Was yesterday’s Merseyside derby the best in recent years?

Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet was one of the star performers as the Reds drew 3-3 at Everton in the Merseyside derby

Yesterday I wrote how I thought yesterday’s Merseyside derby would be a bit different than those of recent years, but I really did not expect the game to be so open and thrilling.

The pulsating 3-3 draw between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park was still a game of blood and thunder, but there was also some decent football played in between.

Red card

Let’s get this issue out of the way Everton should have had winger Kevin Mirallas sent off for his high challenge on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

However, had the Belgium international been sent off we would not have been seen such an entertaining encounter.

Mistakes by officials in Merseyside derbies seem to be part and parcel of the occasion nowadays. Some decisions go your way and some do not.

It has been a bit mixed bag in recent years with Jack Rodwell being wrongly sent off for Everton and Luis Suarez having a perfectly good goal ruled at Goodison Park last season. Referees seem to increasingly get decisions wrong and as fans we have accept that it happens and move on, much to our annoyance sometimes.

Fantastic

Putting the red card to one side though, the Merseyside derby had absolutely everything. Both teams went out to win the game. There was no looking for a draw in this one. Whenever either side attacked they looked like scoring, despite both sides having very decent defensive records this season.

The two sets of fans both went through the emotion of thinking that they were going to win the game and then lose it. It was truly a rollercoaster of an encounter.

Strikers

The score line reflects that these two teams in terms of quality are relatively closely matched. Just three points separate the two teams in the Premier League table. It was the strikers from both sides that made the difference on derby day though.

Liverpool’s strengths obviously lie in their front line of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, while Everton have the one man wrecking crew of Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, who was simply too hot for Liverpool’s defence and scored a brace.

Unfortunately for the Toffees the big striker is only on-loan from Chelsea. However, I do not think that anybody will complain if he helps the Toffees win a European place this season. He is young and raw, but he can be absolutely devastating to opposition defences.

For Liverpool the new SAS seem to be impossible to stop. Sturridge had gone three games without a goal, but came up with a vital late goal in this game and Suarez seems to have an influence on Liverpool’s performance whenever he plays.

The Uruguayan striker scored the best goal of the game with a superb free-kick to put the visitors ahead and also had a hand in the first goal as well. The Uruguayan seems to be enjoying his football at the moment and he is a constant pest to opposition defences.

Europe

This game showed why both these teams are considered realistic contenders for the Champions League places. The determination that both teams showed to get back into the game at different points proved that they have a chance of clinching one of those Champions League spots.

However, both teams are usually far more solid at the back than yesterday’s display. This was a derby game though and as we have seen down the years anything can happen.

Mentality

Something that was very noticeably about the Everton performance was that the Toffees seemed to have a far more positive attitude than in recent derby matches. Under David Moyes the Toffees seemed to be far more defensive.

However, under Roberto Martinez Everton went out to attack Liverpool, just like they have done against everybody else this season. They did not pay Liverpool too much respect like they had done under former-boss David Moyes.

I think it is a sign of how Martinez has started his Everton reign in a positive manner. The doom mongers at the start of the season may just be eating their words at the end of the season.

Fair result

I have to say that the draw was probably a fair result in the end. Both teams had chances to win the game with Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet in particular making a number of crucial saves in the clash. Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen also missed a gilt-edged chance at the other end of the pitch.

However, I think that both sets of fans would have been content with the draw, considering the way that the game went. Liverpool fans will complain about the red card, while Everton fans will be disappointed with conceding a late equaliser.

This game had everything us football fans want from a derby match. As Merseyside derbies go this was one of the better in recent years, the best you decide?