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In one of the more entertaining Merseyside derbies in recent seasons, Everton fought rivals Liverpool to a 2-2 draw on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Goodison Park. In a scintillating contest that generated much controversy, both Everton and Liverpool had numerous chances to seal the deal, and the draw may just have been the fair result.
After a cagey opening in which Everton had the better exchanges, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez opened the scoring in the 14th minute after his cross deflected off Leighton Baines into the home side’s net. The Liverpool faithful roared in celebration, as Suarez took the trouble of celebrating right in front of David Moyes by mockingly diving near the Everton box, alluding to Moyes’s pre-match concerns about Suarez’s ‘history’ of diving and accusing Suarez for getting Jack Rodwell sent-off in the same fixture last season.
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Suarez only seemed buoyed and inspired by Moyes’s remarks, and instantly became the central piece of action in the clash. As the noise of the home support waned and the away support increased, Liverpool doubled their advantage within 5 minutes after Suarez nudged in a header off a Steven Gerrard free-kick. Horrible defending from the Blues, as Suarez was utterly unmarked allowing him to add to Everton’s misery.
Everton responded immediately in a resounding fashion, with Leon Osman launching a low right-footed volley into the bottom corner after a questionable clearance by Brad Jones from an Everton free-kick. The look of pure joy and emotion on the face of Osman, who had just been booked, displayed just how much Everton wanted the victory. Despite finishing above their neighbours last season, Everton lost all three games to the Reds, including an agonizing defeat in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
The momentum now lay with Everton as the scoreboard read 2-1 in Liverpool’s favour, and Everton began making frequent inroads into the Red half. The inevitable equalizer came from Steven Naismith in the 35th minute, who poked in the ball from close range from a Marouane Felliani cross. The defence let Liverpool down, as Jose Enrique failed to mark Naismith’s run into the six-yard area and Jones could do little about it. Goodison Park had found its voice again and the crowd was cheering in approval for every Liverpool fumble, and Everton were really dominating the match. Liverpool seemed unable to buy the ball as Osman and Kevin Mirallas set the tone for Everton’s play.
Mirallas in particular seemed fired up, and was skinning the young Liverpool full-back Andre Wisdom left, right and centre. Seamus Coleman was troubling the Liverpool defence too, as he effectively man-marked Suso out of the game on the left-hand side. Captain Phil Neville was booked for simulation at the end of the half, when he theatrically went down after a gentle touch from Daniel Agger. Liverpool looked relieved when the half-time whistle was blown, as Everton were running all over them.
The disappointing due of Suso and Nuri Sahin were subbed off at half-time for Sebastian Coates and Jonjo Shelvey, and it reaped immediate benefits in the second-half. Liverpool’s play looked more assured as they shifted to a three-man defence in order to combat Everton’s attacking threat, with Coates adding stability to the back, while Wisdom was sent to play further front in a wing-back role. The hosts had to take off their biggest threat in the first-half, Mirallas, due to injury and sent in Magaye Gueye in his place. The hosts maintained the same formation and looked to pick-up where they left off.
The opening proceedings of the half were pretty even, as the added presence of Shelvey served to stifle the likes of Coleman, and Osman. Felliani was marauding through the Liverpool set-up and Joe Allen was tasked with the unenviable job of keeping him quiet. Allen did a pretty admirable job, engaging in several noticeable tussles with the Belgian, but it didn’t serve to stop the big man, as he was the focal point of Everton’s attack.
The first big chance in the second half fell to Raheem Sterling, who shockingly mishit the ball awkwardly after being setup being Enrique. It was an extremely poor shot from Sterling, who should’ve atleast got his shot off properly and Suarez was visibly frustrated with the 17-year old. The game’s pace understandably reduced in the second half, as both sides still strived to find the oh-so-important third goal. The hosts came tantalizingly close on the hour mark, with Martin Skrtel saving Liverpool in the nick of time by blocking Coleman’s dangerous cross to the prolific Nikica Jelavic.
Both sides were showing incredible resilience and desire to win, as Suarez and Felliani were playing their socks off. Sterling, who made regular threatening runs into the Blue half at the start of the half, was being kept in-check by an inspired Everton defence. Everton clearly did not want to bottle, and showed real conviction. Moyes, despite the universal appreciation of his work at Everton, has a terrible record against Liverpool. Prior to this game, the Reds had won 8 out of the last 12 at the Goodison, with Moyes having won only 4 out of 23 games played against the bitter rivals.
Poised evenly as the game was drawing to a close, Liverpool sub Henderson was being a lively addition and set up several near misses for the hosts. The Reds were pushing ahead in the latter stages of the half, with Gerrard and Shelvey missing chances to give the Red half of Merseyside the bragging rights. One of the most controversial moments of the game came right at the death, as Suarez had poked in another Gerrard free-kick, only to be deemed offside, with replays showing that it was a clear goal, with neither Suarez or the man who touched the ball before him, Coates, in an offside position.
Robbery at the death a Liverpool fan would say, but Everton fans will argue that Suarez should’ve been given his marching orders for a previous malicious foul on Sylvain Distin. Overall, it was an excellent game of football and the point was well deserved for both teams, despite the shenanigans of Neville and Suarez.
Everton really proved their mettle today and could be serious challengers for Europe if they continually display this type of form, and the Rodgers’ revolution definitely looks to be heading in the right direction, with the controversial Suarez at the epicentre of the team.
