- Date:2008-09-27
- Kick-off:12:45
- Venue:Goodison Park
- Attendance:39574
- Referee:Riley, M
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: EVERTON 0-2 LIVERPOOL.
89mins
Saha fires a shot narrowly wide of Reina's goal
87mins
Gerrard's free-kick drifts over. Time almost up and it looks like ending 2-0 to Liverpool
86mins
Lucas is also on in place of Keane
86mins
Liverpool make a double change with Jermaine Pennant on for Alonso
84mins
Gerrard, looking for his 100th Liverpool goal still, curls one from around 25 yards but Howard tips it round the post
81mins
It appeared a slightly harsh decision to send the Australian off but he did catch the Liverpool man with both legs
80mins
Cahill dives in on Alonso and is sent off. Things go from bad to worse for Everton with 10 minutes left
77mins
Lescott arrows a cross over into the six-yard box but no Everton player can get on the end of it
77mins
Arbeloa catches Cahill from behind and is rightly booked
74mins
Fellaini heads a free-kick just wide in what was a half chance for Everton
73mins
Torres almost gets past Jagielka after a mazy run but the Everton man does well to get a challenge in to deny him
71mins
Kuyt rises high to clear an Everton corner. The home side need a goal as soon as possible if they are to get back into the game
69mins
Rafa Benitez's side appear in total control after those two Torres goals now
66mins
Riera goes off for Liverpool to be replaced by Fabio Aurelio
65mins
Liverpool have the ball in the net again twice inside a minute but both 'goals' are ruled out - the first because the ball had gone out of play and the second for a foul by Torres
64mins
Neville is booked for a poor challenge
64mins
Hibbert goes off in place of Louis Saha for Everton
63mins
Torres scores a second inside four minutes after Kuyt is denied by a challenge the ball rolls to the striker and he blasts it home
62mins
The goal has really lifted the Reds and the Blues are struggling at the minute
60mins
Torres has had a frustrating afternoon so far but made no mistake with the goal. Keane's deep cross from the by-line was inch perfect
59mins
Torres makes it 1-0, slotting home Keane's cross from the left from close range
56mins
Gerrard breaks forward again and tries to find Torres but it's overhit. A shot might have been a better option then for the Reds skipper
54mins
Torres almost gets clear again but this time he is judged to have fouled Yobo and Everton have a free-kick
53mins
Keane pulls the ball back for Riera but his shot is poor too and well wide of Howard's goal
53mins
No early chances at the start of the second half - it remains a very tight game as Gerrard shoots well wide from distance
51mins
Torres turns well and manages to get a shot in but it's easy for Howard
50mins
Torres is booked now after complaining at the award of a free-kick against him
48mins
Yakubu is booked for diving after going down very easily in the box under a challenge from Skrtel
47mins
Kuyt has a shot blocked from distance early on in the second half
45mins
The home side get the second period underway at Goodison after a competitive but tight first 45 minutes
45mins
Level after an even first half at Goodison Park with only a couple of half-chances at either end so far.
45mins
Almost half-time and Cahill claims to have been impeded in the Liverpool box by Carragher but his protests are waved away
44mins
Yakubu turns past Carragher but drags his shot wide too
43mins
Everton easily clear Gerrard's corner but Liverpool attack again and Alonso has a decent half-chance but his shot is awful and wide
41mins
It's been a typical derby so far with challenges flying in and plenty of committment but not a great deal of clear chances
38mins
Alonso is booked for a foul on Felliani
36mins
Yakubu clashes with Carragher again and the Liverpool man wins a free-kick
34mins
Howard is forced out of his goal to beat Kuyt to the ball
32mins
It's very even at Goodison now after that initial bright start from Liverpool, Everton are now playing well
29mins
Reina fumbles a cross and Felliani has a real chance but the ball is cleared off the line by Carragher. The referee decides Feliiani fouled the Liverpool keeper though and it's a free-kick
27mins
Cahill is deemed to have fouled Dossena but the Everton fans don't like the decision
26mins
Tim Cahill finds a bit of space in the box but Jamie Carragher defends well to block the shot - better from Everton
24mins
Kuyt does well to block Lescott down the left
21mins
Arteta's cross at the other end is cleared well by Skrtel
20mins
Riera shoots from the left and it goes just over Tim Howard's bar as Liverpool remain the more threatening of the two sides
18mins
Torres wastes a decent opportunity to open the scoring when his effort is well blocked by Jagielka
15mins
Mikel Arteta's weak shot is no problem for Reina
14mins
Kuyt fouls Lescott to give Everton a free-kick. Liverpool have shaded the opening 15 minutes so far
12mins
Torres almost gets in front of Phil Jagielka but the defender does well to shepherd the ball out of play
11mins
Skrtel clashes with Yakubu and the Everton man earns a free-kick. No yellow for the Liverpool defender that time
9mins
Marouane Fellaini is booked for a foul on Alvaro Arbeloa - a harsh decision on the midfielder though
8mins
Keane's shot is blocked before the ball rebounds to Gerrard but his cross for Torres finds the forward offside
6mins
Robbie Keane and Riera work it well down the left but Everton manage to clear the cross
4mins
Martin Skrtel blocks Yakubu off the ball as Jose Reina comes out to gather the ball, Everton's fans want a penalty but Mike Riley is having none of it
3mins
Everton win a corner but Liverpool clear and Fernando Torres breaks forward before being fouled. It's a predictably lively start to the game
1mins
Andrea Dossena tries to play Riera in but it's overhit down the left
0mins
Liverpool get the Merseyside derby underway at Goodison Park
0mins
Everton have Tony Hibbert back after a knee operation while Joleon Lescott plays at left-back and Phil Neville pushes into midfield for David Moyes' side.
0mins
Javier Mascherano fails a late fitness test for Liverpool so Xabi Alonso starts alongside Steven Gerrard in the centre of midfield while Albert Riera also plays for the visitors.
Match Preview
High noon on Saturday sees the first Merseyside derby of the season take place at Goodison Park.
Everton host Liverpool with local bragging rights up for grabs, but for the blue half of the city this fixture will represent something of a chance for revenge.
Last season the Toffees lost 2-1 on home soil following a dramatic encounter that saw Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville sent off.
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt converted two penalties awarded by controversial referee Mark Clattenburg, but his decision not to hand the home side a stoppage-time spot-kick of their own, after Joleon Lescott was held down in the area by Jamie Carragher, caused outrage at Goodison Park.
Manager David Moyes was incensed by the lack of decisions which went his side's way and this latest meeting of two famous clubs could well be another combustible affair.
The Premier League appear to have set out their stall to crack down on any disciplinary issues which may arise after naming Mike Riley as the match referee.
The Leeds-based official came in for criticism after refereeing last weekend's 1-1 draw between Manchester United and Chelsea with an iron fist after issuing no less than eight yellow cards in a relatively calm encounter.
Everton though are hoping to take the derby honours as they look to kick-start a season that has so far failed to ignite.
The Toffees needed two late goals to come from behind to draw 2-2 with Hull City last weekend just 72 hours after they were held to another 2-2 draw by Standard Liege in the UEFA Cup.
Moyes' side have won just twice in the Premier League this season - both away from home - but have at least been boosted by the returns from injury of key players Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta in recent weeks.
Deadline day arrival Louis Saha is fully-fit and could start for the first time, while £15million record signing Marouane Fellaini is set to experience his first Merseyside derby.
Liverpool make the short journey across Stanley Park looking to put their title challenge back on track following last weekend's disappointing goalless draw with Stoke City.
The Reds were unable to find a way through a packed Stoke defence at Anfield last Saturday as the momentum they gained from defeating Manchester United the previous weekend was allowed to drift away.
Rafa Benitez must decide whether to keep faith with Robbie Keane in his starting line-up with the £18million striker still yet to get off the mark for his new club.
Benitez has a virtually fully-fit squad to choose from so Ryan Babel could come back into the reckoning, with Javier Mascherano also likely to bolster the midfield due to his ball-winning strengths.
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Match Report
Fernando Torres fired Liverpool to a 2-0 derby success at Everton, with the Spain striker netting twice in four second-half minutes to set up the victory at Goodison Park.
Toffees boss David Moyes brought Tony Hibbert, Tim Cahill and Yakubu back into his starting line-up, while Mikel Arteta was fit to take his place in midfield.
Reds manager Rafa Benitez opted to keep faith with the strike partnership of Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane, despite them having scored just once between them this season.
The opening minutes were typically hectic, with both sides desperate to try and stamp their authority on the game, with Torres looking sharp up front for the visitors.
Eighteen minutes in, Albert Riera found Torres in the area with a ball in from the left, but Phil Jagielka made a superb block to deny the Spain ace from eight yards out.
After that chance the Blues began to dictate play and just before the half-hour mark Marouane Fellaini had a chance in the area, only to be penalised for a foul on keeper Jose Reina.
Shortly before half-time, Yakubu dragged a shot well wide from 25 yards as a disappointing first 45 minutes drew to a close.
Three minutes into the second half, Yakubu went into the book for a dive in the area, with referee Mike Riley spotting that Martin Skrtel had made no contact with the Toffees frontman.
A couple of minutes later, Torres got a shot on target from 25 yards, but it was too weak to cause Tim Howard any trouble.
Steven Gerrard then drove a 40-yard effort narrowly past the post with Howard slow to get down, before the Reds hit the front shortly before the hour mark.
Keane got to the byline on the left and his cross into the middle of the area found an unmarked Torres, who side-footed home from six yards out with little or no fuss after Joleon Lescott had been drawn out of position by Dirk Kuyt.
Torres made it 2-0 within a couple of minutes, lashing the ball home right-footed from 12 yards out after Jagielka's challenge on Kuyt had presented the ball to the Spaniard inside the area.
Everton's misery heightened ten minutes from time as Cahill was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Riley for a late challenge on Xabi Alonso, although the decision seemed harsh on the Australian midfielder.
Everton Team
Liverpool Team
Everton | Liverpool |
Corners
| 7 | 4 |
Fouls
| 18 | 21 |
Goal attempts
| 4 | 11 |
Shots off target
| 2 | 5 |
Offsides
| 3 | 1 |



90mins
Three minutes of injury time is added