Everton 2 Liverpool 2

The 219th Mersey Derby and the 187th League meeting saw Jose Enrique return to the fold with Glen Johnson failing to recover from the injury picked up in midweek and Brad Jones continuing in goal with Pepe Reina on the bench. Stewart Downing after his wonderful goal midweek returned to the bench with Shelvey and Sterling and Suso started supporting Suarez upfront.

The opening ten minutes saw both teams vying for an opening with the away team looking to impose their passing game. Liverpool took the lead with Enrique combining superbly with Suso whose crossed low to Sterling, who had a great shout for penalty after being hauled down by Baines. Suarez picking the ball up beyond the back post slammed a shot back in which ricochet off Baines into the net. Suarez celebrated by sarcastic dive in front of the Everton bench in response to the Everton manager’s post match comments.

Liverpool were soon two up. Sterling surging into the Everton half was tripped by Osman and from the resultant free-kick Gerrard, a trademark whipped in delivery, the unmarked Suarez glanced home. The lead was soon pegged back to one as Brad Jones punched a corner back into the path of Osman whose half-volley took a deflection of Allen on its way into the net . Suarez almost restored the two goal lead with a stinging drive which flashed past the post.

Everton begun to take control of the game imposing their physicality and own brand of possession football and they were soon rewarded, when Fellaini picking up a breaking ball inside the area, after some great work from Kevin Mirallas who had given Wisdom an uncomfortable half, intelligently squared the ball across the face of goal for the onrushing Naysmith to slam home at close range with Enrique seemingly appearing not to have recognised his defensive responsibilities.

Liverpool introduced Coates and Shelvey at the break for Sahin and Suso as Rodgers recognised the need to increased the presence in the battle zones by going to a back three with an extra man in the midfield. A glorious ball from Enrique sent Sterling away, now playing in behind Suarez free on goal, but for the once the Liverpool youngster’s composure deserted him at the critical, shanking his chip nearer the corner flag than the goal. Sterling was the cynically hauled down by Jagielka 35 yards from goal. Gerrard’s long range shot from the free-kick was palmed away. 

Everton almost took the lead after Nikica Jelavić was inches away from poking the ball home, but for a last ditch tackle from Skrtel. The Croatian marksman should have put Everton ahead with a header from a Baines free-kick. Liverpool were giving away free-kicks with increasingly regularity in dangerous areas with Baines delivery becoming an ever increasing threat. Everton were now completely dominant with Sterling and Suarez living on scraps with Liverpool playing on the counter-attack. 

Gerarrd almost put Liverpool ahead when after some marvellous work pressuring Distin by Henderson squared the ball back, which was played back to Gerrard whose goal bound shot was blocked in front of the line by Jagielka. 

Liverpool came back in the game in the last ten minutes and seemingly won the game with the last kick of the game with Suarez wheeling away in celebration. Gerrard’s free kick was knocked knocked down by Sebastian Coates which Suarez showing a poachers instinct to poke the ball home. After what seemed a delayed reaction the linesman flag went up to smash Liverpool’s dreams of victory. Replays showed the decision to be a poor one. 

Man of The Match: Luis Suarez – By a country mile the best play on the pitch scoring his fifth league goal of the season with another cruelly rubbed off by a woeful decision. He was back to impudent best teasing the Everton defence at will and providing Liverpool with that cutting edge in the penalty box we’ve so often lacked in this season. 

Comment: Defensive errors cost Liverpool dear as both Everton goals could so easily have been avoided. Liverpool’s teenagers finally found just how hard the profession game can be. Wisdom was given an uncomfortable afternoon by Kevin Mirallas, but lacked supportive cover. He came back strongly in the second-half after Mirallas went off at half-time and the physicality of the game seemed to inhibit Suso (and Sahin) but he has enough quality to learn from that. 

Sterling became frustrated in the first half with his lack of success and gave away a silly free-kick for a petulant tackle. Moved behind Suarez in the second-half he showed he provided some nice touches and his pace threatened the Everton back line and it may well be that his future lies in playing through the middle with his game intelligence. 

Brad Jones was disappointing in goal, being at fault for the first goal and being fortunate to be given a foul when dropping the ball under a challenge. The performances of Pepe Reina over the last 18 months has being worrying enough without our no. 2 getting the jitters.