Liverpool triumph at Anfield derby
Ten-man Liverpool continued their Premier League revival with a gutsy 1-0 win over local rivals Everton in a blood-and-thunder Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Steven Gerrard provided an early threat to the visitors' goal with a free-kick from a narrow angle on four minutes that Tim Howard had to punch clear at his near post before Dan Agger, back in the side for his first appearance in almost a month, fired a volley over the bar.
At the other end, Leighton Baines forced Pepe Reina into action with a curling free kick that required a helping hand over the bar but it was a collision between Kyrgiakos and Fellaini just after the half-hour mark that provided the opening period's major talking point.
The Greek defender went over the top as Fellaini competed for a loose ball, injuring both the Belgian and himself in the process. Once he had taken to his feet again, referee Martin Atkinson brandished a red card and Liverpool were reduced to 10 men.
Benitez fumed on the touchline, but the Spaniard knows as well as anybody that when a player goes in with two feet, he runs the risk of dismissal.
Many will have initially expected the referee’s decision to send Sotirios Kyrgiakos off to favour the Blues but, if anything, it served only to galvanise Liverpool.
Everton had an hour against 10 men, yet singularly failed to find a way through. Carragher switched to central defender, Mascherano to right back. Steven Gerrard gave the lie to Fabio Capello’s decision to overlook him, again, for the England captaincy, by dropping deep and controlling the game’s tempo. He has been a shadow of his former self this season, but the signs are that he is slowly emerging from the darkness.
Unsurprisingly the winning goal came after the break from a set piece, Kuyt being allowed to head home from a corner amid poor defending from Phil Neville and an uncertain Howard.
Faced by a resolute Liverpool side, Everton’s attempts to get back in the game proved futile and David Moyes’ side failed to make any inroads into their host’s back line for the remainder of the second half.
Pienaar’s late dismissal for a second booking after a body check on Gerrard just served to compound a miserable day for Everton.
A bigger test now awaits the Reds at The Emirates on Wednesday but, suddenly, it does not appear to be the fixture from hell it threatened to resemble at the turn of the year when Liverpool were struggling. Having got the win against Everton, it now does not require such a huge leap of faith to see Liverpool performing with credit in the capital.
Confidence is flooding through the squad and now they are back in the top four, the Reds could take some shifting.
If that happens to be the case, they will look back at the 213th Merseyside derby as being their definitive moment.
Ten-man Liverpool continued their Premier League revival with a gutsy 1-0 win over local rivals Everton in a blood-and-thunder Merseyside derby at Anfield.Steven Gerrard provided an early threat to the visitors' goal with a free-kick from a narrow angle on four minutes that Tim Howard had to punch clear at his near post before Dan Agger, back in the side for his first appearance in almost a month, fired a volley over the bar.
At the other end, Leighton Baines forced Pepe Reina into action with a curling free kick that required a helping hand over the bar but it was a collision between Kyrgiakos and Fellaini just after the half-hour mark that provided the opening period's major talking point.
The Greek defender went over the top as Fellaini competed for a loose ball, injuring both the Belgian and himself in the process. Once he had taken to his feet again, referee Martin Atkinson brandished a red card and Liverpool were reduced to 10 men.
Benitez fumed on the touchline, but the Spaniard knows as well as anybody that when a player goes in with two feet, he runs the risk of dismissal.
Many will have initially expected the referee’s decision to send Sotirios Kyrgiakos off to favour the Blues but, if anything, it served only to galvanise Liverpool.
Everton had an hour against 10 men, yet singularly failed to find a way through. Carragher switched to central defender, Mascherano to right back. Steven Gerrard gave the lie to Fabio Capello’s decision to overlook him, again, for the England captaincy, by dropping deep and controlling the game’s tempo. He has been a shadow of his former self this season, but the signs are that he is slowly emerging from the darkness.
Unsurprisingly the winning goal came after the break from a set piece, Kuyt being allowed to head home from a corner amid poor defending from Phil Neville and an uncertain Howard.
Faced by a resolute Liverpool side, Everton’s attempts to get back in the game proved futile and David Moyes’ side failed to make any inroads into their host’s back line for the remainder of the second half.
Pienaar’s late dismissal for a second booking after a body check on Gerrard just served to compound a miserable day for Everton.
A bigger test now awaits the Reds at The Emirates on Wednesday but, suddenly, it does not appear to be the fixture from hell it threatened to resemble at the turn of the year when Liverpool were struggling. Having got the win against Everton, it now does not require such a huge leap of faith to see Liverpool performing with credit in the capital.
Confidence is flooding through the squad and now they are back in the top four, the Reds could take some shifting.
If that happens to be the case, they will look back at the 213th Merseyside derby as being their definitive moment.
