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PA Sport, 20 Mar 2005
Liverpool 2 Everton 1
Liverpool clawed their way to within five points of Barclays Premiership
neighbours Everton with victory in a dramatic derby battle at Anfield.
The hosts were two goals ahead through Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia at
the break, but by then had lost Fernando Morientes, Dietmar Hamann and
Stephen Warnock injured.
The second period was a battle for Liverpool to survive, made worse when
Milan Baros was sent off for a foul on Alan Stubbs.
Everton scored through Tim Cahill to set up a frantic finale but they
could not force the equaliser.
Mauricio Pellegrino held his place in the heart of Liverpool's defence.
He played in the midweek draw with Blackburn because Sami Hyypia had a
stomach upset - but boss Rafael Benitez named the Finn on the bench to
allow the big Argentinian a chance to cement himself into Liverpool's
first-choice side.
John Arne Riise, rested in midweek, returned on the left flank while
Milan Baros and Morientes continued up front in a partnership which has
so far failed to sparkle.
Everton brought back skipper Alan Stubbs in central defence after
injury, with Yobo reverting to a holding midfield role as the Toffees
continued with their tried and trusted 4-5-1 system.
James Beattie, back after a three-match ban, was on the bench along with
Steve Watson - who has been out since December with a stomach muscle
problem. James McFadden and Mikel Arteta failed fitness tests.
Two fierce tackles by Gerrard on Lee Carsley and Alessandro Pistone in
the opening minutes set the tone for this 201st Merseyside derby, with
Everton intent on surviving the initial onslaught.
Referee Rob Styles was trying to allow the game to flow, but poor
tackles by Tim Cahill on Warnock and then Luis Garcia on Kevin Kilbane
tested this approach by the official.
Baros wasted a couple of half-chances and Kilbane blocked a first-time
effort from Gerrard from Luis Garcia's free-kick, but the Toffees were
keeping their nerve and halting the Liverpool flow.
Warnock never really recovered from that blow to his ankle from Carsley,
and in the 20th minute the youngster was taken off and replaced by
Antonio Nunez, which meant a Liverpool reshuffle with Riise going to
left-back and Luis Garcia - who had been neat and clever on the right -
switching to the left flank.
Luis Garcia hooked over after Nigel Martyn had half punched away a Baros
cross in the 23rd minute, before Tony Hibbert was penalised for bringing
down the little Spaniard on the edge of the box.
The incident upset Everton, who surrounded the fallen midfielder
claiming he had gone down too easily.
Weir got too close, Luis Garcia reacted while on the deck and referee
Styles had a lot of sorting out to do before the free-kick was taken.
But in all the tension, Gerrard remained cool and when the 27th-minute
free-kick from Hamann was pushed to him, the Liverpool skipper guided
the 18-yard effort into the bottom left hand corner of Martyn's goal.
Five minutes later it was 2-0.
Morientes hit a dipping 30-yard effort and Martyn could only push the
ball onto the bar, with Luis Garcia rush in to head home.
Baros was through and shot badly wide and Luis Garcia hooked over, with
Everton's defence wilting under the pace and pressure confronting them.
Hamann then went down with no-one near him. After treatment on an ankle,
Styles dropped the ball to allow Osman to give the ball back to
Liverpool, but he decided to continue play for Everton to mount an attack.
The Anfield crowd erupted in disgust, and were equally upset when Weir
was booked for a foul on Baros, Yobo was then cautioned for cutting down
Nunez and Morientes limped away after a tackle by Yobo.
Liverpool had to bring on Igor Biscan for Hamann and Vladimir Smicer for
Morientes in quick succession with the atmosphere deteriorating alarmingly.
Next into the book was Osman for a foul on Baros in first-half
injury-time, before Carsley clipped a free-kick over the bar.
Everton brought on Beattie for Yobo at the break, the need for a greater
presence in attack blatantly obvious.
The team from across Stanley Park started the second period on the
offensive as Liverpool struggled to cope with the loss of so many key
players.
But Baros had the chance to settle the affair on 51 minutes when Stubbs
trod on the ball and fell over, allowing the Czech to race clear into an
open half.
But as he approached Martyn, he delayed his shot and allowed Hibbert the
chance to make a great saving tackle in the box.
Everton's next gambit was the most obvious with Duncan Ferguson coming
on up front in place of Bent as they pressed to get back into the match.
The aerial onslaught intensified with Jamie Carragher and the uncertain
Pellegrino under siege at times.
Liverpool had Gerrard and Biscan deep and just Baros in attack as the
Everton pressure grew.
Ferguson was at war with the two Liverpool centre-backs, referee Styles
needing to be close to the action to keep a grip on things.
Baros, who saw one 25-yard effort dip over, again could have finished
the game after 68 minutes.
He fought his way clear of Weir's grabbing hands, Styles playing
advantage, but as he got to the box again he delayed and allowed Martyn
- with his feet - to deflect the effort wide.
Everton brought on Beattie for Yobo at the break, the need for a greater
presence in attack blatantly obvious.
The team from across Stanley Park started the second period on the
offensive as Liverpool struggled to cope with the loss of so many key
players.
But Baros had the chance to settle the affair on 51 minutes when Stubbs
trod on the ball and fell over, allowing the Czech to race clear into an
open half.
But as he approached Martyn, he delayed his shot and allowed Hibbert the
chance to make a great saving tackle in the box.
Everton's next gambit was the most obvious with Duncan Ferguson coming
on up front in place of Bent as they pressed to get back into the match.
Baros again could have finished the game. He fought his way clear of
Weir's grabbing hands, Styles playing advantage, but he allowed Martyn
to deflect the effort wide.
Weir had left Baros in a heap on the left touchline before the striker
snapped and got himself sent off for his next tackle, launching himself
into Stubbs as the Everton man cleared. Referee Styles showed an
immediate red card and Liverpool were down to ten men.
Inside four minutes Everton had pulled one back. Ferguson won a header
and Cahill lashed the ball inside Jerzy Dudek's left hand post. Steve
Finnan was booked, Watson replaced Pistone and Hibbert was booked for a
foul on Smicer. But the home side clung on and the whole side, including
Benitez hugged each other in the centre of the pitch at the end, showing
how much it meant to the Anfield men.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Pellegrino, Warnock (Nunez 21),
Luis Garcia, Hamann (Biscan 40), Gerrard, Riise, Baros, Morientes
(Smicer 43)
Subs not used: Carson, Hyypia
Booked: Finnan
Sent off: Baros 77
Goals: Gerrard 27, Luis Garcia 32
Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Stubbs, Weir, Pistone (Watson 84), Yobo
(Beattie 45), Osman, Carsley, Cahill, Kilbane, Bent (Ferguson 55)
Subs not used: Wright, Naysmith
Booked: Weir, Yobo, Osman, Hibbert
Goals: Cahill 82
Att: 44,224
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire)
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