EPL: Everton 1-2 Liverpool

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Xabi Alonso insists the foreign players at Liverpool are well aware of the importance of Saturday's Merseyside derby with Everton.

"You pick up on the atmosphere when you are out and about in town, of course. Everyone on both sides cannot wait for kick-off - it is a really big day for the city."

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Match preview

Everton and Liverpool lock horns in the 206th Merseyside derby, live on Sky Sports 1, as the Premier League roars back into action after the international break.

Liverpool will be keen to get back to winning ways after an indifferent run of form, while Everton will be looking to go level on points with their neighbours with victory at Goodison Park.

Rafa Benitez's men failed to score against Everton last season and they will be looking to avenge last term's 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

The visitors are sweating over the fitness of star striker Fernando Torres as he battles to shake off a thigh injury to taste his first experience of a Merseyside derby.

Dirk Kuyt is expected to recover from a hamstring strain, which ruled out him out of international action for Holland, to take his place in the squad.

Benitez will assess all his returning international players before finalising his side for the trip across Stanley Park.

Daniel Agger is again expected to miss out with a foot injury, but Xabi Alonso is hoping to be fit after a similar injury.

Long-term injury victim Harry Kewell is back in training, but the game has come too soon for the Australian.

Everton could be boosted by the return of Kewell's international team-mate Tim Cahill.

Cahill has yet to feature this season because of a foot injury, but the midfielder is pushing for a spot in the squad after coming through training this week.

Andy Johnson is missing for the home side as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.

James McFadden, Victor Anichebe and Yakubu Aiyegbeni are all battling it out to start in attack for David Moyes' side.

Thomas Gravesen is likely to miss out again as he looks to shake off a knee injury.

Source: Skysports

[NJ10]

As far as I'm concerned, we have to win this if we're to keep our challenge going past Christmas this season. Of course its a tough game, Everton away would be a tough trip whoever we were, the fact that its a derby only adds to that. But we are good enough to go there and win, fact.

Our midfield has to pull its finger out, if Alonso is fit i expect him to start although I'm not sure we should leave Mascherano out of this game. Gerrard's performance will be key, I hope he will have a point to prove after the past few weeks and we will see him at his best. The wingers will also be massive for us, Pennant should start on the right and it will be a good contest between him and Baines, and on the left it may well be Riise, who has a knack of getting important goals for us so lets hope he gets one tomorrow.

No Johnson for them is a plus, he caused us plenty of problems last season. But they still have a threat, McFadden is probably playing his best football at the moment, Yakubu is a goal threat, and if Anichebe starts I'm sure he will be all over the place in his first derby. Carragher & Sami will need to be better than they were against Spurs thats for sure.

Stickin my neck on the line- head says draw, but i think we'll sneak it 2-1

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool Team:
José Reina - Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypiä, Jamie Carragher, John Arne Riise - Yossi Benayoun, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Momo Sissoko - Dirk Kuyt, Andrei Voronin.

Subs:
Charles Itandje, Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant, Ryan Babel, Lucas Leiva.

No Torres.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Good call by Rafa pushing Gerrard on the right wing. Benayoun will play on the left today.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Everton Team:
Howard; Hibbert, Stubbs, Yobo, Lescott; Arteta, Jagielka, Neville, Osman; Yakubu, Anichebe

[kyan]

Good finish from Hyppia, Reina didn't stand a chance.

1-0 Everton.

[kyan]

Shouldn't have been a pen, Hibbert was holding Gerrard's shirt from outside the box, and Gerrard was holding Hibbert's shirt as well but Gerrard goes down as soon as he gets into the box and complains to the ref that he was about to shoot so the ref changes the yellow he was going to give to a red.

Not so squeaky clean then...

Kuyt scores though, 1-1.

[russe||]

FT Mark Clattenburg won 2-1.

Disgraceful refereeing performance. The most one sided performance I've seen for a long time.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Best team won!

[russe||]

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[Mighty T.A.L.]

What???

[Evertonscouser]

We both played shite, to be honest if Torres was playing we'd had probably been stuffed but the 2 Liverpool strikers couldn't finnish their dinner for most of the game.
Can anyone who saw the game on Tv clear this up for me becasue alot of people have said this but it was at the other end of the pitch to where I was. Did Clettenburg bring out a yellow card for Hibbert and change it after Gerrard protested?
And what was the penalty call like for Everton after Liverpool's 2nd?
Anything said on sky about Kuyts 2 footed flying kick and Carragher having Lescott in a headlock when he had a goalscorring oppertunity? And Carragher screaming at the referee before he was about to book Gerrard, and then not booking him afterwards.

Lescott, Stubbs, Osman, Arteta and Anichebe were the only players who looked interested.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

It was a penalty call after Liverpool 2nd goal. I think Carra held Lescott in that situation too much.

Hibbert tackled Gerrard as last man and the rules are very clear: Red card. It dosen't matter what Gerrard told the ref.

Anichebe is very talented.

[Evertonscouser]

Originally Posted by Mighty T.A.L.

Hibbert tackled Gerrard as last man and the rules are very clear: Red card. It dosen't matter what Gerrard told the ref.

If Clattenburg needs Gerrard to tell him it was a red card incident he should be sacked. I presonally however think Gerrard dived to be honest.