Liverpool vs Everton: 5 most enthralling Merseyside derbies of the Premier League era

The best of Merseyside derby

The Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton has had everything that makes for a dramatic footballing history including memorable cup finals, controversial goals, bloodbaths, poignant moments (read Hillsborough) and noisy cauldrons. The likes of Ian Rush, Dixie Dean, Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard, Graeme Sharp, Robbie Fowler, Gary McAllister and Peter Beardsley have netted goals to create a glittering history that will be ornamented further this Tuesday.

The concomitant rise of both the teams has generated a great deal of anticipation that ‘the derby’ will regain the status that it used to enjoy in the 80′s and if this season’s previous encounter at Goodison Park is anything to go by then the future looks bright. Liverpool have the small business of a cup-tie at Bournemouth to settle before they set their eyes on what can prove to be a season defining fixture for them. Everton under Roberto Martinez have gathered momentum and exhibited the kind of promise that they never did under David Moyes. Their performances this season have also triggered a retrospective assessment of the period under David Moyes. Martinez has added to the defensive stability that characterized Everton under David Moyes with his brand of attacking play that is founded upon keeping possession.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are recovering a bit of the sheen under Brendan Rodgers that they have lost in recent years playing outside Europe’s elite competition. This recovery has been spurred by Rodgers’ definite style of play that combines speed, possession, attacking flair, mobility on and off the ball that has allowed them to be free-scoring (only behind Manchester City in terms of goals scored this season). The pair of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge at the head of the pitch is a danger to any defense in the world.

The Merseyside derby has the reputation of being a friendly derby inspite of the fierce competitiveness that has always been on display on the field. This is so because the club loyalty lines cut across family homes polarizing fathers and sons, siblings and so on. The entire Merseyside is divided into blue and red in a manner that Manchester, for instance, isn’t. However, in the Premier league era the Merseyside derby has earned a great deal of notoriety for drawing the maximum number of cards from referees.

That will be the second chapter of the Merseyside derby this season with the honours shared with an emphatic scoreline of 3-3 at Goodison park. That has reignited hopes of yet another goal-fest at Anfield and that makes this a great point to reminisce upon some unforgettable moments offered by this contest. Here is a list of top five Merseyside derbies that have fired our imagination in the post-Premier League era:

5. Premier League (2012) Liverpool 3-0 Everton at Anfield

A partisan selection to begin this list but a special hat-trick from Liverpool’s talismanic captain on his 400th appearance makes it a special game as the robust mid-fielder stamped his name on the history of this fixture with some flair. The match was an exhibition of Gerrard’s characteristic bursting runs into the penalty area as he scored all three of his goals from open play. The first was a deft shot of his left foot chipping the ball into the net as it rolled out of the penalty area after a bit of ping-pong. He picked up the ball from the feet of Luis Suarez for the second scoring from close range putting on show the quality of an attacking midfielder who has an eye for goal. He made a surging run for his third and passed unselfishly only to receive a pass back that was slotted coolly into the net with the left foot yet again. The match was one of the great highlights of Kenny Dalglish’s otherwise rather glum second coming.

Liverpool finished outside of the Champions League position in that season once again but this victory sent a crucial message to their Merseyside rivals who had begun to establish claims of being the better league side and have indeed finished above Liverpool in recent seasons. The swing of the pendulum is something to watch out for once again this season and the Tuesday fixture sees Liverpool going into the contest just a point ahead.

4. Premier League (2013) Everton 3-3 Liverpool at Goodison Park

This season’s derby deserves a place on this list for many reasons. The quality of football on display was exceptional as both teams played aggressively to create an exhibition of end-to-end football that will remain in memory for a long time. It also reignited the passion that seemed missing from the fixture under the reign of David Moyes under whom Everton looked conservative in their approach. Apart from the six goals scored, the derby launched some really promising young talent as Everton’s Ross Barkley sparkled in an advanced midfield position causing all sorts of trouble for the Reds. On the other hand, Brendan Rodgers handed Jon Flanagan a start who brought the enthusiasm of a local lad to the fixture. This was also a game in which strikers stamped their authority on the game with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Suarez and Daniel Sturridge on display.

The match got off to a whirlwindy start when Brazilian prodigy Philippe Coutinho found himself unmarked at the end of a Steven Gerrard and showed exemplary composure to tap in the first goal. Everton fought back hard as Kevin Mirallas showed predator like quality to take advantage of a scramble created by a Leighton Baines free-kick. Liverpool’s mercurial no.7 Luis Suarez stroked a characteristic penalty in the 17th minute to give Liverpool the lead once again. This time it was cancelled by Belgian Romelu Lukaku in the 72nd minute as he applied a finish to excellent build up play by Everton from near the penalty spot. Lukaku doubled his tally soon after as he towered in the penalty are to head in what seemed to be the decisive third goal of the game. The match looked over when Rodgers looked at Daniel Sturridge for inspiration who came of the bench to quieten the home fans and salvage a morale-boosting point for the Reds.

3. Premier League (1999) – Liverpool 3-2 Everton at Anfield

This was an enthralling Merseyside derby that will be remembered for a long period of time for Robbie Fowler’s controversial ‘eating the grass’ celebration in spite of his excellent brace. Some rather speculative Evertonians had planted the story that Robbie Fowler was on drugs which evoked a bizarre celebration from Fowler who mimicked snorting drugs after he converted a penalty. Mind games played prior to the games often spill over into goal-celebrations in intense derbies and one is telescoped into the future when Luis Suarez, not so subtly, ‘dived’ in front of David Moyes to answer his the manager who had been talking up the nuisance that Suarez made on the football pitch. Robbie Fowler had to pay for his celebration in spite of Graeme Souness’ desperate attempt to shield it by commenting that it was a dressing room joke about ‘eating the grass’ but retrospectively Fowler would take those 2 goals against Everton and a ban any day!

The match must also be remembered for Steven Gerrard who got his first taste of the Merseyside derby as an 18-year old substitute. The midfielder showed his class in the brief appearance contributing to the third-goal that came of a corner he took, and making a goal-line block when the goal-keeper was off his line. The match seems to have prophesied the times to come in that one aspect.

2. FA Cup Semi Final (2012) – Liverpool 2-1 Everton at Wembley

The semi-finals of 2011-12 FA Cup turned out to be two local derbies (Chelsea/Tottenham being the other) but Merseyside produced a closer contest when eventual runners-up Liverpool pipped their arch-rivals courtesy of two second half goals. Everton fans were hoping to trump their Red counterparts at a Wembley showdown and began well as Jelavic managed to take advantage of Liverpool’s backline confusion to take a convincing side-footed shot that went flying past Jose Reina. Everton were guilty of digging their own grave as Sylvan Distin made a back-pass that was easily collected by Luis Suarez who characteristically filled his boot. Andy Carroll, meanwhile, was going around doing what he does best; missing chances that is but his dying header in the dying minutes ensured Liverpool made their second Wembley final of the season.

Prior to the beginning of this game a minute long silence was observed in remembrance of the Hillsborough victims as Merseyside displayed its unity in the face of a human tragedy that stands out in the history of the footballing county.

1. Premier League (2001) Everton 2-3 Liverpool at Goodison Park

You knew this one was coming, didn’t you? This was one of the many highlights of a glorious Liverpool era under Gerrard Houllier during a season they did the cup treble. The match was balanced till the very dying seconds of the game as Everton cancelled Liverpool’s lead twice. Houllier’s signing Emile Heskey put Liverpool in front as he ran through on goal collecting a long ball to slot it past Everton’s goalie Gerrard in the 5th minute of the game. Everton leveled the game just before half-time and “it had to be” the “big dunc” Duncan Ferguson who slammed in to leave the game poised into the game.

The Reds came lusting after the blood of their rivals in the second half and they were rewarded soon when Markus Babbel put one past Everton to regain the lead. Liverpool had a massive opportunity to close the game but Robbie Fowler played the villain hitting the post from the spot and eventually allowing Everton to claw their back into the game. Unsworth didn’t commit the same mistake when he had his chance from the spot bringing the game to level terms. It looked inevitable that a point would be shared but up stepped Gary McAllister. The free-kick Liverpool received was so far away from the penalty area that nobody would have expected a direct shot as everyone crowded the are looking for a heading opportunity. McAllister powered it precisely past the single man wall into the bottom corner providing the much needed impetus to Liverpool’s campaign for Champions League places but more importantly completing a memorable derby win!

The match also featured 12 yellow cards, a missed penalty, several rejected penalty calls and the sending off of Liverpool’s Igor Biscan. Can one really ask for more?