Liverpool vs Everton: Top 5 Games

Liverpool vs Everton: Top 5 Games This weekend sees the 229^th Merseyside Derby and as always both sides will be desperate for a win to boost their Premier League campaign, Everton haven’t won at Anfield since 27^th September 1999 and new manager Sam Allardyce will be hoping he can ruin that record as he takes charge of his first Merseyside derby. The contest has produced memorable games for both sides but here is my pick for the top 5 Liverpool games against bitter rivals Everton. Everton 1 2 Liverpool 20th October 2007 After losing the previous Goodison Derby 3-0 the season before, Liverpool were looking to restore the balance and return to winning ways over David Moyes’ Everton. Things didn’t start as well as Liverpool had hoped and they found themselves 1-0 down after Sami Hyypia hooked a clearance into his own net. The teams would go into the halftime break with the scores like this and Liverpool didn’t get their breakthrough until Hibbert conceded a penalty in the 54^th minute and saw red for the pleasure. The ever-reliable Dirk Kuyt stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to put the teams back on level terms. With Everton down to ten men and Liverpool now level all the momentum was with the team in red, they pushed for the winner and many heads were turned when Benitez subbed off the captain for youngster Lucas Leiva. As it goes the move was a stroke of genius as it was the Brazilians shot that Phil Neville handballed on the line to give Liverpool their second penalty of the game and send Everton down to nine men. With the penalty coming in stoppage time, Dirk Kuyt once again stepped up to win Liverpool all three points and once again he scored from the spot; putting it in the same place as his previous penalty. Liverpool had snatched the points in the last seconds of the game and made up for their horror defeat at Goodison Park the season previous.   Liverpool 1 0 Everton 19th December 2016 Liverpool’s early season form meant that Jurgen Klopp’s team went into the game at Goodison with a huge amount of momentum and they looked to continue that in the build up to their big game at home to Man City on New Year’s Eve. With Everton boasting an impressive home record that saw them unbeaten there for nine months, the game was always going to be a tight affair. The back two of Lovren and Klavan kept Everton’s danger man at bay for the whole 90 minutes, Lukaku hardly got a look in and Barkley was restricted to little time on the ball too. That meant Liverpool dominated for most of the match but were just unable to find their way through. Big chances for Origi and Firmino went unpunished and Robles produced a fine save to prevent a spectacular Roberto Firmino volley off a corner. The game looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw until substitute Daniel Sturridge picked up the ball outside the box, he shifted it onto his left foot and released a wicked shot towards goal. The ball cannoned off the post and Sadio Mane was first to react to give Liverpool all three points in the 90^th minute. The reds carried on their momentum in their march towards the top of the league and would eventually beat City in the big crunch match.   Liverpool 4 0 Everton 20th April 2016 In the grand scheme of things, this game hindered Liverpool more than it helped them; but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying to watch the way that the reds brushed aside their Merseyside rivals. With Liverpool fully focusing on their Europa League campaign, league games had become just a way to keep players fit between European ties given the position Liverpool had put themselves in and Jurgen Klopp’s team was certainly firing on all cylinders that night. Despite Liverpool’s dominance, the breakthrough didn’t come until just before half time; Divock Origi meeting James Milner’s cross at the back post and rising above Funes Mori to head Liverpool into the lead. Liverpool would them double their lead two minutes later as more poor defending from Everton meant that Sakho found himself unmarked and was able to nod in another James Milner cross so that Liverpool went into half-time 2-0 up. The story continued in the second half, Liverpool created chance after chance on an evening that would see them register 37 shots on goal. The defining moment of the game came in the 50^th minute, a horror tackle from Ramiro Funes Mori meant that Origi had to leave the pitch with an injury that would only see him return just in time for the Europa League final, the Argentine centre half saw red for the tackle and Daniel Sturridge came on with Everton down to 10 men. It was Sturridge who then netted the third, taking a pass from Lucas in his stride before striking the ball past Robles. Everton’s ten-man handicap just made it easier for Liverpool and Coutinho would make it 4-0 before the night was over, Liverpool had dominated the game against their local rivals and would book their place in the Europa League final weeks later.   Liverpool 3 0 Everton 13th March 2012 Similar to the game in April 2016, the two sides league positions meant that domestically the points didn’t mean much however as always neither side wanted to lose to the other team over the park. Both sides left a lot to be desired with the likes of Martin Kelly, Stewart Downing and Jay Spearing starting for Liverpool and Tony Hibbert, Denis Stracqualursi and Victor Anichebe starting for Everton. Liverpool asserted their dominance early and by the 34^th minute they had the lead through Steven Gerrard after Martin Kelly saw two of his efforts saved before the captain calmly lobbed the ball over Tim Howard and his defenders back on the line. Liverpool’s and the skippers tally were doubled early in the second half after some nice work from Suarez allowed Gerrard to run onto the ball and smash it into the roof of the net. With the game out of sight for Everton Gerrard piled on the misery for the blues after Suarez once again laid it on a plate for the midfielder to get his hat-trick. Gerrard’s three goals was the first time a player had scored a hat-trick in a Merseyside derby since Ian Rush in 1982 and took his total tally of goals against Everton to eight in his career.   Liverpool 2 1 Everton 14th April 2012 Probably the biggest Merseyside derby in recent years, both sets of fans travelled south as Liverpool took on Everton at Wembley in the FA Cup Semi Final. Liverpool had already won the League Cup that season and were hoping to see off their neighbours and get into another final. Everton took the lead through Nikica Jelavic as Liverpool took their time getting into the game, David Moyes’ side were fully deserving of their lead going into half time and it would take a big turn in performance if Liverpool were going to fight their way back into one of their biggest games of the season. In typical Everton fashion they were the creators of their own downfall, Sylvain Distin gifted Luis Suarez an equaliser 15 minutes into the second half after a misplaced pass back and with the game tied up the momentum favoured Liverpool with just under half an hour left of normal time. The sides would stay at a deadlock until the 87^th minute when Everton would give away a silly foul on the left of their own box, Craig Bellamy stepped up to swing the ball in and £35 million-man Andy Carroll was on hand to rise above everyone else and nod the ball into the net. The big mans header had sent Liverpool through to their second final in a season and once again gave Liverpool fans the bragging rights for their journey back up north. Article by Louis Connor Twitter: @Loui_Connor