New Delhi: A late equalising goal from Tim Cahill ensured that Liverpool missed the chance to return to the top of the Barclays Premier League on Monday evening.
In a fiercely contested Merseyside Derby at Anfield, Fernando Torres missed a golden opportunity to score in the first half, but the visitors were the more threatening side in front of goal.
Liverpool improved significantly in the second half, though, and took the lead with a trademark long-range strike from captain Steven Gerrard (68). But with it looking like the hosts would close the match out for a home win; Tim Cahill headed home a dramatic late equaliser for Everton (87).
Liverpool have now drawn six of their last nine games in the Premier League and trail Manchester United on goal difference, with the Red Devils holding a game in hand.
Team News
Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres were both named in the starting line-up for Liverpool. Xabi Alonso also came into the side to partner Steven Gerrard in central midfield, with Javier Mascherano only making the substitutes’ bench.
Everton were without influential midfielder Marouane Fellaini through suspension.
Victor Anichebe came in for him, but he started on the right wing, meaning Tim Cahill continued in an unfamiliar striking role.
First Half
It took only 33 seconds until the first attempt on goal of the Derby. Anichebe controlled the bouncing ball well on the edge of the penalty area and got a shot away on goal, prompting Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper, into a sharp low save to his left.
The home side were the more dominant in terms of possession and territorial advantage, but found it difficult to find space against a well organised visiting unit, who were creating more in front of goal when they did get the chance.
In the 25th minute, Anichebe found space on the right after a Toffees counter-attack was launched by Steven Pienaar. He floated in a cross that found Tim Cahill, able to climb above defenders Sami Hyypia and Martin Skrtel, whose headed effort forced Reina into another smart stop at the far post.
Three minutes later, Liverpool created a golden opportunity to take the lead.
Hyypia played a long ball up from defence and found the normally watertight Everton back four wide open. Torres raced into the gap and latched on to the ball.
He dribbled into the penalty area under pressure from Phil Jagielka, waited for Everton ’keeper Tim Howard to commit himself, but then incredibly found the outside of the post with the goal gaping from six yards out.
Albert Riera had a rasping long-range effort that fell just wide of Howard’s goal just before half-time, but the two sides went in with the game goalless at the break.
Second Half
Liverpool started the second half brightly, and within two minutes of the re-start, Torres was being felled by Jagielka in the Everton area. It didn’t look like there was much contact made with the ball, but Torres did also seem to go down rather easily upon his collision with the English defender.
In any case, referee Howard Webb gave nothing despite pleas for a penalty from the Kop.
Then, after Everton struggled to clear a Liverpool corner, Riera’s cross resulted in havoc being caused in the visiting defence. The Spaniard’s ball in fell to Skrtel, who teed up Gerrard to strike left-footed.
The England midfielder’s effort was well saved by Howard, but the American was unable to hold the ball and it took a brave block from Leighton Baines to deny the onrushing Hyypia.
On the hour mark, Torres struck over the bar from 20 yards after Dirk Kuyt’s pass, and the Toffees were struggling to get a foothold in the game, with only a half-hearted penalty claim from Anichebe to show for their second half endeavours to that point.
But there was still no breakthrough for ‘Pool, meaning that Robbie Keane, following another fruitless shift in attack, was replaced by Yossi Benayoun. Within minutes, there was a goal, though, with the club’s captain fantastic coming up trumps yet again.
With 68 minutes on the clock, Riera fed the ball to Gerrard, who was in oceans of space 30 yards from goal, and the England midfielder took just two steps before slamming his low, hard shot past Howard - sending Anfield into raptures.
Everton took their time to rally in search of an equaliser, but their first attempt on goal in the second half did eventually come when Leon Osman worked Reina in the 83rd minute following good work from Tony Hibbert on the right.
With the game starting to edge towards full-time, they got their rewards for a hard-working performance with three minutes to go. After Benayoun carelessly fouled Anichebe, Arteta had the chance to whip in a free-kick from just outside the box.
The Spaniard’s delivery did not disappoint and Cahill, somehow able to evade being marked in a penalty area crowded with Liverpool defenders, planted a header home from inside the six-yard box.
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