Fired-up Everton put a dent in Liverpool's Champions' League hopes in the 162nd
Mersey derby, and set up Manchester United to seal the championship if they can
win at Southampton on Saturday.
Everton did their best to upset their closest neighbours, refusing to concede
an inch on their own patch to the Anfield side, who have now lost only two of
their last 26 league matches.
And referee Graham Poll found himself at the centre of controversy in the last
minute when he disallowed an Everton goal.
Sander Westerveld's free-kick bounced off the back of Don Hutchison, who was
not the required 10 yards away, and into the net.
Everton surrounded the official, who ran to pick up the ball and signal that
the game was over. Hutchison was oblivious, but the Hertfordshire referee did
not even re-start the game to cause confusion and anger around Goodison Park.
Everton have now lost only one of their last 11 games against the old enemy,
and more that shook Gerard Houllier's men.
Michael Owen saw three good chances saved well by Paul Gerrard, but veteran
Mark Hughes should have won this game, his first Merseyside derby, when he shot
wide when put clean through in the second half.
The opening was frantic and full blooded, as expected, and Liverpool's teenage
midfielder David Thompson managed to enrage Everton fans and get himself booked
after just six minutes for a lunge at Nicky Barmby.
For those who like derbies raw and rough, this was the stuff to get the blood
boiling, but from then on the fayre was much tamer, Everton zipping the ball
around midfield and looking the classier, while Liverpool were forced to defend
and break, with only limited effect.
At least Thompson had the right idea. Minutes before being booked he had gone
down clutching his face after a challenge with Dave Unsworth, rolling over, only
to jump up quickly when referee Graham Poll ignored him.
Thompson then clattered Barmby from behind before being cautioned straight
afterwards, leaving the youngster walking a tightrope for the remainder of the
game.
Everton took the initiative. After eight minutes Mark Hughes' pass sent Barmby
clear, only for his left-footer to be held low to his left by Westerveld.
Michael Owen had the best early chance on 12 minutes when Patrik Berger's pass
put him clear, but Paul Gerrard made an excellent save to his right.
Everton were playing their way neatly through midfield, with first time touches and
clever running, giving Liverpool plenty to worry about.
A 21st minute Barmby corner cleared a packed six-yard box, and was hooked wide
from beyond the far post by Mark Hughes as the home side sought to turn their
greater possession into something more positive.
John Collins was busy, pulling all the strings in Everton's midfield, but
there was little end product in the box in the opening half against Sami Hyypia
and Stephane Henchoz, despite the usual bullish efforts of veteran Hughes.
Liverpool had been pegged back, but one blistering break by Emile Heskey after
31 minutes almost broke the deadlock.
The ball went out to Thompson, whose cross was met by Owen with a hook shot
that Gerrard somehow clawed down, Heskey had a dig at the loose ball before
Richard Dunne hacked it clear.
Liverpool at times looked like they were patiently waiting to impose their
quality on the proceedings, and at times were harrassed out of their stride by a
totally committed Everton.
Heskey twice needed lengthy treatment after receiving a blow to his head
before injuring his back as he crashed over Stephen Hughes, and the game really
began to hot up when Dietmar Hamann was booked after 43 minutes for a foul on
Collins.
From the free-kick, Abel Xavier headed just wide of the post and Heskey
collapsed again, holding his back, and needed treatment behind the goal before
returning to the fray.
Heskey didn't make it for the second half, Robbie Fowler coming on as
substitute, his first senior appearance since scoring as a substitute against
Wimbledon on December 28.
The second period was quicker, more competitive and a far better spectacle. It
started with a searing run from deep by Steven Gerrard, which ended with a
close-range effort beaten away by Paul Gerrard, while at the other end a Dave
Unsworth free-kick was lifted in to Mark Hughes, totally unmarked, and the
Welshman had more time than he thought to turn and shoot, his effort skying over
the top.
After 50 minutes Hughes again held off Hyypia and put Unsworth into space on
the left for a low cross that Barmby cracked low to Westerveld's right, the
Dutch keeper needing to make a solid save.
Both teams had upped their pace by now, and one flowing Liverpool move ended
with an 18-yard drive from Owen that Gerrard just fingered wide.
Vegard Heggem came on for Thompson after 55 minutes, and a minute later
Everton should have gone ahead when Mark Pembridge put Mark Hughes clear in the
box, only for his national team boss to slide his shot wide of the far post.
Hughes, stung by his miss, then lofted a neat ball into Liverpool's box for
Hutchison to chase, only for Henchoz to make a superb saving tackle to hook the
ball away at the last second.
The tackles continued to fly in, with Gerrard going in strongly on Barmby, and
Dominic Matteo doing likewise to Collins.
Pembridge and then Collins - from 18 yards - both tested Westerveld, and
fourth official Mike Riley was having his work cut out keeping calm on the bench
with Smith, and Phil Thompson, both leaping around with an opinion on
everything.
Pembridge, this time after a Hughes overhead kick, saw a stinging drive
touched round the post by Westerveld after 71 minutes.
Hamann could have scored when he surged through on the right to fire wide of
the far post, but still it was Everton who were the more forceful and when the
Liverpool defence failed to clear a corner, Barmby clipped the ball back in and
both David Weir and Hutchison could have scored in a frantic six-yard box
scramble.
Mark Hughes gave way to Francis Jeffers for the last 10 minutes, but Patrik
Berger could have settled the issue after 82 minutes with a scorching run and
drive, beaten out by Gerrard.
And Berger almost made the telling contribution three minutes from time as he barged through Xavier's weak challenge and cut the ball back for Heggem from the left but the Liverpool subsitute didn't connnect with sufficient force and Gerrard was able to make the save.
Henchoz got himself into the book for bringing down Jeffers in full flow as
the battle heated up further - and it reached boiling point with the Hutchison
incident at the end.
Referee Poll later gave his view of the last-gasp "goal" that never was: "It was a freekick and
basically I looked at my watch and I thought, as he (Sander Westerveld) kicked
it out, 'it's the last kick of the game - it's finished.' My time was up, we'd
added the correct amount of time on for stoppages.
"As he's (Westerveld) kicked I've then blown and you've seen what's happened.
It's hit the player (Hutchison) - who wasn't anywhere near 10 yards away, so
it's (the controversy) largely irrelevant.
Teams
Everton: Gerrard, Dunne, Xavier, Weir, Unsworth,
Pembridge (Ball 85), Collins, S. Hughes, Barmby (Ward 89),
M. Hughes (Jeffers 81), Hutchison.
Subs Not Used: Jevons, Simonsen.
Liverpool: Westerveld, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Matteo,
Thompson (Heggem 56), Hamann, Gerrard, Berger, Owen, Heskey (Fowler 46).
Subs Not Used: Smicer, Murphy, Nielsen.
Booked: Thompson, Hamann, Henchoz.
Att: 40,052
Ref: G Poll (Tring).
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