Everton 1-1 Liverpool
at Goodison Park
by James Nalton

THE BLUE half of the city had smelt blood going into the 225th Merseyside derby, as they saw a chance to end a nine-game run without any league wins against their neighbours.

Liverpool’s poor form recently had been tempered a bit by the return of Daniel Sturridge, but their frailties at the other end of the field were on show within half an hour.

A Ross Barkley free-kick found Steven Naismith totally unmarked in the area, but his close-range header was palmed over superbly by Simon Mignolet.

Everton were on top, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring. Danny Ings found space in the six-yard box to nod home a James Milner corner on 41 minutes, with Tim Howard rooted to the spot.

Then in injury time before the break, Everton scored the equaliser their performance had deserved. An Emre Can error presented the ball to Romelu Lukaku’s left foot, which needed no second invitation to drive the ball into the net.

The best entertainment to be had in a sloppy second half was the ongoing battle between Can and Barkley on Everton’s left flank. Both had been booked after an altercation in the first half, which favoured the attacker as the game progressed.

Both sides had chances, but the game lacked quality. Lukaku forced another save from Mignolet, while Philippe Coutinho tested Howard at the other end.

One piece of individual class might have been enough to win the game, but no player could find it as the fixture, which neither side dared lose, petered out into a draw.

Asked after the game about his job security, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said: “I don’t feel any pressure. My job is to worry about the team.”

He was “pleased with the performance” of his side, but “conceded a disappointing goal where a bit of luck went against [them].”

Everton manager Roberto Martinez thought the Toffees’ “performance was good enough to get three points.”

He praised Liverpool, and Mignolet in particular, describing his save from Naismith as “as good a save as you’re going to see in the league.”