20 For 20: Kan-Kan The Man

The rundown of our most exciting Premier League games continues.

In a bid to discover the Club's most memorable games of the Premier League's 20 seasons, we asked fans to vote in an exclusive poll on evertonfc.com. Today, we remember the afternoon the Anfield stage belonged to Andrei Kanchelskis...

Liverpool 1-2 EVERTON, 18 Nov 1995
(Kanchelskis 53, 68)
Att: 40,818

The blue half of Merseyside saluted a new hero last night as Andrei Kanchelskis' expert double gave Everton their first Anfield league win in almost a decade.

A Littlewoods Cup triumph the following year aside, not since a 2-0 victory in February 1986 had the Toffees tasted success on the opposite side of Stanley Park. Kanchelskis’ second-half salvo - his first goals since a summer move from Manchester United – ensured that torrid run is now forgotten.

Nine years and nine months ago, it was Kevin Ratcliffe and Gary Lineker who wounded the Reds on their own patch; this contest was all about Kanchelskis.

Eyebrows were raised when United, having relinquished their Premier League crown to Blackburn Rovers, allowed the Russian winger to leave.

Here he showed he still possesses the quality - and the mettle - for the big occasion.

Everton ventured the short trip across to their neighbours on the back of an impressive 1-0 win over the reigning champions, a victory that ended a barren run of three draws and four defeats.

Andrei Kanchelskis takes on Liverpool's John Barnes

Graham Stuart, the matchwinner against Ray Harford's side, was the first to go close here too.

Cutting in from the left, the midfielder opened up his body on the edge of the box and sent a looping shot arcing over David James. Fortunately for the Liverpool stopper, it didn't beat his post.

When Everton next struck the woodwork though, it was with the kind of precision English football fans have come to expect from Kanchelskis; precison that took the ball beyond James to edge the visitors in front.

Typically the move started with the scorer, his ball allowing Paul Rideout to break free down the right. When the cross eventually came, there was Kanchelskis burning up the ground from deep to rise unchallenged and plant a header low and in off the upright.

Buoyed, Everton continued to press, and when Anders Limpar nonchalantly skipped two challenges - taking four Liverpool players out of the equation in the process - it was Kanchelskis bursting forward in front of him.

The Swede still had plenty to do, but his throughball was weighted to perfection, left the doddery Phil Babb flat on his feet and allowed Kanchelskis to muster just enough power to thwart James low down at his near post.

Some tired defending allowed youngster Robbie Fowler to squeeze home a reply for the hosts with a minute left on the clock but the day belonged to the men in blue - a Russian who used to play in red in particular. Down the M62 those eyebrows may be being raised once again.

Liverpool                                 James                                      Jones                                      Scales                                     Wright                                    Babb (Thomas 72)                  Harkness (Ruddock 80)         Barnes                                    McManaman                          McAteer                                 Fowler                                    Rush                                        Manager: Roy Evans

Everton Southall Jackson Watson Short Ablett (Unsworth 22) Kanchelskis Parkinson Ebbrell Limpar Stuart Rideout Manager: Joe Royle

"With every game I play I feel better and better. This is my greatest day since joining Everton. I am so happy. The team played well, I scored twice and we have won - what more can I ask?"  - Everton’s derby hero Andrei Kanchelskis

"Andrei was magnificent. He's had his problems since joining us from Manchester United but he's nearing full fitness now and the best is yet to come." – Blues boss Joe Royle

"We didn't do ourselves justice today. That's the worst we've played this season." - Liverpool manager Roy Evans

Craig Short attempts to block a shot from Steve McManaman as Gary Ablett provides the back-up

• ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar’, a film starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo as New York drag queens, tops the UK box office.
• A United Nations tribunal charges Radovan Karadzić and Ratko Mladic with genocide during the Bosnian War.
• Typhoon Angela kills 882 in the Philippines and Vietnam.  
• Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
• Elsewhere in the Premier League, Blackburn bounce back from their defeat against Everton by thrashing Nottingham Forest 7-0. Manchester United are 4-1 winners at Southampton.
  

• Everton's victory was the second game of an 18-match run which brought 10 wins and just two defeats.
• The Blues finished the campaign in sixth, just one place and two points off qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
• Liverpool recovered to end the season in third, 11 points behind champions Manchester United.
  

For a full 1995/96 fixture list, click here.

>>> Re-live our 2008 interview with Andrei Kanchelskis on this performance and his Everton career