Kuyt helps Liverpool beat the Blues

Dirk Kuyt’s 50th goal for Liverpool gave Rafa Benitez’s 10 men a 1-0 victory over Everton after Sotirios Kyrgiakos’s first Merseyside derby ended with the Greek defender being sent off at Anfield on Saturday.

In a hotly contested match, Kyrgiakos became the 18th player to be red-carded in 24 matches between these two rivals before South Africa’s Steven Pienaar was sent off for Everton in the dying moments.

Referee Martin Atkinson had his work cut out as Everton’s Marouane Fellaini was also fortunate not to be sent off.

Pienaar was also lucky to last as long as he did, yet Liverpool overcame the loss of Kyrgiakos to secure all three points that saw them move above Tottenham, who face Aston Villa later on Saturday, into fourth spot.

There have been a flurry of red cards in Merseyside derbies in recent years and the 213th meeting between the arch-rivals proved every bit as bruising.

The tone was set as early as the fourth minute when Steven Gerrard was man-handled in front of the Kop by Phil Neville, England’s newly-appointed vice-captain picking himself up to deliver a set-piece which had Tim Howard scrambling to fist the ball away.

Liverpool, who had Maxi Rodriguez, Lucas and Daniel Agger back in the side, carved out the better openings as they went in search of their fifth successive home win in the league.

Agger blazed over from 12 yards, while David Ngog lost control at the vital moment after Kuyt’s defence-splitting pass.

Then came the first of many poorly-timed challenges, Kuyt handed a 20th minute caution for bringing down United States international Landon Donovan just outside the area.

That allowed Everton to test Jose Reina for the first time, the Liverpool keeper tipping Leighton Baines’s free-kick over for a corner.

Atkinson had not shown a red card in his last 22 games yet he had his work cut out as tempers threatened to boil over.

Pienaar has been in excellent form during Everton’s revival but the South African was fortunate not to receive his marching orders for an x-rated 29th minute challenge on Javier Mascherano that left the Argentine screaming in agony.

Seconds later Pienaar was left on the ground clutching his leg after a challenge by Jamie Carragher, who was shown a yellow card after Everton players had surrounded the refreree.

It was Liverpool who were reduced to 10 men 11 minutes before half time.

Kyrgiakos can have few complaints about being shown a straight red for his two-footed lunge on Fellaini which forced the midfielder off with an injury.

But Benitez was furious that Fellaini was not given his marching orders after replays appeared to show he had stamped on Kyrgiakos’s ankle in the same incident.

To their credit, Liverpool adopted a siege mentality after losing Kyrgiakos and went close to breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half time, Gerrard striking the bar with a 20-yard free kick.

Everton struggled to make the extra man advantage count. After Australia’s Tim Cahill spurned a great chance with virtually the last action of the first half, Moyes’s side hardly put Reina under any serious pressure even after Kuyt had given the hosts the lead.

Kuyt had scored against Everton in a 2-0 win at Goodison Park earlier in the season and he again hurt Liverpool’s arch-rivals after connecting with Gerrard’s 55th minute corner.

A controversial game ended with Pienaar receiving his marching orders in the dying moments after his barge on Gerrard resulted in a second yellow card.