Premier League: Liverpool 2 Everton 2

Dirk Kuyt’s penalty earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw with Everton in the Merseyside derby which left both sides only four points clear of the relegation zone.

Raul Meireles opened the scoring, driving in from 18 yards after Tim Howard made a double save from Kuyt.

Everton equalised when Sylvain Distin headed in at the back post before Jermaine Beckford lashed them ahead from close range minutes later.

But when Howard tripped Maxi Rodriguez in the box, Kuyt fired in to level.

With Kenny Dalglish returning to the Anfield dug-out as Liverpool manager for the first time in 20 years there was an air of expectation ahead of the derby clash, heightened by a rousing rendition of ‘You’ll never Walk Alone’ before kick-off.

Everton, meanwhile, have struggled at Anfield in the past, winning only twice in 18 Premier League visits.

Fernando Torres, making his 100th league appearance for Liverpool, almost gave the home side a dream start but he fired his angled drive into the arms of Howard after only nine seconds.

With little between the two sides, Liverpool took the lead after 28 minutes when Glen Johnson’s cross from the left was headed goalwards by Kuyt.

The Dutchman’s header was saved low by Howard who followed that by blocking Kuyt’s follow-up shot with his legs but he could do little as Meireles smashed his first goal for Liverpool from 18 yards out.

However, it took Everton only 43 seconds of the second half to equalise when Mikel Arteta’s corner was met by Distin at the back post and the Frenchman out-jumped Martin Skrtel to power his header past Pepe Reina.

After 51 minutes the turnaround was complete when Leon Osman latched onto Victor Anichebe’s flick-on and slipped his pass through to Beckford, goal-side of Meireles, and the former Leeds man slammed his close-range effort past Reina.

Howard, a hero having already made several key saves, turned villain when he clipped the legs of Maxi as he touched the ball away from goal and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Kuyt stepped up to drive his penalty into the right corner and set up a tense finale as both sides threw men forward but neither could score the winning goal.