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Allardyce's Everton play spoiler to steal derby draw

Lyndon Lloyd Sunday, 10 December, 2017 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Liverpool 1- 1 Everton

Wayne Rooney's penalty was one of only three shots Everton managed as they dug in to frustrate Liverpool in today's derby

Everton plundered a point from Anfield thanks to a rare penalty on this ground, thumped home by Wayne Rooney with 13 minutes to go.

Mohamed Salah looked to have done enough to hand the points to Liverpool when he finally broke Everton's stubborn back line with a top-quality finish towards the end of the first half.

The Egyptian international out-muscled Cuco Martina and out-witted Idrissa Gueye before curling an unstoppable shot inside Jordan Pickford's right-hand post.

Sadio Mané wasted a gilt-edged chance to set Salah up for a killer second just before half time, however, and Salah himself would miss by inches with a header early in the second half that kept the visitors in the game.

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And when the Blues finally showed some attacking intent in the final quarter of an hour, they were rewarded with only the second Everton penalty at Anfield in 80 years.

Dejan Lovren came together with Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the latter chased a long ball into the Liverpool box and the combination of a shove by the defender and contact with the striker's right leg sent him sprawling to the turf.

Rooney stepped up to hammer his spot-kick down the centre of Simon Mignolet's goal to score what would prove to be a crucial equaliser.

Pickford judged a late Philippe Coutinho free kick to keep it out of the top corner as Everton retreated back into their shape to see out the draw.

The result was vindication for the wholly defensive posture adopted by Sam Allardyce which saw the Blues cede 71% of the possession to their hosts and manage just three shots in the 90 minutes.

Despite being the dominant team by quite a distance, Liverpool, who left Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench until the second half, failed to unduly trouble Pickford who had little to do apart from pick the ball out his net on the one occasion.

Everton's wait for a win at Anfield goes on but the team will take confidence from a fourth successive game unbeaten that keeps them in 10th place in the Premier League.

 

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