Sport Cafe

by Neil Johnston

Filed under: Everton, Liverpool, Premier League, Football, Match Reports

Andy Carroll went some way towards silencing his critics as the £35 million striker's first league goal of the season helped earn Liverpool victory in a controversial and incident-packed Merseyside derby. Tim Howard looked like being Everton's hero after denying Dirk Kuyt from the penalty spot at the end of the first half. David Moyes's side were forced to play with 10 men for more than an hour after midfielder Jack Rodwell was harshly sent off midway through the first half for what appeared at worst a yellow card challenge on Luis Suarez. But Carroll's first goal in 10 league appearances in the 71st minute put Liverpool in control before Suarez made the game safe nine minutes from the end following poor defending by Everton. Tweeter Facebook FourSquare iPhone THE GOALS 71mins: That's a quality finish from a player who has found himself under pressure for his lack of goals. Jose Enrique's pull-back from the left is hammered home from 12-yards by Carroll after Kuyt cleverly ducks to get out of the way. (0-1) 82mins: Leighton Baines and Sylvain Distin get themselves in a tangle trying to clear the ball - allowing Suarez to pounce from close range. (0-2) OTHER HIGHLIGHTS 9mins: Suarez is presented with a golden opportunity to net his fourth league goal of the campaign but somehow heads straight at Howard following Kuyt's cross. 10mins: Everton respond immediately through Merseyside derby veteran Tim Cahill, but the Australian's header from Seamus Coleman's pin-point centre is tipped over the bar by Pepe Reina. 11mins: Great foot-work by Distin opens up the Liverpool defence, but the defender's powerful effort flies narrowly over the bar. 22mins: That's embarrassing. Referee Martin Atkinson shows Rodwell a straight red after the young midfielder wins the ball before catching Suarez. A booking, maybe. Not, repeat, not, a red. 43mins: More controversy as the referee points to the penalty spot after Phil Jagielka's challenge on Suarez. This time Everton can have few complaints, but Kuyt's spot-kick is brilliantly kept out by Howard at full-stretch. 45mins: Deep into stoppage time, Charlie Adam's powerful 20-yard effort crashes against the Everton bar. 52mins: Louis Saha comes to Everton's rescue as he clears Carroll's goal-bound header following Adam's corner. REACTION: Everton manager Moyes failed to mask his anger when asked about the decision to send Rodwell off: "I'd have been disappointed if it had even been a free-kick. And if he had been shown a yellow card, I would have asked 'what has he given that for?' I don't know if you can (appeal a red card). I don't really know what the situation is. Jack's a young man making his way in the game. It's a big day for him. Maybe some people thought it could have been a free-kick, but it certainly wasn't any more than that. But we have to move on from it." On his team's performance: "At the end of the day it wasn't the referee that lost us the game. It was ourselves because we made a couple of defensive lapses. It was hard enough playing Liverpool 11 against 11. It was a really tough game for us and in the end it became tougher. "But I thought the players kept at it. We made a couple of defensive lapses which cost us. We were beignning to grow into the game. At 11 versus 11 it wasn't a bad game, and we were doing quite well." Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish refused to get drawn into the debate about Rodwell's sending-off: "I've not seen the incident and I don't know whether he deserved red or not. After they went down to 10, we were very professional, composed and thorough in what we were trying to do. Sometimes it's difficult to play against 10. You know what you're going to get from Everton. They put in a great of effort to try and keep it at 0-0, and they even tried and win it for themselves. On the prospect of Steven Gerrard, yet to make a start after injury, being called up by England for the Euro 2012 qualifier with Montenegro: "It's another step forward for Steven - coming on in the derby and getting a few more minutes under his belt. I think Steven put forward his views yesterday (about England) and I don't think there's anything I need to add." On Carroll's goal and Kuyt's penalty miss: "What was pleasing was the reaction of Dirk Kuyt after missing the penalty. It didn't seem to affect him which is the sign of a strong character. I think Andy was very unlucky before his goal. "We said when we signed them (Suarez and Carroll) that is was a great bit of busines for the club and there's no reason for us to change that opinion. We're delighted with them, the big one has worked really hard in training and he's getting his reward on the pitch." WHAT IT MEANS Liverpool head into the international break with 13 points from their opening seven games after a fourth win in six league games. Carroll's goal could be the kick-start he so desperately needs, particularly after coming in such an important fixture for Liverpool. Everton have now lost back-to-back league games for the first time in almost two years. They have every right to feel upset about Rodwell's dismissal. But it was not only the referee who was guilty of making a mistake as Everton's defensive failings contributed towards their downfall. EVERTON 0 LIVERPOOL 2 (Carroll 71, Suarez 82) PLAYER MARKING: Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard 7; Hibbert 6 (Vellios 78, 5), Jagielka 6, Distin 6, Baines 6; Coleman 6 (Drenthe 59, 6), Fellaini 6, Rodwell 6, Osman 6 (Neville 69, 5); Cahill 6; Saha 6. Subs (not used): Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi, Barkley. Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina 7; Kelly 7, Carragher 7, Skrtel 7, Enrique 7; Kuyt 8, Lucas 7 (Henderson 88), Adam 7 (Gerrard 67, 6), Downing 7 (Bellamy 67, 7); Suarez 7, Carroll 7. Subs (not used): Doni, Coates, Spearing, Flanagan. REFEREE: Martin Atkinson ATTENDANCE: 39,510 NEXT UP: - Everton v Chelsea (away), Premier League, 15/10, 1730 BST - Liverpool v Manchester United (home), Premier League, 15/10, 1245 BST

 

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