Team news for tonight sees the Toffee’s sticking with the team that narrowly lost at Old Trafford, and Rafa unsurprisingly making changes to his team that took care of Chelsea – Dossena and Lucas in for Aurelia and Mascherano.
The last time these teams met at Goodison in a FA Cup reply it finished 4-4. I’d settle for that tonight, but with both teams fielding a lone striker, we may be dreaming. In Everton case, with injuries, it’s not even a lone striker, more like lone midfielder in Tim Cahill.
1 min – And we’re off. Full house, cracking atmosphere, let’s just hope the game can match it.
3 mins – Quiet start on the pitch, but not in the stands. Seems like Fellaini is playing high up the pitch, and almost like a second striker. First derby-day tackle with Osman welcoming Dossena back to the first-team. Referee Wiley shows his wile, and correctly keeps his card in his pockets.
5 mins – Fernando Torres in acres of space on the right wins the first corner. The ball eventually ending up with Xavi Alonso 25-yards out, who hits one well, but fizzes it just wide.
9 mins – Liverpool have definitely settled the better of the two teams. The Toffees stuck in their own half by some crisp, snappy passing. Kuyt especially looking lively – not something you often hear!
13 mins – Reina touchs the ball from a back-pass, and warms himself up.
16 mins – Huge blow for Liverpool. Gerrard replaced by Benayoun, with their captain fantastic holding his leg. The Everton crowd react like they’ve just won the league and the cup, with the noise level going up another decibel.
18 mins – I couldn’t believe Fellaini had made it so long without committing a foul, but he has now. Also can’t believe we’ve gone so long without mentioning his hair. Cahill leads with a flailing elbow on Carragher, and sees yellow for his troubles.
21 mins – Torres lucky to escape a booking with a cheap-shot tackle on Lescott. Sums up the game so far, very stop-start and pretty niggly. Apart from Alonso’s earlier shot, there’s been nothing resembling danger to either keeper.
25 mins – Leon Osman with a chance, but in his defence it wasn’t even a half chance. As the ball dropped over his shoulder, he caught the volley well but only sent it harmlessly over. Still it was a shot.
28 mins – Almighty scramble in the Liverpool box - the ball just not falling for Cahill. The ball breaks lose and Baines is bought down right on the edge of the box out wide. Free kick is wasted as Arteta hits it straight into the wall.
32 mins – Goalless and chanceless, and not a game for the purists. But if you like good old-fashioned ‘British’ football played with passion, this is the game for you.
35 mins – That’s something we don’t see everyday. We all know Arteta’s quality on the ball, but he’s just chased Dossena back 30-yards to shrug him off the ball and end a red breakaway. As much as that would please David Moyes, he’d want to see Arteta creating havoc higher up the pitch.
40 mins – Apparently Dossena is Italy’s first choice left back. You wouldn’t know that after his attempt to cross there. He had all night and could only put the ball high behind Howard’s goal. Poor!
42 mins – Pienaar crosses the line between commitment and going over-the-top. Deserved yellow for a nasty looking stamp. No complaints there, he was so far across the line, he couldn’t even see it.
HALF-TIME EVERTON 0 LIVERPOOL 0
It’s not exactly a great game. A whole lot of huff and puff, but not much class. The ball is pin balling around the pitch with both defences well on top. At a push, I’d say the reds playing the slightly better football, but I think that’s being generous. In such a game, it goes with stating the obvious, but the first goal could be absolutely crucial. Not that I can see where a goal is going to come from. Don’t think we’re getting that 4-4 here. Maybe on penalty kicks... I wonder if Rafa is regretting his decision to let Robbie Keane leave now?
46 mins – Everton begin the second half. Let’s hope for something better than what both teams served up in the first 45.
47 mins – First piece of action sees Neville earning himself a yellow with a late tackle on Alonso. What is it about Xavi Alonso? Does everyone hate him, or something? He’s always on the receiving ends of these tackles at the moment.
49 mins – Alan Wiley evens up the card count in the second half, with a yellow for Lucas.
50 mins – Jagielka for England sing the Everton faithful, as their own big Phil comfortably beats Torres to the ball.
52 mins – Fellaini and his Jackson 5 hair-do leaves the field to be replaced by 19-year old Dan Gosling. Not one of Fellaini’s better games – he just couldn’t get to grips with the speed of this derby.
55 mins – It’s the blues now showing more composure on the ball this half, but still yet to work Reina. This game needs a goal and fast… The crowd are doing their bit, and both sets of fans still in great voice. They’ll be hoarse in the morning, especially if this goes into extra time.
59 mins – 17-year old Jack Rodwell replaces Pienaar. Moyes showing great faith in his band of youngsters. But will they want a spot kick should it come to it at the end of the night?
60 mins – Alonso releases Reira in the box, and Howard is out his goal quickly to smother. Finally, a save! The ball going out for a corner. Wasteful delivery by Alonso – not for the first time tonight. The game finally opening up, and space appearing.
65 mins – Finally this game seems to be coming to life. The passion is still there, but there’s also some class slowly rearing its head. Not from Dossena though – his crossing still leaving a lot to be desired. How poor must Italy be if this guy starts for them?
68 mins – The reds working up something like a head of steam. First a Torres shot is blocked by the excellent Jagielka, then Kuyt loops a header from the edge of the box into Howard’s hands.
70 mins – That was the chance Everton have been looking for. A Cahill lay off releases Osman in the box. His shot beats Reina but not the post. He should have really scored there. Liverpool breath a sigh of relief, while Arteta picks up another booking for a late challenge. This is more like it.
74 mins – Torres may look like he’s carrying a injury, but take nothing away from Jagielka,
he could well be playing himself into Capello’s England squad for next week.75 mins – RED CARD – LUCAS. Liverpool down to 10-men as Lescott is bought down by a flying Lucas for his second booking. Ref Wiley not having a choice but to send the Brazilian for an early bath. Can Everton make their numerical advantage count?
79 mins – Benitez looking for extra time, me thinks. He replaces the disappointing Reira, with Javier Mascherano as he tries to quell the blue tide that is threatening to over-run his team.
83 mins – Everton cranking up the heat. A decent Arteta corner causing panic in the Liverpool box, and young Rodwell blasting his shot into orbit.
85 mins – Good cross by Rodwell but only one blue shirt in the box. Unsurprisingly, a red shirt gets to the ball first.
89 mins – Alonso sees yellow for a body check on a raiding Tony Hibbert. Arteta, normally deadly from dead ball, clips a cross straight down Reina throat. Wasteful, especially when you think Everton’s goals in the previous games came from dead-ball situation.
90 mins + 1 – Liverpool with successive corners – both well dealt with by the Everton defence.
90 + 4 mins – Everton force a corner in the last minute of added time. Desperate defending by Liverpool as they battle towards the final whistle. And there it is..
FULL TIME EVERTON 0 – LIVERPOOL 0
Extra time beckons. Another 30 minutes that neither manager would have wanted. Everton have the numbers so must start as favourites for the extra half an hour. But with chances at a premium can Liverpool nick a goal, or will they play for the lottery of the penalty kicks?
92 mins – Great work by Leighton Baines down the left, with Cahill stretching but just failing to connect with his cross. Good start by Everton in this extra period. Baines particularly seems to be playing in a very advanced position this half.
94 mins – Osman turns on a six pence in the area, but his shot lacks power, and Reina flops down easily on it. Still Everton looking the more likely.
96 mins – Great double save by Pepe Reina. First he denies Osman and as the ball rolls lose he smothers at the feet of Gosling. From the ensuing corner, Cahill glances one marginally wide. Can Liverpool hold out for another 25 minutes?
100 mins – Torres has run his race for tonight, replaced by Ryan Babel for the closing moments. Can he provide the spark for the reds? Well, he wins a corner with his first touch, but Kuyt can only help it harmlessly through to Tim Howard.
104 mins – Arteta with a chance to showcase his freekick skills. The ball deflects over a 2-man wall, and deflects just wide. That could have gone anywhere! Liverpool stand strong from the corner.
HALF TIME EXTRA TIME. STILL 0-0.
Everton with all the numbers, the possession but not yet the breakthrough. Liverpool defending for their lives, and so far it’s so good for them. Penalties only 15 minutes, and counting… Will they be needed?
106 mins – David Moyes with his last throw of the dice. Van Der Mayde replacing captain Neville. Van Der Mayde has never really hit the highs at Goodison. What bigger place than right here, right now as Fat Boy Slim would say?
110 mins – Babel leads a rare red attack into enemy quarters. He’s up against five blue shirts, but manages to win his team a freekick. Alonso wastes it – again!
112 mins – Earlier Roswell had a chance, this time it was Gosling. 20-yards out, he hits it well enough, but again, good position by Reina makes for an easy save. Wiley brandishes his umpteenth yellow card or the night, this time to Tony Hibbert for a late challenge on? Yep, you’ve guessed it Xavi Alonso! He must be black and blue after every game at the moment.
115 mins – Again successive Liverpool corner. Finally Alonso gets his delivery right, but to no avail. He does manage to waste valuable seconds as he takes one from the right, then slowy trots over to take the other from the other side. An experienced pro, Alonso.
117 mins – Van Der Mayde touchs the ball for the first time, and is unceremoniously dumped to the floor by fellow Dutch man Kuyt.
118 mins – Would you adam and eve it? GOAL EVERTON. A Van Der Mayde cross
falls at the feet of Dan Gosling in the area. He shows unbelievable composure to get the ball onto his right foot, and curl one past Reina with a slight deflection of Martin Skretal. Surely the winning goal. Everton 1 – Liverpool 0.FULL TIME EVERTON 1 LIVERPOOL 0
It’s the blue half of Liverpool celebrating tonight. Referee Alan Wiley blows his whistle and the stadium erupts. Everton earning a deserved victory over their bitter rivals, with a touch of class in a game that quite frankly lacked quality. Liverpool badly missed Robbie Keane. Oops, Freudian slip. Liverpool desperately missed the inspirational Gerrard, and were badly let down by Lucas’s needless dismissal. Still, Everton don’t care for that, it’s a famous night, a and famous victory.
Picture credits: Skysports.com
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