Liverpool v Everton
Everton endured the most frustrating of derby defeats, going down 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield.
The Blues had the majority of possession and the numerical advantage for almost an hour after Sotirios Kyrgiakos was dismissed in the first half.
Marouane Fellaini was injured in that incident and then Liverpool scored a 55th minute winner through Dirk Kuyt.
Misery was compounded at the death when Steven Pienaar was also sent off, this time for two yellows.
A couple of early Leighton Baines corners caused problems but it was Emiliano Insua who rifled the game's firt chance over after Tim Howard had beaten out Steven Gerrard's free kick inside four minutes.
Steven Pienaar and Dirk Kuyt battle for the ball
Five minutes later an awkward volley from Tim Cahill looped well wide and then Daniel Agger lashed another half-chance over with his weaker right foot following a Gerrard corner.
Baines went closer still midway through the half when his free-kick was tipped over, then Gerrard had a shot from range deflected just wide.
Quickfire yellows for Pienaar and Jamie Carragher ensued then David Ngog fired wide from the edge of the box after a swift Liverpool counter.
Then came the drama when, 33 minutes in, Kyrgiakos was dismissed after a horrific two-footed lunge on Fellaini.
Liverpool's Sotirios Kyrgiakos leaves the pitch after being red carded for a tackle on Marouane Fellaini
Referee Martin Atkinson had no choice but to issue a red card, and after several minutes of treatment, the Belgian was unable to resume and Mikel Arteta entered the fray.
Arteta received a fabulous reception from the Everton fans but it was the ten men who went closest next - Gerrard skimming the bar with a free kick from 25 yards.
But Cahill had the best chance of the half, heading over when unmarked six-yards out in added time.
The Aussie tested Pepe Reina early on in the second period and Landon Donovan shot wide as well before Ngog served notice of the hosts' threat on the break.
Marouane Fellaini lies in pain after the tackle from Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
Indeed, it was from his foray that Liverpool forced a succession of corners and subsequently took their 55th minute lead, Kuyt glancing Gerrard's corner past Tim Howard.
Everton struggled to create against the compact Liverpool defence and with 20 minutes left David Moyes introduced Yakubu and Victor Anichebe to boost his attacking options.
The pair replaced Louis Saha and Leon Osman and Everton's new front pairing both went close late on
Yak's left-footer was tipped over expertly by Reina with two minutes left and Anichebe shrugged off his marker in injury time before Reina again repelled his effort - meaning the Blues' nine-game unbeaten league sequence is over.
Your Comments
Please login to post a comment.
The views below are submitted by registered users of evertonfc.com and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton Football Club.
Jos Rowland
simply the performace was really poor and disapointing after a good run just 1 thing I want to mention to everton directly on behalf of all evertonians please please stop playing the big ball up it is so in affective as proved in the derby and so bad to watch , we just lose possession , just play it out that's gd football, unfortunately Neville and distin r the worst culprits althou I love them both, our good form has always come from playing it out baines to peanuts as so on ! We need to beat Chelsea and it's possible just believe it is , coyb !!!!!!
Tuesday 9th Feb 2010 08:58
clinton davids
Firstly the ref should be blamed for being so easy going.Our mindset was totally wrong and we had no shots on target.Played too much long balls and never controlled the mid.Should try landon in the centre pienaar on the right and billy on the left.We need speed thru the centre.
Monday 8th Feb 2010 13:06
Mark Lynch
Right time to put the Derby farce to bed, we have 5 bigger games coming up (3xleague and 2xEuropa) how many of them we will be without Fellaini, we dont know! what we do have tho is a player who can command that area just as well as Fellaini, but hasn't played for a while, step up Mr Rodwell, Arteta on the left for Peinaar and hopefully we wont have to upset the balance too much. Results went for us at the weekend(our own excluded) with City getting beat and villa and spurs playing a draw, we need to keep up the momentum and be there at the end, i still think that the likes of them 3 (mentioned) have to have their little blip, especially seeing as between now and our game at spurs, Villa has to play Utd, and city have to play Liverpool, and Chelsea. We need to make sure we get as many points from our tough games to keep us in with a shout for a Europa league spot next season.. Keep the faith guys COYB..
Monday 8th Feb 2010 10:42
John Coady
Too many players went missing during the game. Pienaar and Osman were non existent. I know Arteta has been out a long time but he seems to have come back as Vinny Sideways. No thrust. We never looked like scoring. It all just felt so typically Everton the way we let them have every second ball and never harrished or pressured them. Disappointed.
Monday 8th Feb 2010 07:57
Malcolm Bubb
This may sound desperate, but 7th may be the ideal finish for us. Respectful position and with far less injuries and no europeon football, next season could provide Moyes with the perfect opportunity to prove his claims that he has built a top four side. Must aim for 7th, though.
Sunday 7th Feb 2010 21:18
brennan finnegan
Alas the Red KICKERS plan worked. Carwrecker and their captain began the assault especially on Nuts and its hard to keep calllm under those circumstances. Our more fluent game was effected Hopefully we can get back on track against Chel and Mut who play as we do instead of kicking.
Sunday 7th Feb 2010 12:51
Tim Peters
Just a few points from the match. 1) Fellaini probably deserved a yellow card earlier but certainly none when he got injured later, watching the replay carefully. The commentators seemed a bit pro liverpool and were too harsh towards Fellaini and us in general i felt. 2) we didn't do a good job breaking them down the middle and Saha was caught off position in the few attacking chances. 3) Timmy played great the previous match. Today, it was all about Donovan (who i think should just be put in the central midfield or striker position like the US side and let loose, but one man can never win a match. I hope we can have all 11 clicking at the same time soon. 4) Who will take fellaini and pienaar postion against chelsea ? I don't know if arteta's good for 75 minutes yet. put this game behind lads, i don't think u need motivation for chelsea. show them who's the more original better blue.
Sunday 7th Feb 2010 05:57
Laura Grugel
gutted :( arr well eh next season! COYB xxxx
Sunday 7th Feb 2010 00:33
andrew hawes
such a dis-jointed performance!!!we really didnt deserve a win but maybe a draw??but thats an away game,3 MASSIVE home games and we can come out of febuary in a good place....a man city like performance against chelsea an we are ready for a serious run in,come on everton!!!
Saturday 6th Feb 2010 23:34
Malcolm Bubb
Carsley's available on a free for the rest of the season.....
Saturday 6th Feb 2010 21:09
23
258