Liverpool claim a vital derby victory

So Liverpool won the Merseyside derby 2-0 at Goodison Park against Everton. I’m currently listening to the local radio station football phone-in and Liverpool fans still don’t seem happy.

Took their chances

Liverpool fans are still not happy because a lot thought that their team produced a bit of a smash and grab. They took their chances but Everton didn’t, much to my annoyance.

If Liverpool were playing an in-form Everton it probably would of been a completely different result. Liverpool were playing an Everton side devoid of any confidence or belief.

Liverpool are low on confidence as well but they are supposed to be a top four team.Yet in this match they were penned back in their own half and struggled to attack for much of the game. Their only attacks came from counter attacks as Everton were chasing the game. A good away tactic some might say but some might argue they didn’t have much of an option but to play that way. The victory for Liverpool was more down to Everton’s wastefulness than Liverpool’s brilliance.

Gerrard still not fit

Another worrying thing for Reds fans was the performance of captain and midfielder Steven Gerrard. Hes obviously not fully fit but I have never seen Steven Gerrard so ineffective in a derby. Opponents usually fear the England midfielder but at the moment hes not as much of a threat.

Reina their saviour

Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina produced two heroic saves, which proved vital in the end result. At that point Everton were pressing Liverpool back and Everton right-back Tony Hibbert was playing almost as a winger at times. Reina’s saves firstly from Tim Cahill and then Marouane Fellaini were crucial and seemed like a turning point in the game.

Not convincing

Although they gave Everton a fair few chances the side looked a bit more compact. However they also rode their luck at times with bounces of the ball and deflections. Their defence looked a bit shaky and panicky at times as Everton pushed for an equaliser. There was a positive though despite looking shaky they kept a rare clean-sheet.

Three points important

Regardless of the performance it was the three points that really mattered. It took the Reds up to fifth in the Premier League. That puts them just two points behind fourth place Arsenal, who are currently playing league leaders Chelsea at the Emirates.

It wasn’t just the three points that Liverpool will take away from this game but also a bit of confidence and belief which has been in short supply in recent months. Liverpool fans will complain about the performance but somehow they emerged from Goodison with maximum points and that will please boss Rafa Benitez.

Positives despite defeat

Everton fans will be wondering whether they have stepped on any Black Cats or walked under any ladders recently because recent luck has been awful. However there can be some positives to be taken from the game. The performance was much better than the atrocious first half display at Hull on Wednesday.

A clinical cutting edge was lacking however. This was demonstrated by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov’s awful miss when it seemed easier to score. It was nice to see an Everton team with some fighting spirit but if a team cant get fired up for a derby match then they will never get fired up.

Pienaar positive

Another positive for Evertonians is the return of South African midfielder Steven Pienaar. The midfielder is just the creative spark that will be needed in the absence of the mercurial Mikel Arteta. He will also run all day for the cause and despite his small stature is deceptively strong. Hes already made an impact despite not yet being fully fit. He could mean the difference between a relegation scrap and a comfortable season ahead for the Blues.

Catalyst

This victory should prove to be a catalyst for Liverpool to go on and challenge for the top four at least. It seems unthinkable saying that about Liverpool so early in the season but that’s how poor they have played in recent months. A title challenge is surely out of the Reds reach now but with Liverpool you just never know.

Everton need to take heart from the performance and hope their luck changes. A change of luck must be around the corner for David Moyes’s men. The injury situation remains the same at Goodison but hopefully somewhere along the way the injured players will return and help drag the club away from the bottom of the Premier League.