Two Joseph Yobo mistakes gave Liverpool the bragging rights from
a Merseyside derby they barely deserved to win.
A first half deflected goal, followed by a late second, both due
to Yobo's luckless defending, meant Everton remain near the bottom
of the table despite dominating the Goodison Park showdown.
The Blues also had the ball in the net twice, only to be ruled
offside both times, and Rafael Benitez's side breathed a huge sigh
of relief on a day when they struggled to find any rhythm, and were
pressed back for long periods of the game.
A wonder save from Pepe Reina when the score still at 1-0 was
also to prove a pivotal moment.
Liverpool lined up without Fernando Torres, while Alberto
Aquilani, Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun were all kept on the
bench. Everton, meanwhile, began in a 4-2-3-1 with Marouane
Fellanini, Diniyar Bilyaletidinov and Tim Cahill supporting Jo.
A typically brash start to the derby almost saw Cahill booked
within the opening minutes after stamping on Javier Macherano's
left foot, but referee Alan Wiley resisted the chance to show an
early card.
The start continued to be scrappy but Everton looked to be
edging it, until out of nowhere Liverpool nicked the lead.
Mascherano took aim from 30 yards, but his shot looked to be
flying a good yard wide until Yobo stuck out a boot and deflected
the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Everton briefly were reeling, with Steven Gerrard testing Tim
Howard in the 16th minute, but they then took control of the
half.
Bilyaletinidov should have made it 1-1 in the 18th minute. Both
teams appeared to unite in juggling the ball in the air, with
Felliani and then Jo flicking it on before Mascherano got in on the
act. It finally fell eight yards from goal but was somehow screwed
wide.
Everton continued to take the game to the visitors, and from a
throw-in Pepe Reina was fumbling and struggling to get control of
the ball before Glen Johnson thumped the ball clear.
In the 24th minute Steven Pienaar put a poor effort wide, before
Fellanini caused problems minutes later by heading into the danger
area as Liverpool continued to be forced back, but Reina was yet to
be seriously tested.
Jo then had the ball in the net on 34 minutes but was ruled
offside, which proceeded a Dirk Kuyt 30 yard effort which failed to
replicate Mascherano's earlier attempt and flew over the bar.
Liverpool had contributed little to the half, save for the goal,
but three minutes from half-time and only a wonderful save from Tim
Howard denied them a second.
Johnson sent the ball in from the right and found Emiliano Insua
at the back post, but Howard superbly denied him, fisting it
away.
Everton again had the ball in the net but once more Jo was the
victim of the linesman's wrath. The half-time whistle brought a
standing ovation and defiant singing from a home support buoyed by
the first 45 minutes.
Benitez seemed content to sit on the 1-0 lead as Everton again
were the aggressor. Ten minutes in and referee Wiley may well have
pointed to the spot when Fellani was held by Jamie Carragher.
Pienaar fired a stinging effort straight at Reina in the 59th
minute, and the Liverpool keeper fumbled it, the second time in the
game he had looked surprisingly uneasy, however he then pulled off
an incredible double save in the 72nd minute to keep Liverpool's
advantage.
First he blocked Cahill's header, but the ball fell into the
path of Fellaini who looked certain to score, until Reina
unbelievably managed to get up again to deny David Moyes' side.
It appeared to suck the life out of Everton, who were failing to
trouble the visitors less and less, and when Kuyt, who had done
little for 80 minutes, made it 2-0 the game was all but over.
Yobo swung at fresh air, missing the ball, which fell to Riera
who had been on for just two minutes. His shot was saved, but Kuyt
was there to fire in the rebound.
It was harsh luck on the home side, and as Reina flapped at
another long ball, fans must have been scratching their head at how
they had failed to put a telling ball past him.
Yobo's agony was ended when he was taken off with three minutes
to go, before the two Liverpool substitutes Benayoun and Riera
combined to almost grab a third, with Howard forced to block with
his legs.
The away support chanted “going down, going down” at the end as
Everton were left to lick their wounds.
