SEPTEMBER 9
Fuming Benitez
slams Reds defence
TEAMtalk
Rafael Benitez believes his side were made to pay for
making mistakes in their defence as they slipped to a 3-1
derby defeat at Everton.
Andy Johnson's double plus Tim Cahill's opener earned the
Blues bragging rights as they comprehensively claimed the
derby honours at Goodison Park.
And Benitez pinpointed the errors in defence for the Reds'
humiliating defeat.
He said: "We will have to improve in defence.
"We made a lot of mistakes, too many mistakes and in
football you pay for them.
"In the second half we went forward and created chances but
couldn't score so in the end we paid for that."
Liverpool had a penalty shout when Tony Hibbert appeared to
handle in the penalty area. with Benitez adding: "I think it
was clear but can you change the final score now? No - we
have to think about the mistakes we made."
Benitez lost full-back John Arne Riise to an ankle injury in
the second half.
"It's the same ankle now we have to wait and see, it could
be 10 to 15 days," Benitez said.
The Liverpool boss defended his decision to pick Jamie
Carragher, who had only recently returned from injury,
adding: "I think he was okay, he was training the last two
days but it was not just one player to blame in the
defence."
SEPTEMBER 9
Moyes in
derby delight
By Simon Fudge - Sky Sports
Everton boss David Moyes was delighted with his side's
effort in their 3-0 Merseyside derby win over Liverpool.
A Tim Cahill opener was followed by a brace from in-form
Andy Johnson, as The Toffees outfought their arch-rivals in
the noon-hour Saturday kick-off.
The result meant Everton took early-season bragging rights
before both clubs meet again at Anfield in February next
year.
"We have not won many in the past against Liverpool, who
have a terrific team, but give credit to the players," Moyes
told PremPlus.
"They have done this in pre-season and we wanted to make
that happen.
"In the end, though, it's only three points. We've had some
bad games against Liverpool but hopefully, we have made
improvements."
The Scot again lauded the contribution of Johnson, who
caused Liverpool's back-line all sorts of problems at
Goodison Park.
"We always said he would score goals, but for his second, he
said 'I'm going to gamble here'.
"We are pleased to have him."
The 3-0 win temporarily put Everton top of the Premiership
table, but Moyes refused to get carried away.
"Everton top sounds great - I've been longing to hear that,"
he added. "But we have 10 points early in the season.
"Once we get 40 points, we will look at the next target."
SEPTEMBER 9
Toffees triumph over Reds
By Simon Fudge - Sky Sports
Everton claimed the 204th Merseyside derby with a well
deserved 3-0 home victory over arch-rivals Liverpool.
A first-half strike from Tim Cahill and a brace from Andy
Johnson meant Everton remained undefeated after their
opening four games and handed out a first Premiership defeat
of the season to The Reds.
Liverpool never looked at their best in the early Saturday
contest, as the excursions of recent international duty
looked to have taken their toll on the visitors.
The Toffees welcomed back defender Tony Hibbert for his
first appearance of the season after a spell on the
sidelines with a lengthy illness.
Manager David Moyes opted for a five-man midfield, with
Johnson playing as a lone striker in a formation that proved
successful in their win at Tottenham Hotspur.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez opted to play England goalscorer
Peter Crouch alongside Robbie Fowler in attack, with Craig
Bellamy left out of the squad for Saturday's contest.
Fit-again Jamie Carragher returned to the visitors'
back-line in place of Daniel Agger, while Mohamed Sissoko
also returned to the starting XI from injury.
A typical white-hot atmosphere greeted both sets of players
for the noon-hour kick-off at Goodison Park, with referee
Graham Poll needing to calm the players down after a scrappy
start.
Fowler tried to justify his selection right from kick-off,
but his tame goal-bound strike failed to test Everton
goalkeeper Tim Howard before Everton's Joleon Lescott cut
out Fabio Aurelio's fine pass forward for Fowler.
The home side responded through the ever-dangerous Johnson,
who forced Carragher into a fine block of his goal-bound
shot after Cahill played him into the Liverpool box.
The Reds then enjoyed a spell of possession that created a
couple of chances, with Crouch knocking Steven Gerrard's
corner from the right wide of the far post before Howard
made a smart save to a low Luis Garcia strike.
Liverpool's pressure was beginning to influence the contest
and Garcia's cross from the left nearly caused Everton
defender Gary Naysmith a moment of embarrassment when his
clearing header came close to going into his own net.
Then against the run of play, Everton claimed the lead from
some clever attacking play, as Johnson found Mikel Arteta on
the right flank.
The Spaniard's neatly chipped cross was flicked on in the
Liverpool box by Lee Carsley before eluding both Leon Osman
and Steve Finnan, who were challenging for the loose ball.
As Liverpool pleaded for a foul by Osman on Finnan, the ball
fell to an unmarked Cahill in front of goal and he finished
with aplomb past Reina.
The visitors tried to respond to going behind through their
captain Gerrard, who missed the target with two efforts
before hitting the far post when trying to convert on the
rebound after Howard made a fine save to Garcia's curling
strike.
The Brazilian Aurelio was then handed the chance to find the
scoresheet with a free kick chance, but his right-footed
effort flew wide of Howard's goal.
Liverpool's lack of cutting edge proved costly, as they went
further behind on 36 minutes.
Carsley's ball into the Liverpool box left Sami Hyypia and
Carragher in a muddle, as the pacey Johnson nipped in to win
the ball and beat both defenders before slipping a neat
finish past Reina for 2-0.
Everton fans were in dreamland at being two goals in front
of their arch-rivals, as both sides went to their dressing
rooms for half time.
The second half started in similar scrappy fashion to the
start of the match, with Fowler receiving another chance in
front of goal, but his weak close-range header was easily
saved by Howard.
With goals needed to turn the derby contest around, Benitez
introduced Dirk Kuyt for Crouch up front.
The Dutchman took little time to provide some influence on
the contest with a low cross to Xabi Alonso, but his strike
flew high and wide of Howard's goal.
The Reds kept applying the pressure in search of a goal, but
Finnan's fine effort flew just wide of goal before Gerrard
missed from an even tighter angle after being picked out by
Alonso on the right before eluding Naysmith in the box.
Johnson remained a threat in attack for The Toffees and
should have scored his second goal of the match, but the
England striker failed to connect his head with Osman's low
cross in front of Reina.
Liverpool then tried to strike on the break, but Howard was
equal to substitute Kuyt's solid strike at goal before
Gerrard hit the woodwork with a close-range drive after
Hyypia played him into the box.
The roll across goal to Kuyt and his return ball struck the
arm of the sliding Hibbert, but despite Liverpool's appeals,
referee Poll saw no reason to award a penalty.
Substitute John Arne Riise then suffered another injury
setback when he went over on his ankle in making a challenge
on Arteta before Naysmith struck a shot over Reina's
crossbar from the edge of the box.
Liverpool's miserable day was summed up by a comical third
goal, as Carsley's fierce drive forced Reina to knock the
ball up in the air.
However, as he was well off his line, the loose ball nearly
fell into his own net, and in a desperate attempt to keep it
out, Reina grabbed the ball and threw it up in the air again
to keep it from going over the goal-line.
In doing so, Johnson nipped in to easily head the loose ball
into the roof of the net to cap a superb three-goal win for
The Toffees, as they take the local bragging rights on
Merseyside.
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