Tempers flared in the first half at Goodison Park
Romelu Lukaku equalised after Danny Ings opened the
scoring as the Merseyside derby ended 1-1 at
Goodison Park.
The visitors took the lead with four minutes remaining
in the first half when Ings headed home unmarked
from James Milner’s inswinging corner.
However, Liverpool were not ahead for long as Everton
hit back through Lukaku, the Belgian taking full
advantage of Emre Can’s inability to clear a Gerard
Deulofeu cross.
The result leaves Everton a point ahead of Liverpool in
the Premier League table and just three points off
second place.
Danny Ings heads Liverpool ahead unchallenged from a
corner
The game started at a frantic pace and rarely slowed
during the first half. Liverpool were on top in the first
10 minutes and twice Everton needed to be alert to
prevent an opening goal.
First, Tim Howard rushed out to slide tackle Milner
after the midfielder was played through by Daniel
Sturridge down the inside left channel, before Martin
Skrtel squared the ball for Sturridge who was only
denied by Phil Jagielka’s well-timed challenge.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez was pleased with his
side’s performance after their 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Ings hit a dipping half-volley from the edge of the box
before the quarter-hour mark before Everton began to
come back into the game.
However, it was Liverpool who got in again as Philippe
Coutinho scooped a lovely pass over the defence to
Milner but his near-post effort from a tight angle was
blocked by the legs of Howard.
Soon afterwards, though, it was Howard’s opposite
number who was forced into action – Simon Mignolet
denying first Steven Naismith, then James McCarthy
with two excellent saves.
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku levels the score in first-half injury
time
The first came after Naismith got free of Mamadou
Sakho and headed goalwards from eight yards only to
be denied by a brilliant reaction stop by the Belgian
‘keeper and less than two minutes later Mignolet flung
himself to his right to push away McCarthy’s powerful
hit from the edge of the box.
With Everton in the ascendancy, tempers flared just
after the half-hour with Can and Ross Barkley squaring
up to one another as the German refused to give the
ball back for an Everton throw. Milner stepped in to
hold back the centre-back just as things threatened to
boil over and before long players from both sides had
piled in.
The result was a yellow card apiece for Can and
Barkley. The latter fortunate not to be sent off having
escaped a booking for kicking the ball away earlier in
the game.
The breakthrough came less than five minutes before
the break with Ings left unmarked in the six yard box
to nod a simple head past Howard from Milner’s
corner.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was proud of his
player’s effort and positive attitude as they earned a 1-1
draw in the Merseyside derby.
Everton responded well, though, and kept Liverpool
pegged in their own half for the next five minutes until
they found their equaliser.
In the end it came courtesy of a defensive error.
Deulofeu’s cross from the right was a good one but
Can’s clearance at the far post certainly was not.
He hit it along the ground and into Skrtel. The ball then
sat up perfectly for Lukaku to hammer it beyond
Mignolet into the far corner.
Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho (second left) and Everton’s
Romelu Lukaku (second right) clashed in the second half
Everton remained buoyed by the goal even as the
second half began and they got on the front foot early
on.
Tyias Browning saw his header deflected over the bar
before Mignolet had to get down well to intercept
Lukaku’s low cross with Deulofeu waiting at the back
post.
The Toffees’ front man was starting to cause real
problems for Liverpool’s centre-backs and he helped
create the space for Aaron Lennon and Barkley to get
in down the flanks and put in dangerous balls that
Skrtel did well to clear.
Barkley threatened again for Everton as he benefitted
from some slack Liverpool passing to break through
the centre of the pitch. He reached the edge of the box
unchallenged but then curled his shot just wide of the
post.
Derby day talking points
We reflect on events at Goodison
Park where it finished all square
Lukaku tested Mignolet with another shot from inside
the box before Everton were left fuming after Lucas
escaped a red card.
The Brazilian had been booked earlier in the half for a
foul on Barkley and, when he tripped McCarthy, a
second booking seemed a formality. However, Martin
Atkinson kept his cards in his pockets and Lucas
escaped before being substituted soon afterwards.
Coutinho then had a shot blocked by Barry as both
sides pushed for a winner.
Roberto Martinez (L) and Brendan Rodgers shared the
spoils at Goodison Park
There was still time one final flash point in the last
minute.
Sakho and Lukaku clashed inside the Liverpool box
and had to be dragged apart by their team-mates with
both seemingly intent on a heavyweight showdown.
A yellow card each was the result and despite more
Everton pressure late on it ended all square.
Player ratings
Everton: Howard (6), Browning (6), Jagielka (8), Fures
Mori (7), Galloway (6), McCarthy (7), Barry (6),
Deulofeu (6), Barkley (7), Naismith (6), Lukaku (8).
Subs: Lennon (6), Kone (5).
Liverpool: Mignolet (7), Can (6), Skrtel (7), Sakho (7),
Clyne (5), Lucas (6), Milner (7), Coutinho (5), Moreno
(7), Ings (7), Sturridge (6).
Subs: Lallana (6), Allen (6).
