So much incident, so many mistakes, an own goal, two penalties, two sendings off and many questionable decisions- this is a what makes the Merseyside Derby great.
Everton where supremely unlucky- they had a final minute stonewall penalty turned down when Carragher pulled the excellent Lescott. They had the impetus going forward in the first half, but the quality and resilience of the Liverpool players showed through in the second.
In the middle of all this, Benitez managed to substitute Steven Gerard! Tht could have been the mistake of his Anfield career- but two penalities finished by Dirk Kuyt took him through an made it looked like an inspired decision. I wonder whether he will play tghe same trick at Anfield against Arsenal next Saturday?
Everton went ahead in the first half after Sami Hypia got disorientated in the box and bizarelydrove the ball past his own keeper- this reflected the possession and balance of play in the first half- with Moyes successfully rearranging his side to combat a bright Liverpool start.
Liverpool came out to play in the second- the first goal was a break away from an Everton attack- Steven Gerard surging into the box from his own half and then being brought won by Hibbert- resulting in Hibbert being shown a straight red. Kuyt coolly converting the spot kick. The rest of the second half was frenetic rather than direct but there where chances at both ends, but Everton were noticably gettting tired.
The second Liverpool goal came late on when Neville produced an excellent save from a Leita drive after some good wing play by Pennant- Neville was sent off and Kuyt converted from the spot.
This result does not make Liverpool title challengers- but it is a game that we lost last season but didn't this- we will learn more against Besiktas and Arsenal- if we still have our unbeaten Premier League record in two weeks time- then will be the time to reassess this teams potential.
