After The Match 

            


Everton-Liverpool 3-0 (2-0)        09.09.06                           PL
Goals: Cahill /24), Johnson (36 & 90)
Team: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Aurelio, Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso, Garcia, Fowler, Crouch
Subs: Kuyt (Crouch 53), Riise (Fowler 64), Pennant (Sissoko 77)
Not used: Dudek, Agger
Yellow: Sissoko (75), Riise (78), Hyypia (90)     Yobo (34)
Red: None
Referee: G Poll
Attendance: 40,004
TEAM STATS
Shots on target: 4-4
Shots off target: 2-14
Possession: 48-52
Fouls conceded: 23-14
Corners: 2-11
Offsides: 3-4
Yellow: 1-3
Red: 0-0
HEADLINES "We will have to improve
in defence."
     Rafael Benitez

0909: Fuming Benitez slams Reds defence
0909: Moyes in derby delight
0909: Toffees triumph over Reds

 


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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