Rivals to meet again
Sunday, 25 January 2009.
| Liverpool | 1-1 | Everton |
| Gerrard 54 |
| Lescott 27 |
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fourth Round Proper
4pm, Sunday 25 January 2009
Anfield, Liverpool FC
Winning clubs will receive £100,000 from The FA
Liverpool and Everton played out a second 1-1 draw in six days after goals from Joleon Lescott and Steven Gerrard ensured this FA Cup Fourth Round tie finished all-square.
Lescott gave the visitors a 27th minute lead, heading home a Steven Pienaar corner via a knock-on from Tim Cahill.
These Merseyside rivals were meeting for the second time in a week after their draw in the Premier League on 19 January. This time it was a different competition, though the outcome was the same.
The tie began at typically frantic derby-pace, with Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso attempting a shot from distance in the opening minute.
The hosts controlled proceedings in the opening 20 minutes though Everton did have an early penalty appeal turned down by Steve Bennett after Pienaar went to ground under the challenge of Alvaro Arbeloa.
On 12 minutes Gerrard found Jamie Carragher inside the Everton penalty box and his drag-back allowed him to evade Leon Osman, but his left-foot shot rattled into the side netting.
Just before the half hour mark, Everton took the lead against the run of play. An inswinging corner from Pienaar was nodded across goal by Cahill and an unmarked Lescott did the rest, directing the ball past Jose Reina in the Liverpool goal.
The 2006 FA Cup winners continued to press for the remainder of the half in search of the equaliser, but they could not breach a resolute Everton defence and they failed to create any clear-cut opportunities to trouble Tim Howard.
Liverpool continued to dominate after the interval and the Anfield crowd had to wait just nine minutes into the second period for a well-deserved equaliser, though Howard will feel disappointed to have beaten at his near post.
Gerrard took the ball in his stride and unleashed a low left-foot shot which powered underneath the American ‘keeper. This equaliser galvanised the home side and spurred on by a vocal following they upped the tempo in search of a second, Dirk Kuyt having a shot saved.
Barely three minutes later, Howard atoned for his earlier error, denying Liverpool’s goalscorer a third derby goal in a six days. Torres and Gerrard were again involved, this time inside the box. The Spaniard laid the ball off to his captain and Gerrard’s fierce drive was repelled brilliantly by the Everton stopper.
With the hosts pursuing a second goal and Everton attempting to stem the Red tide on the counter-attack, the game became rather stretched. Everton introduced youngsters Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell while Albert Riera replaced Ryan Babel on Liverpool’s left-wing.
When an Everton counter broke down with just ten minutes remaining, it almost led to a second goal for their hosts. Gerrard scampered down the right and found Kuyt unmarked by the penalty spot. David Moyes will be relieved that the Dutchman could only shoot straight at Howard and the scores remained level.
Liverpool seemed keen to avoid a replay at Goodison Park and as the game reached its conclusion, Andrea Dossena had a low shot well held by Howard and Torres also had a shot blocked by a Toffees rearguard superbly marshalled by Lescott and Jagielka.
The game though had long seemed destined to end all-square and there will now be a third Merseyside derby in two weeks as Liverpool will travel to Goodison for a Fourth Round replay on Wednesday week.
The Teams
Liverpool
25 Jose Reina, 2 Andrea Dossena, 17 Alvaro Arbeloa, 23 Jamie Carragher, 37 Martin Skrtel, 20 Javier Mascherano, 14 Xabi Alonso, 18 Dirk Kuyt, 19 Ryan Babel (11 Albert Riera, 75), 8 Steven Gerrard (C), 9 Fernando Torres
Substitutes not used 1 Diego Cavalieri, 4 Sami Hyppia, 12 Fabio Aureilio, 15 Yossi Benayon, 21 Lucas, 24 David Ngog
24 Tim Howard, 2 Tony Hibbert, 6 Phil Jagielka, 5 Joleon Lescott, 3 Leighton Baines, 28 Victor Anichebe (32 Dan Gosling, 71), 8 Segundo Castillo (26 Jack Rodwell, 75), 18 Phil Neville (C), 20 Steven Pienaar, 21 Leon Osman, 17 Tim Cahill
Substitutes not used 1 Carlo Nash, 4 Joseph Yobo, 7 Andy van der Meyde 15 Lars Jacobsen, 27 Lukas Jutkiewicz
Referee Steve Bennett
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