabled Liverpool fans with hope of getting their team back to its former glory.
Kick off commenced at 12:35 with both teams fighting fit. Everton looked very much the better team domineering Liverpool totally in the first half. It was at 34 minutes that Everton took a 1 nil advantage over the reds with Tim Cahill heading the toffees scoring sheet. Seamus Coleman done superbly down the right, going past three challengers before pulling back for the late arriving of Cahill to hammer into the roof past Reina.
Once half time came Liverpool fans could only hope wise words from manager Roy Hodgson could provide them with the spirit and determination to get back into the game giving Everton a run for their money.
Once the second half commenced Liverpool came out to be looking at fighting back certainly taking more shots at goal trying every much to get back into the game. It was Torres’s bundling into Baines that conceeded a free kick to the blues but to Liverpool’s advantage his bad touch letting him down. It was Bilyaletidinov’s win at a corner that at 50 minutes Everton took a two nil victory against their Stanley Park rivals a stonking strike from the Spaniard Mikel Arteta. Baines’s corner was nodded away by Kyrgiakos but only for as far as Arteta on the edge of the box. Allowing just enough time to barrage a shot that went swerving past the helpless Pepe Reina.
The pressure ultimately doubled for the helpless Liverpool side and they began to look slack and clearly over dominated by Everton. Even Liverpool’s latest signing Joe Cole looked out of place leaving the question ‘where is he even playing?’
The match continued with total toffee domination leaving Liverpool’s chances ultimately slipping away.
Finally, Howard Webb called time at 90+3 minutes. Goodison Park erupted into mounts of cheers as Everton took a whopping two nil victory and a well-deserved three premier league points fans couldn’t be any happier about. The result inevitably left Liverpool dropping to nineteenth place. Who would have thought it at the begging of the season?
Match Facts
Bookings – Everton - Cahill (28), Beckford (76)
Liverpool - Maxi-Rodriguez (18), Raul Meireles (31), Torres (88)
Corners – Everton 8 (53%) Liverpool 7 (47%),
Goal Attempts – Everton 8 (36%) Liverpool14 (64%),
On Target – Everton 4 (40%) Liverpool 6 (60%),
Fouls – Everton 10 (50%) Liverpool 10 (50%),
Attendance- 39,673
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